7 Jun 2018

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Thoughts

Dear Helensvale State High Community,

It is certainly exciting times in the life of Helensvale State High with the finalisation of our school’s 2018-2021 Strategic Plan. The process undertaken to develop The Plan has been extensive and consultative, with input from all key stakeholder groups.

During term 4 of 2017 the school undertook its Full School Review, conducted by the Department’s School Improvement Unit. The outcome of this review was the provision of a report, providing the school with a series of recommendations to be considered during the planning phase of the school’s 2018-2012 Strategic Plan. This report can be accessed via the school’s website.

This semester we have undertaken extensive consultation, gathering feedback from staff, students, parents and our local businesses. The School Council then analysed the feedback from the various stakeholders as well as the school’s data sets, including the School Data Profile and the Headline Indicator Data.

The writing of the draft 2018-2021 Strategic Plan was then informed by the Full School Review Report recommendations, the analyses of the feedback and school data undertaken by the School Council and the strategic documents of the Department of Education.

The final 2018-2021 Strategic Plan has been endorsed by staff and signed off by the School Council.

There are five key improvement priorities which align to our learning mission of ‘One Student. One Community. Many Futures.’ Over the next few newsletters I will present the priorities, success indicators and the specific strategies we will implement over the next four years to drive school improvement. The priorities presented in this newsletter align to our ‘One Student’ philosophy.

One Student.

Improvement Priority 1: Improve academic achievement for all students

Success Indicators

• Student outcomes data (Level of Achievement, NAPLAN and OP/ATAR) is consistent with, or greater than like schools and on par with the Nation.
• Students are empowered to take responsibility for their own learning improvement, as evidenced by individual student goal setting and student agency.
• There is a meta-language of learning across the school.
• Every student attains at least one year’s worth of learning in one year.

Strategies

• Improve reading and writing for all students:
      - Develop and implement an evidence-based, whole school Reading Framework.
      - Establish a Literacy Champions Team and develop the capacity of this team to lead professional learning of reading across the school.
      - Implement an evidence-based, whole school Writing Framework.
      - Engage with the IMPACT Centre to develop the capacity of Helensvale State High School staff in the teaching of writing. IMPACT is the school’s pedagogical framework and stands for Inspire, Model, Practise, Apply, Connect and Transform.
• Build the capacity for the teaching of thinking:
      - Establish an Aspiring Thinkers Team and develop the capacity of this team to implement teaching strategies that focus on training students to retain knowledge and build on surface knowledge to Apply, Connect and Transform
      - Engage with the IMPACT Centre to develop the capacity of staff in the teaching of writing and critical thinking
• Further strengthen the Professional Learning Team (PLT) processes as a vehicle for analysing data, collaboration and improving teaching practice by continued application of ‘learning sprints’, ongoing professional learning for PLT facilitators and the Strategic Leadership Team.
• Refine the school’s Response to Intervention (RTI) approaches to collaborative inquiry-based learning through ongoing research and collaboration with other accredited PLC schools.
• Promote student agency through the development of a whole school approach and meta-language for students to set goals for learning improvement and monitor their progress.
• Review the existing Academy Program structure and offerings to ensure the program continues to respond to the learning needs and future pathways of students.

Improvement Priority 2: Enhance student capacity to learn through promoting resilience, confidence and respectful relationships

Success Indicators

• Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) is entrenched in the culture of the school community as evidenced by a meta-language of positive behaviour, PB4L audit outcomes and positive trends in school data (attendance, Level of Achievement, School Disciplinary Absences).

Strategies

• Review existing Student Wellbeing programs and embed the Respectful Relationships Education Program and the outcomes of The Queensland Anti-Cyberbullying Taskforce.
• Develop and implement a Student Learning and Wellbeing Framework that:
      - Is underpinned by the PB4L philosophy.
      - Communicates high expectations and promotes a belief that every student can succeed.
      - Promotes a whole school approach for students to set goals for behaviour improvement and monitor their progress.
• Build upon the provision of targeted intervention programs by further developing the school’s Student Well-being and E-Learning Lounge (SWELL) as a Community and Student Wellbeing hub.

I look forward to leading the school through its improvement agenda over the next four years.

Visual Arts

YEAR 7 ART CLASSES

So far this year in Art, the year 7 students have been creating tonal drawings by studying the Archibald Portrait Prize Winners and then painting portraits.

