1 August 2024

From the Principal's Desk

Dear Atherton State High School Community,

Celebrating our improvement journey!

First and foremost, I would like to congratulate many of our students on their outstanding performance during Semester One. The hard work, dedication, and commitment to their studies have truly paid off, and we are immensely proud of each and every one of them. The wonderful achievements are a testament to our students’ abilities and determination, and we look forward to even greater accomplishments for this semester. 

I would also like to extend our sincere appreciation to all the parents and guardians for your unwavering support throughout the term. Your encouragement and involvement in your child's education have played a crucial role in their academic journey. We recognise the effort you put into supporting your children, attending parent-teacher meetings, and being actively engaged in their learning. Your collaboration with our teachers fosters a strong educational foundation and helps our students thrive.

Whole School improvements over the past 2 years

I am thrilled to share with our community the amazing improvements that our students have achieved over the past 2 years.  The learning outcomes of students are measured through the level of achievement data.  The behaviour and effort results measure our students’ levels of engagement.

Celebrating the Achievements of Our Students - Semester 1 Results

I am thrilled to share with you the incredible achievements of many of our students for Semester 1.

Academic Excellence

Many of our students have demonstrated outstanding academic performance across all subjects. We have seen a significant number of students achieving top grades and excelling in their studies. Special congratulations to our high achievers who have set a remarkable standard for academic excellence.

Principal Honours Breakfast and Pizza Party

To celebrate these outstanding results, we were so excited to host the Principal Honours Breakfast and Pizza Party. These special events are one of the many ways of recognising and rewarding our students for their exceptional achievements.

• Principal Honours Breakfast: A formal breakfast event to honour our top academic performers and their families. This year we invited 58 of our highest achieving academic students to a very special celebration. We were so thrilled to host this very special event, and sincerely acknowledge and thank our amazing food technology staff Andrea Kahn and Rod Green and some of their wonderful students for catering for this event.
• Congratulations to the Principal Honours Award recipients.

• Pizza Party Celebration: We also held a fun celebration where we acknowledged the many students who received excellent results for both Behaviour and Effort! At the pizza party we celebrated 110 of our students who demonstrated exceptional dedication to their studies.  
• Congratulations to the following students:
  

These events are not only a celebration of hard work but also an opportunity for our school community to come together and acknowledge the collective efforts that have led to such impressive accomplishments.

As we reflect on the first semester, I am incredibly proud of the dedication and achievements of our students. Their hard work, passion, and resilience are truly inspiring. I also extend my heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated teachers, staff, and parents for their unwavering support and encouragement.

Let us continue to strive for excellence and make the most of the opportunities that lie ahead in Semester 2. Together, we will continue to foster a nurturing and empowering environment for all our students, so that all students may experience success!

Student Pathways for Success is going very well

I am really happy to communicate that our senior students have expressed immense gratitude for the student pathways for success program that started this term.  They are using this time very well to access and enhance their learning experiences through engagement in school-based traineeships and apprenticeships, certificate courses, work experience, independent study, personal development and wellness activities.

The trial will continue throughout semester 2, 2024 every Tuesday during Period 4. In this single 70-minute lesson per week, our Year 10, 11 and 12 students are timetabled off campus to:

• explore the world of work through work experience or school-based traineeships and apprenticeships
• complete review and revision to consolidate learning
• work on assessment and exam preparation
• complete certificate courses
• complete work readiness activities such as cover letter and resume writing

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our local community and to our parents for supporting this initiative, which is really supporting our senior students. In order to determine the benefits of SPS for students, staff and wider community, a review process will be conducted following the trial. 

For further information about the program please see our website – www.athertonshs.eq.edu.au/calendar-and-news/news/student-pathway-to-success-proposal or contact one of our Deputy Principals, Ann Grimshaw – agrim14@eq.edu.au or Catherine Campbell – ccamp52@eq.edu.au

Supporting our staff to support our students – Restorative Retreat

One of our key strategic improvement strategies is focussed upon improving the learning culture of our school and building the capability of our staff to effectively and positively help students to manage their behaviour.  Last weekend 16 of our dedicated staff members attended a Professional Development experience focussing upon restorative practices, these are the words of one of these staff members Jimmy Pearsall our Student Support Officer who describes how this practice will help our students and our school processes. 

