12 May 2020

Newsletter Articles

A message from the Principal

I feel delighted by the routine of sitting down to write a newsletter for our wonderful Shailer Park State High School community. Particularly during a time when we have had many routines replaced or altered as we adapt to the global pandemic.

Every day, our teachers are seeing evidence of the resilience, reflection, relationships and resourcefulness of their students as they navigate their way through schooling from home. I am so very proud, not only of the way our teachers and students have conducted themselves in adjusting to this ‘new normal’, but of you, our parents and community members.

What we have been asked to do as an educational community is incredible, and yet between the home and school, we continue to educate our students so that those big plans and bold ambitions are not stifled under the weight of a global crisis. Instead, we have found new ways of ‘doing’ because we are Resourceful and Resilient. We have become more caring and aware of those who are vulnerable in our community because we realise the importance of Relationships. And, perhaps most importantly, we have had an opportunity to consider what we really consider to be of value in our lives, through Reflection.

I realise the current situation for our families is not ideal, and that some problems within the schooling from home environment have arisen. Importantly, prioritising wellbeing within the home for everyone is an essential element to working and learning from home productively. Please take care and ensure everyone in the home is consciously feeding their wild and emotional brains during these unprecedented times. We continue to share and post resources for students as a means of regularly engaging in this important and deliberate self-care. I can become quite emotional when I see the beautiful and supportive digital messages sent from students to their teachers and those our staff have posted online to their classes: meaningful connections are still being made and nurtured. However, supporting students to learn also includes ensuring your child has access to a device for connection and learning. If this is a barrier, please contact the school as a matter of urgency so that we can arrange support.

The messages of thanks which continue to pour in from our community are very much appreciated, and I am reminded of Gabbie Stroud, author of Teacher, which I thoroughly enjoyed, along with her second book A Letter to Parents. As someone trying to navigate her way through being a mother of a small child and a high school principal, Gabbie’s books should be compulsory reading for all parents, especially at this time whilst we juggle the challenges of schooling from home in the Corona Virus pandemic. In Gabbie’s humorous and insightful way, she highlights many of the challenges facing educators, demonstrating the impact of changes in the education environment and the frustrations of teaching today. The key message for parents is that they are the most important teacher their children will ever have. In her Letter to Parents, she says,

There are deliberate ways parents teach their children: how to talk, walk, put on their shoes, clap hands and blow out candles. However, parents also teach their children unconsciously how to BE in the world. As parents, we do this through:

• The way we speak to people
• The way we respond to the chaos of our life
• The way we listen to others
• The way we approach work
• The way we spend our time
• The way we experience failure and acknowledge success

If Gabbie Stroud’s book can offer you any solace right now, it is that you have always been a teacher to your child and that these times call for us as parents to keep doing what we’ve always done. You are simply doing this in a more deliberate manner alongside the educators at Shailer Park SHS to support your child through this unprecedented phase.

ANZAC Day

ANZAC Day ceremonies across the globe took on a different and perhaps, more personal approach this year. Shailer Park is so very proud of the many students who stood on their driveway in their school uniform on Saturday morning including those instrumental music students who led the playing of the last post in their streets. Please see our Facebook page for photos. As I stood on my driveway, looking across the road at my neighbours, some with medals pinned to their best suits and dresses, while others held candles in their pyjamas and dressing robes, I felt that the ANZAC values of mateship, endurance and courage have never had more poignancy to us than right now. We aren’t fighting a war against other nations, but we are united together against a common enemy and together, I know Shailer Park SHS will be a stronger community when we are all finally back together on campus.

Site works

Positively, we have taken the opportunity to conduct a number of site works, including the upgrading of outdoor facilities for students. In front of our Student Services Hub we have increased shaded seating, enhanced the environment with new trees and a BBQ to facilitate our Breakfast Club. We look forward to sharing this lovely space with students when they return.

