10 May 2018

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Thoughts

Dear Helensvale State High Community,

Our ‘One Student. One Community. Many Futures.’ philosophy recognises that our students – your children – are more likely to achieve when there is a strong partnership between families and the school. Thank you to those parents, carers and students who attended Parent-Teacher interviews last week. Feedback has indicated that it was a very positive experience for both teachers and our families. If you were unable to secure a meeting time as the teacher was not available, please do not hesitate to email the teacher to make alternative arrangements. I know that has happened in a number of instances already.

Respect, Responsibility, Resilience

Our Learning Values are Respect, Responsibility and Resilience. We believe that our Learning Values need to be explicitly modelled and taught every day within our school community. So how do we, as a school community, demonstrate these values?

We demonstrate respect by treating others the way we want to be treated. There are literally hundreds of ways in which our students have shown respect, such as assisting with cleaning up our school as part of Clean Up Australia Day and more recently representing our school at the ANZAC Day Dawn Service.

We demonstrate responsibility by upholding the reputation, values and rules of the school. I regularly discuss with students the importance of community perception and how it takes years to build a positive reputation and only moments to destroy it. We are a high demand school because the vast majority of students uphold our three learning values not only whilst at school, but in the broader community.

Below is a comment that was emailed to me by one of our Guidance Officers who attended a Careers Expo with some of our Year 11 and 12 students just last week:

“I just wanted to say that I was utterly impressed by the exceptional behaviour and manners of all of the students who attended the excursion.

Members of the public commented on how friendly and courteous our students were, including the bus driver who was particularly impressed with our students, and said that the display of mature and respectful behaviour from our students was exceedingly better than those of other school students he had on his bus earlier that afternoon.”

We demonstrate resilience by never ever giving up. We talk to our students about having a positive growth mindset. We believe that all of our students can learn. Putting in that extra effort will lead to higher achievement. As you are aware, NAPLAN is fast approaching. Not only have we been preparing our students to be literate and numerate, we have been teaching our students about having a positive mindset. We are strongly encouraging all students to sit NAPLAN and to put in 100% effort, even when questions may seem to be a little hard.

Every day I see our students demonstrating our core values of respect, responsibility and resilience. Every day I hear positive comments from teachers and community members on how great our students are. Every day I continue to be so privileged to be a part of the Helensvale State High School Community.

Chaplain’s Thanks

A big thumbs up and shout out to the numerous students who come and offer me help to either set up or pack up when I run the Chappy Hangout every Wednesday. Students will often just come and offer their assistance, even if they are not participating. I’ve discovered these are the kind of young people we have here at Helensvale. Champions!

Samantha Bond, Chaplain

Cross Country

Tuesday 1st May 2018 saw the running of our annual Cross Country event. The weather on the day was magical - slightly overcast, cool and with a little wind; it was perfect conditions for our student athletes to soar to unbelievable heights. Participation and behaviour for the day was great, and there was plenty of house spirit shown as the students competed for house points and overall champion titles. I’m sure the competitors had very sore muscles at the end of the day as there were some amazing times being ran. I have to acknowledge all staff as they went above and beyond to provide the students with a memorable day by donating their time to assist with all of the duties on the day. Special mention must be made of Ms Williams (HPE Teacher Aide) for her tireless efforts in planning the day. It was a great carnival and now we are looking forward to our Track and Field Carnival in term 3.

Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art

The Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art (the Awards) recognise and promote excellence in senior visual art education throughout Queensland state and non-state schools.

Since 1990, the program has helped raise community awareness of the degree of sophistication in concepts, diversity of technical competence, and the high standard of visual art education in Queensland secondary schools.

Last year there were over 500 entries state wide for the Awards. 31 artworks were chosen for display at GOMA, so it is a huge achievement that year 12 student Tom Isakson’s artwork was one of the 30 artworks chosen to be displayed.

Creative Generations 2017 winners are now exhibiting their work in the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane. Thomas Isakson’s ‘Perception’ made from drinking straws and projected changing colour display featured.

Tom’s artist statement-

By examining the subjectivity of the human visual process, ‘Perception’ investigates the complex relationship between visual stimuli and a person’s understanding of it. Conditioned by the context from which the sculpture is observed and our own preconceptions, the image becomes open for interpretation. My mission was to create something that communicated more than what it seemed. Using a humble drinking straw to render a large three dimensional multifaceted perceptual sculpture is aimed to challenge my audience to use their personal opinions, knowledge and beliefs to establish their own evaluation.