"Utilising the principles and techniques of restorative practice should allow students to develop their own ability to resolve conflicts, minimizing time outside the classroom.  Where students are referred to me as Student support Officer, this is the perfect opportunity to engage students in restorative conversations to deal with issues soon after they happen.  The result should be an increased ability for students to recognise their own triggers, problematic behaviours, articulating their emotional states and thought processes, recognising the impact of their behaviour on others, and problem-solving to find ways to remedy issues and conflicts."

Warm regards,

Leanne Knight-Smith

Principal

From the Deputy's Desk - Junior School

It is great to see so many events happening in our school community and it’s fantastic to see so many year 7 and 8 students achieving wonderful results academically and in terms of effort and behaviour. This week alone, we saw a subject information evening, the Principal’s Honours Breakfast, Outstanding Behaviour and Effort Lunch and of course District Athletics. One of our school values is “We are Successful” and all we can ask as educators, is for students to give their best effort and I am proud to say that students this year continue to do exactly that.

With the subject information evening in mind, at the end of this year, all year 8 students will have an opportunity to choose 2 elective subjects to study over 2 years in grades 9 and 10. More information will follow in the coming weeks around this.

Enrolment at Atherton State High School for 2025 Year 6 into 7

It is with great pleasure that we invite parents/ caregivers to begin the enrolment process at Atherton State High School. We look forward to welcoming our 2025 year 7 students, and are excited to learn more about them, their educational journey, and the expectations they have of coming to high school. As such, we invite parents/ caregivers to book an enrolment interview with us.

A new process for enrolment interviews has been devised to accommodate a whole day of interviews; with the aim of being better prepared to facilitate each child’s transition.  The steps are outlined below.

Enrolment day Information

Date- Tuesday 13^th August, 2024

Time- 8.00am-1.30pm

Location- Atherton State High School

Actions for parents of year 6 students:

1. Complete an enrolment pack. Students who attended the transition day in Term 2 were all provided with an enrolment pack. New enrolment packs can be obtained from the school.
2. Contact, at the earliest convenience, Atherton State High School enrolment officer- Mrs Kelli Harris to book an interview- 07 4030 5250
3. Attend the scheduled interview time on the day.

Interviews will be approximately 20 minutes in duration and parents are encouraged to allow for additional time for any questions students or the Atherton State High School staff may have.

Don’t bottle it up - Why Reporting Concerns Matters

We believe that our school is a safe and supportive environment where everyone feels respected and valued. To maintain this positive culture, it’s essential that we all work together to address any instances of misbehaviour or student concern.

Reporting concerns is not just about punishing those involved; it’s about creating a better school for everyone. Here’s why:

• Safety and Well-being: By reporting incidents, we help to protect students and staff from harm. Whether it's bullying, harassment, or other forms of misconduct, reporting allows us to take action and prevent further issues.
• Fairness: Everyone deserves to feel safe and respected at school. Reporting concerns helps to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and equitably.
• Learning Environment: Misbehaviour can disrupt the learning environment for everyone. By addressing issues promptly, we create a more focused and productive atmosphere for all students.
• Building Trust: Open communication and reporting contribute to a trusting relationship between students, staff, and parents.
• Personal Growth: Reporting misbehaviour can help students develop important life skills, such as courage, responsibility, and empathy.
• Releasing it – Reporting a concern can help lift the burden off the individual who feels aggrieved.

We encourage all students, staff, and parents to report any concerns they have about misbehaviour. We have a range of reporting options available, including:

1. Speaking to a teacher in the classroom or playground
2. Reporting concerns to our Student Support Officer – Mr Pearsal in A15
3. Seeking support from our school support staff including the CEC, School Nurse, School Chaplain and School Social Workers
4. Speaking to the Head of Junior/Senior Secondary
5. Reporting it to the relevant Deputy Principal

Remember, every report helps us to create a better school community for everyone.

From the Deputy's Desk-Middle Schooling

It has been a busy few weeks for the Year 10 students who are currently reviewing and selecting their subjects for 2025. Student Education and Training Plans (SET P) interviews are scheduled for Wednesday 7^th August. Year 10 students only attend school at the time of their SET P interview on this day. Year 10 students should have shared their One School SET P tab with their parents to see what they have been doing in the lead up to these interviews. Subject selections will be finalised after the SET P interviews have been completed for all students. Mrs Whybird has been coordinating the delivery of quality information to all Year 10 students in the lead up to these interviews. Booking information has been emailed out to all parents and we thank those who have already made their interview time or have been in contact to get help to make a booking. We appreciate your understanding as we use our new booking system.

Thank you to those parents and students who attended the Subject Information Evening on Tuesday night. It was wonderful to see the interactions between school staff, parents and students.