Welcome New Staff

I would also like our community to please join me in welcoming Kate Isager as our permanently appointed Deputy Principal: Teaching and Learning of Junior Secondary. Kate comes to us with extensive experience, most recently as the Principal of a P-10 school in Central Qld. She has held several leadership positions in schools across Logan including:

• Head of School at Woodridge SHS
• Principal Education Officer: School Improvement at South East Region
• Head of Department English/LOTE/Humanities at Windaroo SHS

We are excited to have Kate join our team, especially with the valuable leadership experience she brings with her. Kate commenced with us at the start of Term 2 and I trust you will make her feel welcome in true (digital, if not in person) Shailer style.

Please also join me in congratulating Dianne Goggi, previously in this role, on her appointment as permanent Deputy Principal at Foxwell Secondary College.

I would like to thank Di for her contribution and leadership at Shailer Park State High School. I am confident that she leaves a strong legacy demonstrated in the growth and development of the people she worked with, the strategic leadership of the Junior Secondary Phase of Learning and whole school systems.

Whilst it is with much sadness we farewell Di, it is also with great delight that we celebrate in her achievements. We wish Di well at her new school as she enters a new chapter in her career!

Calendar

Please note many events have been postponed or cancelled. Please contact event organiser with any queries. Event dates will be updated in the calendar when new dates are able to be scheduled.

A message from our Senior Schooling Deputy Principal

Annual Awards Ceremony

The new Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) system confirms Year 12 student results after the time that we would normally hold our annual awards night in Week 3 of Term 4.

As a result, we have determined that from now on our Annual Awards Ceremony will take place at the commencement of each year (term 1) where we invite back our Year 12 students. This will be the start of a new tradition in 2021 that allows us to utilise a full year of data to determine individual awards and in particular our DUX and other special awards. Awards for all year levels will now be based on a full year of learning rather than only semester 1 as in previous years.

Furthermore, we want to be part of a school culture where all students recognise and celebrate their peer’s achievements therefore the event will occur during the timetabled day with all students and staff in attendance.

More details about our 2020 Awards Ceremony event (held in T1, 2021) will be provided closer to the date.

A message from our Junior Schooling Deputy Principal

Term 2, 2020 has been an interesting time to start at a new school. While it has been a time of tumultuous change for all of us, I have been made to feel very welcome by the staff and students I have met so far. Thank you to all who have introduced themselves and pointed me in the right direction when they have seen me walk around the school. I will not look lost for too much longer.

As a teacher, Head of Department and Head of School, I have worked in a number of schools and departments in the Logan City area including Woodridge SHS, Windaroo Valley SHS and South East Regional Office. Over the last three years, I have completed my ‘country service’ as Principal of Baralaba SS (K-10) in Central Queensland. I learnt a great deal in this role and enjoyed the many unique experiences that rural schools offer teachers. I have many fond memories of this country service though I am very pleased to be returning home to a Logan City school.

I have been a proud Logan City resident since 1996 and am a strong advocate of Logan City schools. Logan City’s state schools are great schools because of the communities they serve and because of the communities they help create. All of my own children have attended their local primary and secondary state schools within Logan City and have prospered under the many academic, sporting, cultural and leadership opportunities that these schools offered them. These are the same opportunities that I know Shailer Park SHS offers to its students. I look forward to supporting these opportunities as this school serves its community.

Thank you, once again, to the staff and students who have warmly welcomed me to Shailer Park SHS. I look forward to meeting many more students and parents over the next few weeks.

A message from our Dean of Studies

Parent Teacher Connect Conversations

This week we will be holding our Parent Teacher Connect conversations via phone. Parents have been asked to supply their best contact number as part of the booking. Please refer to your email for further instruction.

PTC conversations will cover

• The Term 1 progress report. Due to the COVID-19 disruption, various evidence types may have been used (potentially not summative assessment)
• student results
• where students may need to develop in order to make progress this term (including their current online work undertaken so far)
• questions

Please be aware

Questions regarding the online platforms, technical issues etc. will be referred onto the relevant people to assist if needed. Whether or not students (7-10) are returning in week 6 is the current advice, however we will await official announcements from the Minister. Please keep an eye on the school’s Facebook and emails for that information.

Learning Policy

Shailer Park State High School’s Learning Policy is a comprehensive document that details all of the processes that are implemented here at the school

Up to date assessment calendars can be found at:

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me via the school or email salbe7@eq.edu.au

Messages from our Deputy Principal of Engagement and our Student Services Team

Student Services Team – WE MISS YOU!