Visual Art Excursion to QAGOMA

On Thursday 26th April 106 Academy and Senior Art students visited the QAGOMA in Brisbane to view The 2017 Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art and the highly anticipated solo exhibition of Patricia Piccinini. What an amazing opportunity for our staff and students!

The Creative Generation exhibition recognises and promotes excellence in senior visual art education throughout Queensland state and non-state schools. Showcasing the artworks of 31 Queensland senior secondary art students from regional and metropolitan schools, students explored contemporary ideas and art-making processes that allowed for questioning and discussion on social/cultural/political concepts. Students were amazed by the raw talent and ability and were hugely inspired by one of our own, Thomas Isakson who along, represented South-East region state schools. Impressive outcome Tom, well done.

After viewing the Creative Generation display we moved on to the Patricia Piccinini ‘Curious Affection’ exhibition. WOW!

The display of her works from the past 20 years captivated our students’ attention and interest immediately. Piccinini’s immersive, multisensory installations of her imaginative, yet strangely familiar, hybrid creatures, invited our students to stop and think about our place in a world where advances in biotechnology and digital technologies are challenging the boundaries of humanity. These fantastic beginnings encouraged our students to find beauty in a world not ruled by notions of perfection.

Deadly Choices

Every Friday during Futures, our Indigenous students take part in a healthy lifestyle program called Deadly Choices. Over the course of the term, they learn about how to live a healthy lifestyle, make good life choices and become a positive role model and leader. This week they learned about chronic disease and followed that up with a friendly game of basketball.

Year 10 Work Experience

All year 10 students will participate in a week of work experience. Work Experience is scheduled for 3rd September to 7th September 2018. Each student was given a Work Experience Pack on Roll Mark parade last week. The pack includes all relevant paperwork and due dates. If your child does not have one, please ensure they collect a work experience pack from their Futures teacher.

For any queries please contact Ms Brandis, HOD Industry Pathways, nbran10@eq.edu.au .

Hogwarts at the Vale

SWELL staff have been having a fun time with a number of students this term creating and making at our ‘Hogwarts at the Vale’. To date Mrs Wright and Mrs Gibson have assisted a large number of students to make personalised wands, class ties, flying keys, pygmy puffs, books of monsters and potions bottles. There has been some amazing colouring for the Friday colouring competitions. We have quite the Harry Potter collection. At only half way through the term, we have many more workshops to come!! Watch this space!

Host Families Required For Japanese Sister School Students

Helensvale State High School will be hosting students from our Sister School, Shiraoka High School, from Thursday 26th July until Wednesday 1st August (6 nights). We are looking for families to take care of our Japanese “brothers and sisters” during this time.

Hosting an international student is an excellent opportunity for your family to learn about the culture and language of another country and to make some new international friends.

Host Families will be required to supply three meals per day, transport to and from school (bus travel is acceptable) and a warm, friendly home environment. This reciprocal exchange experience has been going strong for over ten years now due solely to the generosity of families both here and in Japan. While this is a volunteer homestay arrangement and as such does not provide any remuneration, the experience itself is priceless.

This year, our sister school has asked if there may be an extra special family that would be willing to host an equally special student who requires the use of a wheel chair. This lovely young lady was born with very weak bones and uses a wheel chair to prevent strain on her body. She is very capable of taking care of herself (dressing/bathing etc) but would require a family with a single story house and a car that can fit a collapsible wheelchair in the boot.

If you are interested in hosting this young lady or another student during this period, please contact Mr Brett Middleton via email ( bmidd32@eq.edu.au ). Thank you for your support of Helensvale’s International Sister School Program.

From the Guidos

Kids helpline

How Kids Helpline can help your child-

Curious about what Kids Helpline does and how it can help? We’ve got your questions answered.

Uniform Shop Update

JACKET UPDATE

Jacket orders are coming in. Please get your child to check student notices daily for jacket collection days.

Flu Vaccinations

Entertainment Book

“Order your ‘early bird’ Entertainment Book now for only $60. Discover thousands of valuable up to 50% off and 2-for-1 offers for many of the best restaurants, cafés, arts, attractions, hotels, travel, shopping and much more, all while supporting the fundraising endeavours of our school. Click on the link to secure your membership today!”

Advertising

The newsletter also has a sponsorship section which provides a great opportunity for local businesses to engage with our parent community. If you would like to be a part of this, please contact Schoolzine.

Phone Jude 07 5414 2363
jude.dawson@schoolzine.com.au