21 March 2022

Newsletter Articles

A message from the Principal

The heartbreak and devastation felt throughout our community in the past few weeks has, at times, been overwhelming. I know, even as a long time Brisbane local accustomed to floods and wild weather, that the enormity of this event has been difficult to comprehend. The thoughts of everyone at Shailer Park SHS are with the families and communities who have been and continue to be impacted by the floods.

On face value, attempting to find the positives in this flood event seems impossible, but there are glimmers, with the kindness and resilience of our amazing community certainly being some of them. Shailer Park SHS staff, students and families have demonstrated their ‘relational’ skills through their House Care Groups, finding numerous ways to support people who have been impacted. From donations to letters of kindness, I am so proud of the Relational Learners we are cultivating here at Shailer Park SHS. Seeing our students’ compassion for and drive to help others is not only wonderful to see, but demonstrates the caring community mindfulness of our children, something I know we all cherish now and will in the future.

Last week we had the opportunity to showcase our wonderful school to the Hon. Anthony Albanese MP and the office of Rowan Holzberger, Local State Member of Parliament. There were more than a few staff and students starstruck on the day! We enjoyed sharing how we combine Learning and Wellbeing with a focus on the establishment of our Health Hub and Pathways Centre. In particular though, I would like to thank the stars of the day, our Year 12 students Isaac, Beau, Cameron, Brodie, Chloe and our School Captains Ben, Renee, Owen and Felicity along with their teachers, Mr Strongman and Mr Ahrens. Together, this group did an outstanding job of showcasing our Trade Ready and Health Ready Packages, something I am extremely proud of.

We know employment and financial stability are important for our community, and these Pathways Programs aim to prepare our students for just that. As such, our unique approach to senior school is focussed on equipping them with the skills and characteristics for a life of choice, not chance.

Another aspect of Mr Albanese and Mr Holzberger’s visit included sharing our priority to fund improvements to our school environment. The future refurbishment of our Student Services Hub aims to create integrated services for Health and Pathways for our students.

Here are some concept drawings for your reference.

Currently, we have applied for funding and are seeking funding sources to achieve this goal. Our visitors were impressed with both Shailer Park’s innovative and successful Pathways strategies, and of course, our outstanding students and staff, but then why wouldn’t they be? Shailer Park SHS is a great school with great staff and students!

In other good news, I am very pleased to announce that starting from Term 2, 2022, secondary students at Shailer Park SHS will have access to a free GP clinic at our school. The school’s clinic will be staffed by a General Practitioner (GP) and a Clinical Nurse with the support of a medical receptionist. This is yet another way we can help our students maintain their health and wellbeing throughout their schooling journey. I would like to thank those parents who have engaged in our GP Clinic Parent forums; this has been a very welcomed opportunity to ensure we are able to deliver health services for our students. You can access some FAQ that have come from these parent forums via our Student Services and Support Programs webpage.

Finally, I would like to wish all students and families a strong finish for Term 1. Despite the many disruptions dotted throughout the start to the year, our students have shown that they are Resilient, Resourceful, Relational and Reflective in a variety of real-life events; they are committed to being Future Ready. And that is very positive!

Calendar

Please access our school calendar for upcoming events and CAST activities.

A message from our Senior Schooling Deputy Principal

As the year moves along ever faster it is important for Year 11 & 12 students to remember that every piece of assessment counts. To finish your final year of schooling with the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE), there are 4 key components that students need to be eligible:

1. Set Amount and Standard of learning- A student must accrue 20 credit points from their subjects over the course of Year 11 & 12. A credit is obtained by getting a C grade or better at the end of a Unit. Therefore, a student who passes every Unit of English in Year 11 & 12 will get 4 credits towards their QCE. Students at Shailer Park study 6 subjects so have the ability to accrue 24 points (over 2 years of study) if they pass every unit. (Plus, more for those students enrolled in VET certificate courses)
2. Set Pattern of Learning- students must accrue 12 points from Complete Core courses of study. What this means is that a student must have at least 3 subjects that they have started at the beginning of Year 11 and completed at the end of Year 12 (on a C grade or higher). This is why we are very strict on subject changes in the senior years. This can also come from a completed VET certificate course.
3. Literacy and Numeracy requirements- these are the final 2 components and the easiest way to get these is to pass at least one Unit of English and one Unit of Maths (preferably EVERY unit of English and Maths to be future ready)

Without all the above a student will not get their QCE and will therefore not graduate.