Before Covid-19, this would have been one of the most exciting times of our school calendar, as we would have just celebrated our students who had met and surpassed our attendance goals at a Green Club function; we would have been issuing House challenges on our Whole School House assemblies; and we would have been excitedly tracking the progress of our Houses - the leading House would have been planning their end of term event right now!

We miss our students – each and every one of you. It was amazing welcoming our Year 11 and 12s back. We look forward to the return of our Year 7-10 students in Week 6, pending Queensland Government confirmation. Please take the time to reflect on what you have learnt in this time – what is important to you? What will you no longer take for granted? What lessons have you learned that you might bring forward with you? How wonderful it will be when some normality returns – and each week is another week closer! Thank you so much for your resourcefulness and resilience. It's certainly been a steep learning curve for everyone.

We also commend the students whose parents are essential workers and who have therefore been engaging in their online learning here at school. My three children are also in that category, and I know that learning from school without the range of activities you enjoy being available and without your broader friendship group present is not always easy, so thank you for being resilient and relational, and making the best of the current situation.

The Student Services Team is really enjoying connecting to everyone via our House Showbies – please contact your Head of House or House Care Group teacher if you wish to know more. Through this platform, we have been able to see Shailer spirit flourish – through toilet roll keepy-uppy challenges, ANZAC biscuit baking and showing off our pets, we have had to find new ways to connect, but connected we are.

Please remember that there are many services within our community available to support families through the myriad of challenges this time presents. There are many useful links on our Student Services page on our website. In addition, Student wellbeing advice is also provided by Department of Education and Training to help parents and carers talk about coronavirus with their children. There is also information for families who may be experiencing significant personal, financial and social stress during the Coronavirus pandemic and may require additional support. Read Advice for parents and carers to access support (PDF, 183KB) for more information.

In addition, if you are finding it hard to keep your family engaged, please see the end of the newsletter for some interesting links that may provide some respite, learning and entertainment.

As ever, please do contact your child’s Head of House or any member of the Student Services Team if you have any concerns, queries or just need to connect with school. We are here to help – our details are on the school website below.

LIBRARY

Welcome to Term 2. It is indeed an unusual time for us all in many respects, but also a time of learning new skills and ways of going about our business. With this has come unbelievable success and accomplishments, which we would not have otherwise contemplated.

With that in mind, there could never be a better time to connect with reading, which is an ‘any time, any place’ activity which fuels the mind and enhances learning. The current physical limitations to obtaining reading material calls for new approaches. The following are blurbs and links, which enable you and your children access to free digital resources. All the links are live so parents/ students can access everything they require by clicking on the relevant link.

1. Logan City Libraries

Introducing Logan Libraries' new Home Learning Hub - eLibrary

Logan City Council Libraries Home Learning Hub and support service is up and running and you can access home learning resources online at the new Home Learning Hub. It provides free resources for online study, research and homework as well as supplementing home-based learning across a range of subjects. This can be obtained with your library membership number and PIN. Click here if you have forgotten your PIN. If you are a Logan resident and not yet a library member, then you can join online.

For personalised home learning help, our friendly library staff are ready to support you. Contact us by email at LoganLibrariesReferenceLibrarian@logan.qld.gov.au or phone your local library between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.

2. State Library of Queensland

Learning from home

State Library of Queensland offers exciting learning opportunities for students, teachers and learners of all ages. A wide variety of resources such as eBooks, journals, databases and more, can be accessed through the following link:

To obtain a digital membership, go up to the top tool bar, to ‘Get Involved’, scroll down to ‘Become a member’, and complete the digital form. This is a very simple form to fill in. Just a couple of points to know:

(a) The above link is designed specifically for the present circumstances, and therefore, may be removed down the track. However, digital membership will continue beyond this period.
(b) Digital membership (which becomes active immediately) only entitles the user to access non-physical learning resources. For further information, please go to https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/ or ring 38407666.
(c) Advice has been given that, when one wishes to use a database or journal, please use the link provided by the State Library, as opposed to ‘googling’ the site which might ask you to pay for a subscription. The State Library offers access to these resources free of charge.
(d) Become a member and access databases (you will be asked for your username and password), go to:

Author Talk and Visit – Brian Falkner

An exciting upcoming event is a visit by well-renown fiction author, Brian Falkner. He has published over a dozen titles which include “Brain Jack”, ”The Project”, “Task Force”, and many more. These are available in the school library. He is addressing the Year 7 and 8 students in Term 3, and no doubt, his presentation will be inspirational to budding authors as well as avid readers of action and adventure stories.