So many Year 9 and 10 students have been involved in the celebrations with the Principal this week. There is so much to celebrate in regard to your effort, engagement and results. Well done to all students who continue to do their very best in their learning. As well as this there are the large number of students in year 9 and 10 who are celebrated for their positive behaviour and involvement in school sports.

A great effort for the start of Term 3. Well done to all year 9 and 10 students.

From the Deputy's Desk-Senior Schooling

Well, the term is scooting along quickly and we are fast approaching the final school-based assessments for year 12 and the third formative internal assessment for year 11. Reports for Years 11 and 12 will be issued in week 7 and 8 respectively.

I’m really proud of the effort our senior students have been making this term. Term 3 is busy and it can be difficult to stay motivated and to maintain a school/life balance, but both attendance and behaviour have improved greatly this term in both year levels. I have also seen our senior students step up as role models for our younger students, standing up against poor behaviour and encouraging good behaviour and respectful and safe actions. It is great to see this sense of community identity growing strong.

There are a number of opportunities over this term for Year 11 and 12 students to be involved in extra-curricular pathways and career opportunities, particularly for those students who are university bound or looking to get an early jump in job opportunities. Last week’s JCU day was hugely worthwhile for the 28 students who attended. Students should be monitoring their emails and morning notices, talking with key staff including Mrs Coleman, the VET coordinator, Ms Combe the transition pathways officer, and Mrs Trevor.

From the Deputy's Desk - Inclusion

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)

The start to term 3 each year sees every school in Australia finalise their Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD). The NCCD is an annual collection of information about Australian school students with disability. The NCCD enables schools, education authorities and governments to better understand the needs of students with disability and how they can be best supported at school. The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019). In Queensland funding for teacher aides and a percentage of our teachers comes from the Reasonable Adjustments Resourcing (RAR) based solely on our NCCD census.

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:

• year of schooling
• category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
• level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.

We determine the broad category of disability for each student from one of four categories: (examples are examples only- each category is quite broad)

• Physical (example: a broken leg in plaster for more than 10 weeks requires significant adjustments to the timetable to ensure the student can access classroom and participate in activities)
• Cognitive (example: students diagnosed with ADHD are recorded with a cognitive disability due to their increased inability to remain on task and concentrate for the length of a class, so teachers need to adjust their teaching to support students with shorter activities, allowance for interest and the need to move about)
• Sensory (example: a student with a hearing impairment may require their classroom to be fitted with a sound system to clarify voice OR be provided with an Auslan Interpreter) 
• Social/emotional (example: a student with anxiety may be provided with a time out card, support from our school nurse, social worker and Guidance Officer. A student with anxiety may complete an oral presentation to only their teacher in year 7 and build up confidence by year 12 where to present to a small group)

This information assists schools to:

• formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
• consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
• develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability.

The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process to be included. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy (https://www.education.gov.au/privacy-policy).

Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal (https://www.nccd.edu.au).

If you have any questions about the NCCD, please contact me on 40305237 or cgunn10@eq.edu.au

Coralie Gunn

Deputy Principal: Inclusion

Finance Update

Dear Parents/Carers/Guardians,

Student Resource Scheme 2024 Payments Now Due

All 2024 Student Resource Scheme levies including subject fees were due to be paid at the end of last 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.

News from The School Nurse

Addressing Alcohol and Other Drugs Among Youth

Understanding the Risks and Promoting Healthy Choices

As a school-based youth health nurse, I see firsthand the challenges our young people face when it comes to alcohol and other drugs. Adolescence is a time of exploration and growth, but it is also a period when youths may encounter peer pressure and experiment with substances that can have serious, lasting consequences.

The Risks of Alcohol and Drug Use

1. Health Effects: Alcohol and drug use can severely impact physical and mental health. These substances can interfere with brain development, leading to learning difficulties, memory issues, and increased risk of mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.

1. Safety Concerns: Impaired judgment and coordination from substance use increase the risk of accidents, injuries, and risky behaviours. For instance, driving under the influence can result in fatal accidents, and sharing needles can lead to infectious diseases.

1. Legal Consequences: Possession and use of illegal substances or underage drinking can result in legal issues, including fines, community service, and a criminal record, which can impact future opportunities for education and employment.

How to Support Healthy Choices

1. Education and Awareness: Equip young people with accurate information about the risks of alcohol and drugs. Encourage open discussions at home and in school to demystify these substances and emphasize their potential harms.