Our senior data team work very hard to monitor all senior students to ensure that they are on track for their QCE. Students who are at risk will be supported through our Senior Intervention Stages and may be required to meet with myself (Senior Deputy) and their parents to discuss options to ensure that they are finishing strong with their QCE in hand.

Long story short- every assessment counts, every grade counts, every lesson counts!

By Year 12 senior students should be doing a minimum of 2 hours of study/research/assessment/revision every night to achieve their best. (That equates to 30mins for every subject that they had that day). Year 10 is the foundation to create great learning habits for senior success. I expect our seniors at Shailer to be empowered learners, doing whatever it takes to reach their bold ambitions. The future is in YOUR hand’s seniors.

If you would like to learn more about the QCE or to see how your child is tracking, please feel free to make an appointment to meet with me via the office.

A message from our Junior Schooling Deputy Principal

Supporting our Year 7s

Our Year 7 students have been busy at the start of the school year and may be feeling particularly tired as they approach the school holidays. Starting secondary school can be an exciting and energizing time for students. Things students may have found manageable in primary school may have felt a bit more challenging, which can, in turn, impact on their confidence, motivation, and levels of stress and anxiety. While we are always interested in partnering with families to support our students, there are other resources that students and families can access. ReachOut.com is a particularly useful website for students and parents that supports students’ transition to high school. This website provides free, user-friendly resources that can be used at your own convenience.

How can you best manage change?

1. Find out more information. Are there things that you just need to know more about? What are these things and who could you ask?
2. Accept and reframe your own thoughts. Think about how much you have already learnt and grown. Think about how much more you are going to learn and grow.
3. Celebrate the positives. Even though it can be a tough ask at times, focusing on the positives can really help you manage change. While the positive aspects of a situation might not be obvious to begin with, it is worth seeking them out – no matter how small they might be. At Shailer Park SHS, we call them Bright Spots!
4. Take action. Focusing on the problem at hand, developing a plan of action, and asking for advice are useful active strategies.
5. Manage your stress. Remember to feed your Wild Brain and Emotional Brain so that you can access your Smart Brain.
6. Seek support if needed. Consider asking teachers, friends and family for help or support.

The UPLIFT Program on Monday afternoons is designed to support our Year 7s as they make this important transition. In Term 1, Year 7 students have been involved in a broad range of topics covering school policies, how to organise their study habits, building friendships and some House Challenges. In Week 10 of Term 1, this program culminates in a Shake’n’Stir performance called Terrortorial. Shake’n’Stir is one of Australia’s leading contemporary theatre companies touring Australia and New Zealand. We are so pleased that we can host the Shake’n’Stir theatre company at Shailer Park SHS.

Terrortorial – A Brief Synopsis

Stephen, Craig and Sophie are about to face the unimaginable – shaking up their lives and shifting to the school down the road to commence Grade 7. This trio of students tackle this change with the advice of an assortment of quirky on-screen supporting characters including teachers, parents and older siblings. This trio quickly learn that when embraced, change doesn’t have to be terrifying.

This performance is funny, poignant and very relatable for our Year 7 students. I am sure that they will all enjoy a laugh as they watch some common transitioning stresses acted out in front of them. Please ask your child about this performance when they come home that afternoon. I am sure it could make a very interesting conversation piece.

Parent Information Session

Coming soon – Seeking your preferences.

As we come towards the end of Term 1, we are looking to organise a Year 7 parent connection session for the beginning of Term 2. Before the end of Term 1, Year 7 parents / carers will receive a survey link via email. This survey is seeking your preference for the information you would find useful – what would you like to know the most now that your child is in high school? I would greatly appreciate your feedback through this survey and will organise events accordingly.

Naplan Online

2022 – Let’s do this!