Janelle Caughley
Visual Arts Teacher

Sorry Day

The Sorry Day assemblies, which were held last Monday, were all found to be riveting. The research undertaken to make them happen allowed me to get a deeper understanding for the occasion, in particular the emotions that were surfacing about that event in our history. The most fascinating thing I learnt was from Mr. Tony Gordon, as he spoke to the cultural leaders about how privileged we are in today’s day and age. He mentioned the thorough extent of pain that his grandmother and mother went through because of the separation and how children today do truly take their lives for granted. The most important message I learnt, however, was “Don’t make history a mystery”. This really made an impact on myself as in contemporary texts we tend to hide the true extent of the actions taken place. I’m extremely happy that I was able to partake in this important and historic event and I will forever be grateful to Mrs Rawlinson and the Indigenous community who allowed me to speak on behalf of them.

Zara Wozniak

International Department

Japanese Study Tour

The International Department is excited that Naragakuen Tomigaoka HS has returned to Helensvale SH for another 2 week study tour. It has been a wonderful tour which started with the Japanese students meeting their homestay families. The students have quickly made friends with our wonderful Helensvale SH Buddies and have taken part in many activities such as Aboriginal Art with our talented Tony Gordon, drumming with Long “feel the beat” Bradley and shared some of their culture with Mr Sam Caughley’s Japanese Year 7 Excellence class. The group will also be bushwalking at Mt Tamborine and sightseeing at Currumbin and visiting Tropical Fruit World.

Karen Lindsay met with the Principal of Naragakuen, Mr Kenji Furukawa and shared information about their respective schools over morning tea.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS VISIT SEAWORLD

The International Students joined with the Marine Aquatics Year 11 class to spend the day at Seaworld. Our new students took part in the Reef Tank snorkel which was a highlight, as usual. They had a fun day out and there were smiles all around. It was wonderful to see our Year 7 student, Jenny, join the group for the day.

Year 7 Drama Festival

Work has started on this year’s Year 7 Drama Academy Drama Festival. Miss Chambers’ Drama class will be exploring the idea of “Who am I?” in a performance called #thisisme!

Who are we? Are we a sum of our parts? What does society value most about a person? Is there only one version of me? How do we claim our own GOLD?

The Year 7 Drama students will be devising, writing, creating and performing a dynamic and thought-provoking collage drama about THIS IS ME!

Students had the opportunity to workshop ideas with Jason Klarwein, a producer, director and actor who works nationally and internationally with Australia's leading theatre companies.

Miss Chambers
Drama Teacher

Artist in Residence Week @ Helensvale’s Drama Department

Helensvale State High students were privileged to be able to welcome Jason Klarwein to our school to engage in a week long Artist in Residence program. Jason is an internationally renowned professional actor, director and producer and has had a long-standing relationship with our school for the past five years.

During his time here Jason worked across all year levels and engaged collaboratively with students to develop performance work in preparation for assessment.

Our Year 7s engaged in play-building workshops in preparation for their Drama Festival production to be staged in August. This was an exciting opportunity for the newest members of our academy. Year 8 and Year 8 Academy students broadened their knowledge of how to build performance and improvisation skills and our Year 9 Academy students engaged with Jason to enhance their Documentary Drama performances. Year 10 Drama students were able to work one on one with Jason to refine their Political Theatre performance pieces and our Year 11 Drama students were able to explore their Verbatim Theatre productions with Jason knowing that he has intimate knowledge of the play having directed the work himself. Finally, our Senior Drama Festival cast were lucky enough to have him attend our first rehearsal in preparation for performance in August at the annual Gold Coast Secondary Schools Drama Festival.

Helensvale students had an exceptionally rich learning experience engaging with Jason and some of our students have kindly shared their reflections on the week that was:

Working with Jason has made us change our perspective as actors. Working with such an amazing professional has provided us with new-found knowledge and understanding of our craft. It was a fantastic opportunity.

Kate Glassop, Imogen Irving and Caitlyn Shields (Year 10 Drama Academy)

Working with Jason was amazing. He showed us new techniques in the style of Greek Theatre and further developed our acting abilities in this area. Working with someone at such a professional level was highly beneficial for us as young actors.

Chloe Herbison (Year 10 Drama Academy)

Working with Jason was such a privilege, he taught us different formations that made our performance look more effective from the audience’s perspective.

Olivia Marks (Year 10 Drama Academy)

Having the opportunity to work with a professional actor, director and theatre maker has helped us develop as performers and creators immensely.

Sienna Laskey-Vella (Year 10 Drama Academy)

Whilst having Jason here we explored multiple documentary techniques and conventions. It was an amazing opportunity having him here at our school.

Leiani Otton (Year 9 Drama Academy)

Jason was very funny, upbeat and charismatic. His experience contributed very well when helping all of the groups with their Documentary Drama concepts and scenes. It was exhilarating working with Jason.