Vocational Education

Student Success

Jake

Congratulations to Jake Muscat who recently completed his Certificate II Civil Infrastructure School Based Traineeship with Paynters. www.paynters.com.au

Jake’s 12 month journey covered a variety of skills, positioning him well to continue a career in the Civil construction industry.

Opportunities and Vacancies

Access to School Based Traineeships / Apprenticeships, TAFE courses and work experience for Vocational Students in Year 10, 11 and 12 is subject to the Traffic Light System.

The school reserves the right to refuse participation in an activity if any of the criteria falls within the Red Zone. The Student will be given a period of time (evaluated on a case-by-case basis) to adjust the criteria into the Amber or Green Zone.

Please access the Shailer High website for current opportunities and vacancies, including apprenticeships, traineeships, TAFE trades and courses. Visit our Vocational Education page for further information and vacancies.

Assistance is available. Please contact our Industry Liaison Officer, Annette Lee in A02, main administration building, on 3451 2782 ilo@shailerparkshs.eq.edu.au

A message from the Business Manager

STUDENT FEES - STUDENT RESOURCE SCHEME (SRS) and ACADEMIES, INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC and VET CERTIFICATE COURSES

Thank you to those families who have either paid in full or established a payment plan for the Resource Scheme fees. This will enable the school to source student resources in a timely manner. Payment plans must now be in place for Academy, Instrumental Music and VET Certificate course fees. Please note that Resource Scheme fees must also be paid or a payment plan in place.

Statements providing the balance of fees owing have been issued. Please contact the Office to establish a regular deduction to finalise your account balance.

PAYMENTS USING BPOINT

BPOINT - SINGLE PAYMENTS USING A COMPUTER OR PHONE APP:

• Emailed invoice - click on link on bottom left hand side to auto populate fields on BPOINT screen.
• Full or instalment amounts accepted. Please do not pay more than the invoiced amount.
• Visa or MasterCard (debit or credit card) accepted.

BPOINT – SINGLE PAYMENTS USING PHONE OPTION:

• Call the Queensland State School Bill Payment Service 24/7 on 1300 631 073.
• Enter CRN, invoice number and amount paying, using the details on the invoice.
• Full or instalment amounts accepted. Please do not pay more than the invoiced amount.
• VISA and MasterCard (debit or credit card) accepted.

BPOINT - REGULAR DEDUCTIONS:

• Contact the Office on 3451 2777 to set up regular weekly or fortnightly deductions.
• BPOINT - transfer from bank account or pay by Visa or MasterCard (debit or credit card).
• Centrepay will remain available – deducted from benefit.

RECEIPTING DAY

The School no longer processes cash payments. The Finance Office will be open for EFTPOS payments on Fridays from 8am – 3.30pm.

CANTEEN

With very small numbers of students currently attending school, the School Canteen is presently closed. Updated information on Canteen operations will be provided through Facebook, email and SMS text message.

QKR APP

The School now utilises the QKR app for payment of non-invoiced optional items such as replacement student ID cards and breakfast and lunch specials through our restaurant, Sapphires. Payments for P&C fundraising activities and events such as pie drives, raffles, and sausage sizzles will also be processed using Qkr. This easy-to-use mobile app for iPhones and Android smartphones makes school payments a breeze. Instructions to set up QKR are provided below. Thank you for supporting the School as it adopts cashless payment systems.

Messages from our Parents and Citizens

Meetings go online

Please come to our next Meeting:

Our executive team can be contacted via email pandc@shailerparkshs.eq.edu.au. We welcome all new members. Please go to the P&C section of our School website for more information.