In 2022, our Year 7 and Year 9 students will be involved in the NAPLAN Online Tests. This year, the NAPLAN testing window starts on Monday 9th May and finishes on Friday 20th May 2022 (Weeks 4 & 5 Term 2). In 2022, all schools in Australia are delivering NAPLAN Online during this testing window.

In 2022, the four parts of the NAPLAN Tests will be solely completed online, using their iPad, and scheduled for different lessons across this two-week testing window. While each student will only do one test a day, these four separate tests are scattered across the two-week testing window. This is quite different to how students would have previously completed NAPLAN tests, in a 3-day block with more than one test occurring a day.

We expect that this extended schedule and online testing environment will support student engagement and relieve test anxiety.

Why do students do NAPLAN?

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses students’ literacy and numeracy skills that are essential for every child to progress through school and life. NAPLAN provides parents and schools with an understanding of how individual students are performing at the time of these tests. Importantly, NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process – it does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance.

In 2022, the names of the four tests within NAPLAN are:

What can parents do to support their child?

Students in Years 7 and 9 will answer all their test papers on their own iPads during scheduled lesson times.

You can help by checking your child’s device for any broken screens and by making sure they have a set of headphones that they can use with this device.

Teachers will continue to help students get ready for NAPLAN tests by participating in the NAPLAN Online practice tests and ensuring that students are well prepared for their engagement in the 2022 NAPLAN Online testing environment.

After getting the results back in Term 3, schools will give parents and carers a report showing their child’s outcomes. Parents and carers are welcome to talk with classroom teachers about these results.

On its own, NAPLAN is not a test that can be studied for, and students are not expected to do so. You can support your child by reassuring them that NAPLAN is just one part of their school program, and by reminding them on the days to simply do their best. Our classroom teachers will ensure students are familiar with the types of questions in the tests and will provide appropriate support and guidance to ensure your child can engage in the tests. As always, please support your child to maintain a healthy sleeping and eating routine so that they are well prepared to engage in these tests. If you require any specific information regarding special provisions or the process required to gain a formal exemption, please contact me in Administration.

Sun Safety Reminder

Acting sun safe is an important, protective action we can all do daily. Our classroom teachers, particularly in practical subject areas such as HPE, regularly remind students to wear a hat and sunscreen, even when they are teenagers. We understand that this is sometimes a challenging conversation for some and appreciate the support of many parents who keep reminding their children.

Messages from our Student Services Team

Messages from the Heads of House

Colour Run/Cross Country

We will be holding the School Fun Run’s Crazy Colour Day as a fundraising event this year on 1st April as part of our annual Cross Country! We are doing it to raise much needed money for shade sails and seating around the school.

About the Day

The Crazy Colour Day is all about Fun! It will be a huge colourful mess and is undoubtably one of the most exciting days on our school’s calendar, with everyone’s participation the aim, so please make sure they attend of the day and cheer the other students on!

How Does My Child Fundraise?

Firstly, go to schoolfunrun.com.au and create a student profile page. Everything to do with your fundraising revolves around this page.

Students who raise just $10 will be able to choose a prize! The more they raise, the better their reward – don’t forget to check these out in the sponsorship form! We have educated students on the dangers of door knocking without supervision, and we encourage you to reiterate this at home. The great thing about online fundraising is that you can share the link to your child’s profile with friends and family via email, SMS and social media.

Online Fundraising

The easiest way to help your child raise money is through online fundraising, where students raise an average of $120. On top of raising more money, it’s also safer and easier than doorknocking and you do not have to worry about handling money! To start fundraising online, go to your student profile page at the link below and share your online fundraising link.

Competition Time

To get our event off to a flying start, we started our Colour Day with a super easy competition! The House with with the most online profiles registered by 16th March won bonus house points and a reward of getting to colour bomb their Head of House at the Colour Run.

Ordering Prizes – all prizes must be ordered online

Please contact your school’s coordinator if this isn’t possible.

Prizes MUST be ordered between the 29th April and 6th May. Simply visit the link below to create / log into your Profile Page between these dates. Then click on the ‘CLAIM YOUR PRIZE’ button and follow the prompts. If you have any questions, please contact the School Fun Run team on 1800 FUN RUN and they will gladly assist!