Mason Beattie (Year 9 Drama Academy)

We learnt a lot having Jason in our Year 7 Drama Academy class. We explored how we can use expressive movement to symbolise ideas and how to create strong meaning for our audiences.

Evie Phelan (Year 7 Drama Academy)

Workshopping our drama festival concept with Jason was a great way to explore new ideas and further understand how to transform concepts into performance work. Using his extensive knowledge of how to create live theatre, our group was able to discuss ways in which we could articulate our ideas for the stage. He is incredible.

Gabrielle Scott (Year 12 Drama student, Drama Festival cast member)

Arts Academy @ Helensvale State High School

The Arts Academy students at Helensvale State High School have been engaged in some wonderful curricular activities this term.

Music Academy students have been involved in drumming workshops and headed off to Aladdin to hear the professional orchestra and witness the outstanding performers on stage.

Drama Academy students are in rehearsal for their Drama Festival showcase later this year and have been working with industry professionals to guide their acting skills.

Dance Academy students have engaged in workshops with visiting artists and some classes are preparing for the Gold Coast Eisteddfods happening in Term 3. The Year 7, 8 & 9 students are looking forward to heading to QPAC to see 4 Seasons in Week 10 performed by Expressions Dance Company.

Visual Art Academy students headed to GOMA earlier this term and explored multiple dimensions of Art. They are hard at work on their major pieces under the guidance of their amazing teachers!

The staff have been busy auditioning prospective 2019 Year 7 students with Dance workshops occurring, Drama submissions being reviewed and Art students exploring drawing technique in their workshop with Miss Clayton and Miss Hoppner.

Staff will now move onto reviewing the many current student applications that have been submitted for Dance, Drama, Music and Art. Any questions can be sent to Director of Arts Academy, Lauren Riches on lrich225@eq.edu.au.

Year 8 EXCITE English

This term’s Year 8 Excite English unit has been about learning the difference between hard and soft news. This has built up to us writing our own feature columns about a natural disaster. This unit has offered us so many opportunities to learn in exciting and engaging ways including how to be a great reporter. We completed many different activities as a class, including analysing case studies. These case studies involved reading about different natural disasters and completing different activities and questions in order to gain a deep understanding of how people were really affected by these disasters.

However, by far the most exciting experience we were given in this unit was the opportunity to have a real press conference with a paramedic; we even got our own press I.D. cards! Our teachers, Mrs Bailey and Mrs Hill, helped us craft questions before the press conference. Then, Miranda Richards, a paramedic from South-East Queensland, gave us in-depth insight into what the 2011 floods were like on both a personal and professional level, and was really comprehensive with her answers to our questions. Having a witness helped tremendously in writing our assessments, as it gave us great quotes and sensory descriptions to add to our feature columns making us feel like actual reporters.

We are really thankful that Ms Richards gave us the opportunity to get a first-person perspective on the events as it also helped us to understand possible career pathways we can have as writers – or future paramedics. I know that we would all agree that it has been a very engaging unit.

Alisha and Aisyah

Maths

GIPSA

Parents and students please be aware that the GIPSA days have changed. There will be no GIPSA days in Term 2.

GIPSA UPDATED DATES

Northern GC & Nerang Chappy Fundraiser Dinner

On Wednesday 23rd May Helensvale State High School hosted the second Annual Northern GC & Nerang Chappy Fundraiser Dinner at our own Cassidy’s Restaurant. We were very fortunate to be sponsored by Mr Mark Boothman, MP for Theodore. The function was catered for by our Year 11 Kitchen Ops Cert II class, led by Hospitality teacher, Mr Peter Whitehouse, and assisted by Head of Department, Ms Stephanie Wright, and four of her Year 12 Hospitality students. Guests were impressed with the skills and performance of our students and enjoyed the relaxed and intimate atmosphere of the venue.

The dinner was attended by staff and supporters of the various schools to help raise funds for 13 local chaplaincies in the Northern GC and Nerang schools which included Coomera SS, Coomera Springs SS, Gaven SS, Helensvale SS, Helensvale SHS, Highland Reserve SS, Nerang SS, Nerang SHS, Norfolk Village SS, Oxenford SS, Pacific Pines SHS, Parklakes SS, Upper Coomera State College. All up we raised around $8,000 with minimal costs yet to be deducted.

We wish to acknowledge and thank the support of Mr Mark Boothman, MP for Theodore, Nerang Park Poultry, Club Helensvale and a number of businesses and individuals who donated goods and services to help make the evening such a success. We wish to also thank Ms Nicole Brazeau for her MC role; Mr Peter Whitehouse, Ms Stephanie Wright, Mr Garry Karsten and Ms Rachel Dwyer for their behind the scene support; Senior Student Leaders – Kayne Tremelling, Jemmima Bowd, Armani Hollandale and Deon Hunt for their assistance in greeting and assisting guests; and Alisha Hemmings, Cameron Howe, Mathew Goodman, Emma Freame and Sarah Freame for their Drumnoize performance.