1. Positive Role Models: Adults can set a positive example through their own behaviour. Demonstrating healthy ways to cope with stress and having open, honest conversations about substance use can make a significant difference.

1. Skill Building: Help youths develop skills to resist peer pressure and make informed decisions. Programs that teach refusal skills, stress management, and healthy social interactions can empower them to say no to substances.

1. Access to Resources: Ensure students know where to find help. School health services, support services persons, staff and community programs can provide support and guidance for those struggling with substance use or needing someone to talk to.

Encouraging a Supportive Environment

Creating a supportive school environment is crucial. Here’s how we can all contribute:

Teachers and Staff: Be vigilant and approachable. Notice changes in behaviour or academic performance that might signal substance use and intervene early.

Parents and Guardians: Maintain open lines of communication. Show interest in your child's life and be a reliable source of support and advice.

Peers: Look out for each other. Encourage friends to make healthy choices and seek help if needed.

Together, we can help our youth navigate these challenging years and set them on a path toward healthy, fulfilling lives. If you have any concerns or need further information, please do not hesitate to reach out to our school support services.

Your proactive involvement can make all the difference.

For more information, please visit, myself Eleanor the School-Based Youth Health Nurse in A Block – available every Tuesday, Thursday and alternating Wednesday’s.

Help and support:

If you are concerned about your own or someone else's drug use and would like more information to help, the following services are available.

Queensland:

Alcohol and Drug Information Service

Adis 24/7 Alcohol and Drug Support provides a 24-hour, 7 day a week counselling, information and referral service for anyone with concerns about their own or someone else's use of alcohol or other drugs. This is a free, anonymous, and confidential service.

Alcohol and Other Drug Services (AOD)

In Queensland, treatment services are provided in local communities by Queensland Health's Hospital and Health Services, non-government and private organisations.

Services can provide comprehensive assessments for substance use as well as brief intervention, treatment planning, case management, counselling, withdrawal, residential and non-residential treatment programs, and referral to other services if required.

To locate your nearest AOD service:

Call ADIS on 1800 177 833 or use their service finder.

Search the health service directory for drug/alcohol.

Call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84).

Quitline 13 QUIT (13 78 48)

National:

Alcohol and Drug Foundation

The Alcohol and Drug Foundation's Website provides more information about treatment options and what kind of help is available.

Family Drug Support

Family Drug Support provides help for families to deal with alcohol and drug issues. Call 1300 368 186 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Counselling online

Counselling online is a free, 24 hour, 7 day online service where you can communicate live and one-on-one with a professional counsellor about any alcohol or drug related concern.

Lifeline

Lifeline provides a support and suicide prevention service. Call 13 11 14, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For young people:

Reach Out

Reach Out provides resources on topics including alcohol and other drugs.

Kids Help Line—1800 551 800

Kids Help Line is a free, confidential phone and online counselling service for young people aged 5-25. Call 1800 551 800, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Headspace—1800 650 890

Headspace is a service for people aged 12-25 going through a tough time. They can provide help with all sorts of issues like relationship break ups, drug taking, exam stress, bullying, depression and more. Services are either free, or low cost (will need to provide a Medicare card).

For students, parents, teachers, and school communities:

Positive Choices: is an online portal to help school communities access accurate, up-to-date drug education resources and prevention programs.

Dovetail: https://insight.qld.edu.au/dovetail

News from Sonia Muller - Wellbeing Social Worker

Friendships - Try to keep up Folks!

Sonia Muller, Wellbeing Social Worker

Parents, may feel their teen’s friendships are a chaotic, constantly evolving, messy on-again, off-again relationships, however they are incredibly important at this stage of life, and it can be helpful to understand the developmental function of these relationships. This will help adults to support young people as they make new friends, go through conflict with their besties, break up and renegotiate friendships.

Sometimes parents feel it was only yesterday that their teens loved spending time with 'the fam', and then, all of a sudden, parents and siblings are too much of an embarrassment to be seen with! There are several developmental reasons why teenagers tend to 'drop their parents' as they move into the teenage years. Firstly, teens usually spend more time with their peers than they do with their family members, which gives more opportunity for friends to influence a teenager’s life and behaviours. It's likely teens will rely on their friends’ advice and support before reaching out to parents and we know this is certainly true if they are struggling with their mental health. It is logical then, to have a conversation with your teen about steps to take if their friends are not ok. Often children will feel the pressure to be loyal and hold confidences when outside adult help is needed and appropriate. Have a discussion about what types of situations need to be escalated to an adult.