Milestone Celebrations:

$2378.50 has been raised as of the 21/3/22

The first HCG to raise over $500 will win a pizza party!

If $2000 is raised a DP will be colour bombed at the Cross Country

If over $500 is raised in all 4 Houses Chappy J will be colour bombed at the Cross Country

If $2500 is raised Ms Jensen will be colour bombed on the Cross Country

Bullying No Way Week

The National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence is a day for schools, students and the community to say Bullying. No Way! Shailer Park SHS celebrated Bullying No Way Week last week by encouraging the 2022 Theme of ‘Kindness Culture’ which promotes inclusion respect and community belonging in Australian schools.

Students participated in educational sessions during their House Care groups in the mornings, chalk drawing and basketball competitions during lunch times. Shailer Park even had Thane from Street University in Woodridge come out and play some music and games with our students last Friday.

It is crucial that parents, carers and schools work together with our students to teach them the importance of healthy relationships, and appropriate ways to interact with others. Promoting safe, respectful and healthy relationships improves students social and emotional wellbeing which then improves their capacity to learn.

Welcome New Staff

Here are just a few introductions.

Messages from our Student Leader Team

Badging Ceremony

It was wonderful for our entire School to witness our School Captains, House Captains, Ambassadors and Year Level Representatives for 2022 accepting their leadership badges from our Principal Ms Jensen, and a very proud moment for each individual student as they crossed the stage.

We are lucky to have such a strong group of students who represent various aspects of our community to develop a strong sense of community and belonging through academics, sports, community and culture.

International Women’s Day

#BreaktheBias is the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day. Our student leaders were invited to attend the Soroptimist International Beenleigh breakfast today to celebrate the achievements of women globally and recognise the contributions of local women. We were honoured to hear from keynote local speakers Madina Mohmood and Kirsty Miles who spoke about breaking bias. We were inspired to make everyday a day that we advocate for human rights for all

Ylead Maximising the Badge

YLead’s Maximising the Badge program ensures a hands-on leadership development experience that merges team building with critical skill growth for students of the leadership team over all year levels.

Students teamed up in a wide variety of practical challenges and tasks, to improve the relationships between all students involved, and create shared goals and visions for the year ahead. YLead enhanced my self-awareness on personal skills and strengths and provided me with an opportunity to learn and value other’s contributions and talents. In HCG’s I hope to incorporate the practical side of the workshop to further build relationships and demonstrate the value and responsibility of leadership through a positive, fun and engaging experience for all students.

Harmony Day Celebrations

We will be ‘celebrating culture’ all throughout Week 9 as part of Harmony Day celebrations.

CAST

We encourage all students to be involved in a CAST activity. Check out the website calendar, Facebook and our TV screens around the school to see where you want to get involved.

A message from our Dean of Studies

Senior School Pathways Team

We are very proud of our Senior Schooling Pathways Team. These staff members work closely with students and families to ensure our Senior Students are getting the most out of their schooling.

A message from our Head of Teaching and Learning

Year 6 Big Thinkers Day

Date: Tuesday 17th May, 2022
Location: Shailer Park SHS

The day caters for students who are interested in applying for the Academic Excellence Academies (NEXUS and ALTUM) and will allow students to participate in experimental inquiry that will develop their thinking and collaborative skills. Students will participate in one of the following projects, depending on their area of interest:

ALTUM: The ALTUM Big Thinkers will focus on the world around us, and applying critical thinking skills to solve a problem in the world today.

NEXUS: The NEXUS Big Thinkers will focus on innovation, design and resourcefulness.

EOIs are available from Shailer Park SHS reception or please contact Emily Thompson for further information (eddun0@eq.edu.au).

Family Sharing

'Family Sharing' is available on Apple devices to help set time frames of internet usage and accessibility on your child/rens devices.

The YouTube video- Get to know Screen Time for families on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support – The video below is a helpful instructional video which explains how to set up family sharing and the features available. 'Family Sharing' can be a useful tool as your child navigates the start of the school year and balancing screen time for learning and other activities. We encourage you to utilise this tool as well as continue to have open communication with your child regarding their learning and wellbeing.