Announcements

Facebook

Please follow us on Facebook to keep up with student successes and reminders.

Hygiene

40th Anniversary

This year marks Shailer Park State High School’s 40th anniversary.

Four decades of education provided for the young people of this community. You can help us celebrate by sharing your memories of Shailer Park SHS, donating $40 to our P&C for our 40 years and attending our Gala evening in Term 3.

Please join our Facebook Alumni group on the link below and email alumni@shailerparkshs.eq.edu.au to get involved.

Zumba Fitness

With Hayley & Robert at Shailer Park

Zumba Fitness with Hayley and Robert would love to thank our class members and supporters during these crazy times and look forward to dancing with you all soon!

Our classes are still running virtually from the comfort of your lounge room on Tuesday nights from 7-8pm. It’s just like our normal class but at home! Book now at the link below.

For more information about us or our classes check out our Facebook page at

Links for online resources

If you are finding it hard to keep your family engaged, please see below for some interesting links that may provide some respite, learning and entertainment.

35 Must-Watch TED Talks for Kids and Teens

The BITE BACK Program is the very first online positive psychology program designed to improve the overall wellbeing of young Australians between 13 and 16 years old.

25 Ways Kids Can Read Free eBooks

Audible Is Offering Free Audiobooks for Kids

Virtual tours

• Roman fort
• Museums from around the world - Virtual, online tours
• Access to 500 Museums & Art Galleries - Free, online
• How to explore London's top museums at home
• How to explore London's top art galleries at home
• Future Learn - Explore the architecture and history of Rome, walking around a 3D digital model of the ancient city, with this free online course.
• Virtual Tours - Virtual online tours - including zoos, landmarks in foreign countries, etc.
• Aquarium – Georgia aquarium allowing you to tour under the sea
• Virtual farm trips - American dairy association
• Virtual field trips - Created for children, but they look great for adults too!
• Edinburgh Zoo - Live streams: Panda Cam / Tiger Cam / Penguin Cam / Rock Hopper Penguin Cam / Koala Cam

Geography and nature

• National Geographic
• Tutorful - Top Geography websites, YouTube videos, and resources
• Project Noah – Global site where you can view and share wildlife
• Seterra - Free world geography, online quizzes
• Online film festival - Resistance in the Rainforest
• Kent Wildlife association - Simple ideas you can do in the garden to help wildlife
• World games - Geography games
• Wild Science - Podcast
• The relationship between humans and animals - podcast

Music

• Free Opera - Dates confirmed until the end of March. Check the website via the link for future dates to be added
• Free classical orchestras - Live streaming performances
• Free Chamber music - Live streaming
• Berlin Philharmonic orchestra - Live streams and performance archive
• Announcements/lists - of worldwide performances being streamed
• Livestream concerts list - artists and bands
• Bands and artists - streaming performances
• Full-length concerts - watch online free
• Celebrities performing on social media
• Facebook Virtual Choir - Duet with a choir online
• Chris Martin (Coldplay) streaming from his home - YouTube

Arts and culture

• J P Brewer - View classic paintings online
• Walter's Museum - houses the highest artistic achievements from nearly every corner of the world. View some of the past, present, and future exhibitions
• Rob Biddulph an artist posting draw-along videos via Twitter here
• Google Arts and culture - Learn something new every day!
• British Museum - Free videos
• BBC Radio 4 - The History of the world - podcasts
• 50 things that made modern economy - Podcasts
• Marquee TV - streaming arts and culture
• Teaching history - 100 objects from museums across the UK with resources, information and teaching ideas to inspire your students’ interest in history
• Exploration of the day - Artistic website connecting people from around the world
• Drama Online - Online theatrical performances

Literature online

• Gutenburg - Download free books, e.g. Shakespear, Edgar Allen Poe, Frankenstein, etc.
• Listening books.org - For people with Parkinson's Disease, visual impairment, fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, mental health difficulty or learning difficulty such as Dyslexia, which impacts the ability to read or hold a book
• Solomon Kingsnorth - Books in PDF, Word and audiobook format - Alice in Wonderland / Wind in the Willows / The Railway Children / The Jungle Book / Peter Pan / Black Beauty
• Read great literature online - Free Ebooks, poetry, classic literature
• Read Free Literature - also includes study guides
• 50,000 free ebooks - arranged by genre
• Open Library Access - Free
• Audible - Free for this period - Available in 6 languages