Teens consider a friend is more likely to relate to their situation, as they may have, or are likely to, experience it themselves, often have common goals or interests, whereas they think parents 'won't understand' - especially if they've heard phrases like "Back in my day..." or "When I was your age...".  It's likely their good friends will sympathise with them and boost their confidence, while parents might judge with "shoulda, coulda, woulda' lectures (even if it's good advice!). The need for acceptance is high at this developmental stage as is the delicate nature of self-confidence and self esteem. Teens can also have rigid thinking, which adds to the volatility of friendships ("I must be liked, everybody hates me"). It can be useful to explore the concept of duality - accepting that there will be things you like and dislike others or things, and that others will like and dislike things about you, and that's ok. Not everybody will want to be your friend, just as you won’t want to be friends with particular individuals. It’s also normal for friendships to emerge, evolve and end as interests and priorities change, romantic relationships emerge and life moves on. Sometimes friendships ‘drift’ apart, but if you’ve noticed the relationship is plagued with ongoing conflict, encourage your teen to be open, evaluate the friendship (see below) and provide a sounding board to practice ending a friendship. Encourage teens to talk personally with their friend, rather than end a relationship via a text message or email that could be misunderstood, cause offence or be shown or sent to others.

There’s a saying, "To have good friends, you have to be a good friend", and this is a useful launching point for conversations with your teen when they’re having friendship issues. A useful strategy is to have them think of all the qualities they think make for a good friend and then evaluate how well the friend meets these criteria, (and how well the teen meets their own criteria). From this point a decision can be made about keeping, renegotiating or ending friendships; as well as your teen committing to take positive action to be a good friend.

Good friend checklist

• Genuinely like each other
• Can be themselves when they’re together
• Keep each other’s secrets (but knows the limits of confidences when situations are unsafe)
• Like doing some of the same things
• Make time for each other – don’t dump you when they get a better offer
• Really listen and try to understand each other’s perspective and feelings
• Are loyal, stick up for each other and never join in when others are being mean
• Accept that friends have different opinions, goals and interests
• Sometimes do things they don’t particularly enjoy as part of give-and-take and turn-taking
• Is not possessive, demanding, clingy or manipulative
• Supports and celebrates your successes.

Sonia’s work days are every Tuesday, Wednesday and Fridays, and alternate Thursdays (odd weeks). Call the office or drop in to book an appointment.

News from the Music Department

JCU Heroes Program

Three of our senior students have successfully applied for highly coveted positions in this year’s JCU Heroes program. Year 12 students, Amber Beaven and Bridie Keevers participated in the Heroes in Health program in June, whereby they spent two days at the Cairns Hospital to get first hand exposure to the reality of work in the medical field. Year 11 student, Kamryn Raisin was recently successful in the JCU Heroes in Sport program, taking place in Townsville in August. Congratulations on your achievements!

International News

Farewell to our Brazilian international students

At the end of Term 2 we said farewell to Aline Borges and Carlos Santiago as they finished their six months study abroad program at Atherton State High School through Education Queensland International.

Aline and Carlos were scholarship recipients offered by the State of Parana, Brazil, giving students the opportunity of a lifetime to experience the world.

Aline and Carlos express their gratitude to their teachers for assisting them with their studies and especially a huge thank you to the host families for opening their homes to our international students for an extended time.

We wish Aline and Carlos the very best in their future and they will surely be missed by the Atherton community.  

Mrs Jackson

International Students Coordinator

School Dental Van

Ensuring Student Safety on Maunds Road

Concerns are growing over student safety on Maunds Road, particularly near the high school. Recently, there have been multiple instances of students crossing the road at dangerous points, such as the bend at the corner of Maunds Road and the Parkview Street intersection. Jaywalking has also become a common issue.

To prevent accidents, it is crucial for students to use the designated Zebra Crossing or the Island crossing on Maunds Road. Continuing to cross at unsafe points endangers everyone.

Let's work together to keep our students safe.

Womens Health Clinic

Well Womens Clinics

(These clinics are available to Medicare eligible clients)

Service includes Cervical Screening Tests (Pap Smears), Sexual Health Screening, Breast Awareness, also info on Contraception, Continence, Menopause, Lifestyle Issues, Bowel Health, etc.

All services are provided by a specially trained Women’s Health Nurse.

Atherton Primary Health Centre    Tuesday 6^th August 2024             Ph:  4091 0263

Millaa Millaa Primary Health Centre        Wednesday 7^th August     Ph:  4097 2223