If you have any queries in relation to your child’s use of an iPad for learning, please contact eddun0@eq.edu.au

Messages from The Academies

Sting Sporting Academies

We are excited to announce that our Sting Futsal and Sting Volleyball academies have formed a partnership with Brisbane Sports Institute.

This will provide our sporting academy students the opportunity to develop as individuals and athletes through access to high level mentoring, coaching, and pathways.

We thank our Academy students and families for their ongoing patience as we work towards shaping this new model.

We look forward to welcoming all Academy students and families to an information session with Brisbane Sports Institute and Shailer Park SHS staff in Week 9.

Ignite Dance Academy

After a delayed start, the Ignite Dance Academy students were finally able to return to the studio in week 7 to kick start the 2022 program.

It was wonderful to bring together 35 new and returning students for a session of getting-to-know you activities, followed by a strength and conditioning circuit that left many feeling sore the next day.

The dancers are excited to work with a wide range of guest choreographers this year, beginning with industry sensation Ella Macrokanis who is developing a contemporary piece for our senior ensemble in Term 1.

Stay tuned throughout 2022 for updates on dance academy events, learning experiences, and eisteddfod results.

Vocational Education

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.

Trade Ready Success – Electrical Apprenticeship

Kodi positioned himself well over year 10 and 11, gathering skills and knowledge whilst achieving good grades in the Trade Ready Pathway. This was followed up with work experience in his preferred area. Kodi’s initiative and hard work has paid off, successfully securing him a school-based Electrical Apprenticeship with Brodie Wood Electrical, undertaking a Certificate III in Electrotechnology trade qualification through TAFE Queensland. We look forward to seeing this develop over the rest of Year 12 and wish Kodi all the very best with his Electrical trade future.

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

Please note – payments can be made in full or by instalment. Please do not pay more than the invoiced amount. If you are making instalments and wish to check your remaining balance, please email office@shailerparkshs.eq.edu.au or phone the Office 3451 2777.

STUDENT RESOURCE SCHEME (SRS)

Thank you for processing these payments promptly to ensure the timely provision of student resources.

Business Manager

Messages from our Parents and Citizens

AGM:

General meeting:

Applications for 2022 membership need to be sent via email to pandc@shailerparkshs.eq.edu.au or be submitted at the school office by 3pm on Thursday, using the form attached.

Likewise nominations for Executive Positions can be made prior to the meeting on the attached nomination form. Nominations will also be taken from the floor during the meeting.

Anyone interested in joining our association is invited to request a membership application by emailing pandc@shailerparkshs.eq.edu.au or attending a meeting.

Mel Blankley
P&C President

Announcements

Facebook

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

Partnering with us

Shailer Park State High School values partnering with our community to ‘Lift Aspirations through Big Plans and Bold Ambitions for a Bright Future’. Working with parents and families of students is essential in strengthening educational outcomes. We respect that parents and families have different needs and therefore engagement with families is based on individual circumstances.

Please access our Partnership document on our website for detailed information

If your enquiry relates to the classroom, your first point of call should always be the classroom teacher. You can contact them via email

If your enquiry relates to the playground or is in relation to a pattern perhaps across several classes or it is an inquiry relating to behaviour, attendance, uniform or your child’s well-being, your first point of call should always be the Head of House or Case Manager.

If the staff member is unavailable, they will contact you within a reasonable and appropriate time frame (2 business days).

Contact details

There are times when we may need to contact parents and carers. Do we have your most up to date contact details? If not, please contact the school on office@shailerparkshs.eq.edu.au so we can update our records. These details include parent/carer’s name, address, phone numbers, email address and emergency contact details. Please remember to contact the school if any of these details change.

Student Absences

Keeping our students safe is our priority. One important way families can partner to keep our children safe is to notify the school prior to 8:50am if your child will be absent via studentabsences@shailerparkshs.eq.edu.au or (07) 3451 2766.

If your child is away from school and you have not let us know, parents will receive a text message requesting that you respond with a reason for the absence. It is extremely important that you respond to this text message promptly to enable us to follow up any possible issues.

The safety of students is of paramount importance to us, and we take this responsibility very seriously. If you do not respond to this text message a second text message, email or phone call will be made to you. Thank you for partnering with us so that we know our students are safe.

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