MORE BOREDOM BUSTERS FOR ALL AGES

• Visit museums. Google Arts and Culture partnered with over 2,500 museums and galleries around the world to offer virtual tours of their spaces. Some of the options include New York’s Museum of Modern Art and Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum- https://artsandculture.google.com/partner?hl=en
• The Louvre, based in Paris, is also offering its own virtual tour online for free- https://www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne
• The San Diego Zoo has a live webcam for animals- https://zoo.sandiegozoo.org/live-cams
• The San Diego Zoo has a website just for kids with amazing videos, activities, and games. Enjoy the tour! https://kids.sandiegozoo.org/
• Tour Yellowstone National Park! https://www.nps.gov/…/lea…/photosmultimedia/virtualtours.htm
• This Virtual Tour of the Great Wall of China is beautiful and makes history come to life. https://www.thechinaguide.com/destinati…/great-wall-of-china
• This Canadian site FarmFood 360 offers 11 Virtual Tours of farms from minks, pigs, and cows, to apples and eggs. https://www.farmfood360.ca/
• Melbourne Zoo also has live webcams https://www.zoo.org.au/animal-house
• Explore the surface of Mars on the Curiosity Rover- https://accessmars.withgoogle.com/
• The British Museum- located in the heart of London allows virtual visitors to tour the Great Court and discover the ancient Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies- https://britishmuseum.withgoogle.com/
• Geography with National Geographic- https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
• Children’s books read by famous- people https://www.storylineonline.net/
• Crafts and activities- https://www.allkidsnetwork.com/
• Fun games, recipes, crafts, activities- https://www.highlightskids.com/
• Online history classes for all ages preteen through adults- https://school.bighistoryproject.com/bhplive
• Educational games K-12- https://www.breakoutedu.com/funathome
• 35,000 pages of online content on the different cultures and countries of the world- https://www.countryreports.org/
• Illustrated recipes designed to help kids age 2-12 cook. Recipes encourage culinary skills, literacy, maths and science- https://www.nomsterchef.com/nomster-recipe-library
• Young Explorers is a magazine designed specifically for young children. Children can listen to the magazine being read to them as they follow along with the highlighted text- https://ngexplorer.cengage.com/ngyoungexplorer/index.html
• Type in any city, state, or country to view an archive of historical photographs and other documents. It’s a unique way to help children learn about history-
• http://www.whatwasthere.com/
• Help children learn to appreciate the arts by providing them with the opportunity to play games, conduct investigations, and explore different forms of art- https://artsology.com/
• Live video of the National Zoo and Smithsonian Learning Lab- https://www.si.edu/kids
• This NASA initiative covers a wide range of topics including weather, climate, atmosphere, water, energy, plants, and animals- https://climatekids.nasa.gov/
• Think Design explores careers in fashion design, graphic design, interior design, book design, product design, film and theatre, architecture, animation, and environmental design- http://www.kidsthinkdesign.org/
• Movement and mindfulness videos created by child development experts- https://www.gonoodle.com/
• Kid-friendly workouts — choose from Strength for Kids, Agility for Kids, Flexibility and Balance for Kids, Warm-Up for Kids, Cooldown for Kids, Stand Up and Move for Kids, OR create your own custom kid workout- https://app.sworkit.com/collections/kids-workouts
• Mo Willems, the author of ‘Don’t let the Pigeon Stay up Late’ is uploading daily drawing lessons- https://youtu.be/MjaYnyCJDdU
• Maths as a fun part of your daily family routine- http://bedtimemath.org/
• Music is for everyone- https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Experiments
• Projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing- https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/…/learnathome.html
• Learn a language- https://www.duolingo.com/
• Yoga and mindfulness for kids- https://youtu.be/0ImHIWzP49M
• All sorts of online classes for kids- https://outschool.com/#abk7vott3k