We also wish to thank and acknowledge the attendance of Ms Karen Lindsay, Executive Principal, Helensvale State High School; Mr Mike Shambrook, Principal, Helensvale State School; Mr Mark Boothman, MP for Theodore; Councillor William Owen-Jones, Division 2; Ms Nerise Moore, President, Helensvale State High School P&C and Sam Sawden, Field Development Manager, SU Qld Gold Coast.

All in all it was a very successful evening.

Long Bradley, School Chaplain, Helensvale SS & Helensvale SHS

Industry Liaison Offer

A typical day for our school based trainees at Classic Holiday Resort, each student has the opportunity to gain experience in various areas of the Resort.

Any students in Year 11 on a Personalised or Vocational Pathway interested in obtaining a school based traineeship/apprenticeship see Mrs Dearden in CB08.

Kokoda Challenge

I’m touching base to inform you how delighted the Kokoda Youth Foundation are to have Lily Gilbert selected into the Kokoda Challenge Youth Program (KCYP). The Kokoda Kids have completed the first 4 weeks, which have included a few tough hikes and a 2 day adventure camp full of activities to build resilience, trust and a healthy rapport with team mates and leaders, using our four main values of Courage, Endurance, Mateship and Sacrifice. Lily is training really hard at the moment, pushing her personal limits every week and we look forward to her progression as the KCYP continues.

We now look forward to participating in the Brisbane 30km Kokoda challenge this weekend, as we continue to learn valuable life skills that will help set the Kokoda Kids up for their transition into adulthood.

Dann Hollingshead
Youth Services Coordinator

From the Guidos

Parents

Teenagers, technology and cyberspace

Maggie Hamilton is a media commentator and observer of social trends. Her two books “What is happening to our girls?” and “What is happening to our boys?” provides advice for families with children and teens. Maggie comments that for boys, cyberspace offers a chance to indulge their fantasies, however this can lead to some very dark places. For girls she states that because the web seems safe and anonymous, it gives girls the confidence to do and say things they wouldn’t otherwise. However, it is important for teens to have some understandings of the effects for being online, using social media and gaming.

According to Tony Ryan in “The Next Generation”, social media “needs to be balanced by the social value of staying in contact with one’s friends through the online world. Social media is another of the beautiful messes in the world today”. The technological world that our young people are growing up in needs families and caring adults to support teens with the decisions that they make.

Tips around Social Media include:

• Initially setting your child up with you as their “Friends” to teach them about the social media and including how to report inappropriate behaviour as well as what to share/post.
• Not allowing devices in bedrooms as Cyberbullying can happen 24 / 7
• Start to charge all devices 30 minutes before bedtime in the living area of the home to allow the body to release melatonin (sleepy hormone) getting us ready for sleep and so that children can sleep at night without notifications and messages waking them
• In the first 6 months and as needed, ask have your child show you what they will share or post so you have an opportunity to teach what is appropriate
• Make computer experiences a regular part of conversations

Well-known Australian psychologist, Andrew Fuller, also offers some useful tips in his recent book, “Tricky Teens”. These include:

• Use the Nanna rule - don’t post anything online that you wouldn’t want your nanna to see
• Beware of job-stoppers – Most employers for casual work do look at these to check your online accounts prior to employment. This includes doing anything illegal or promoting drugs, racism, sexism or violence
• Don’t post negative comments about anyone
• Your profile should have maximum privacy settings.
• You can set a Google alert for your name. Google will send you an email if your name is posted anywhere online
• If you want to make comments on chat rooms or blogs, don’t use your full name. If you see something that upsets you, wait 24 hours before replying
• If you post comments about other people, never do so when you’re angry or upset

Gaming for teens

If your child is into gaming:

• Be aware of the content of the games played
• Read the material and agreements that come with the games
• Discuss the use of violence
• Adjust settings so that they can play with invited friends and while playing in “lobbies” online that they can only hear their friends
• There is no substitute for real life adventure
• Establish clear rules about how long they can play for
• Encourage them to talk about the game

Is there an age limit for kids on social media?

Most social media services and apps require users to be 13 years old to join. Why 13? This is usually to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA)—a US law preventing the collection and storage of personal information from a child under 13.

What about APPS? App stores set their own age ratings based on the app’s content.

* Age guide based on published Terms of Use and app store ratings as at April 2016.

For more information go to the links below:

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