5 November 2021

Newsletter Articles

For more info please see the school calendar

From the Principal

Dear Helensvale State High School Community

Dear Helensvale State High School Community

I would like to formally introduce you to the figures known as Helen and Henry. You may have noticed recently that Helen and Henry are featured on some of our most recent signage and communication, including our Statement of Purpose.

The symbolism of Helen and Henry remind us that as a professional learning community, we have a relentless focus on student learning and wellbeing and a deep belief that each and every student can succeed.

When designing our pedagogical framework, and asking ourselves what skills and attributes we believe we need to equip our students with to be successful members of a global community, we consider Helen and Henry as a symbol of all Helensvale students and it is this focus on students that is the centre of all our decision making and strategic planning.

Yours truly

Karen Lindsay
Executive Principal
Helensvale State High School

2022 Leaders

Our Leadership Handover Parade was held last week. Please congratulate our student leadership team for 2022. A formal leadership recognition parade will be held in early 2022.

Year 9 Media Arts

Year 9 Media Arts students for the GC600 event produced on Photoshop

JAPANESE TEA CLUB EVENT

On Thursday 14th October, our Japanese Tea Club hosted their very first official tea ceremony with some guest students. Thank you to our guests Reece, Heath, Ben and Trinity. Our Tea Club students performed well. We look forward to hosting more events this term. A very special thanks to our inaugural Tea Club Members. It will be sad to say goodbye to our soon departing year 12s. We wish you all the best and hope you continue to show off your tea skills in the future!

2021 TEA CLUB MEMBERS
Year 12: Keiran Harris, Liam Martinero, Christian Pigram &
Mitchell Groves
Year 11: Kirraley McDonald
Year 9: Lauren McDonald, Jessica Morrison, Caitlyn Rachow,
Sinead Ryan & Ella Gill

Teens and Anxiety Webinar

Feedback for the Teens and Anxiety webinar has been extremely positive, with some HSHS parents describing the webinar as ‘Wonderful, Amazing and Excellent!’

The webinar is available until the end of the term!

All parents and carers were sent the link to the webinar on the 18th October. If you can’t locate the link please contact Elaine Sears esear13@eq.edu.au.

Survey

Save the Date

Uniform Shop

Helensvale SHS Farmers Markets

Don’t forget to support our local farmers.

Every Day Counts!

Helensvale Fundraising

Support Helensvale State High School and unlock your free upgrade:

Cyberbullying Help

What would you do if your child was being cyberbullied?

According to research by the  eSafety Commissioner, 1 in 5 young people experience cyberbullying and online abuse and 55% seek help from their parents/carers.

Our free training is available online and has been designed to be completed on a range of internet ready devices, including smart phones. 

Student Health and Wellbeing

In line with Helensvale State High School’s philosophy of ‘One Student, One Community, Many Futures’, we partner together with the community to improve student learning and wellbeing. As the use of vaping is becoming a growing concern, not only in our school, but in our broader community, it is our collective responsibility to educate and support our students whilst maintaining high standards of behaviour.

E-cigarettes, more commonly known as vapes, are increasing in popularity in our society and disturbingly among our youth. Resembling a USB, ‘e-cigs’ are battery-powered devices that deliver liquid nicotine and other substances (such as propylene glycol and flavourings) as an aerosol that is then inhaled.

Under Australian Law, Nicotine is considered a Schedule 7 poison and therefore it is illegal to: buy, possess or use liquid nicotine for vaping; for children under 18 years to purchase cigarettes and e-cigarettes; and to smoke on school grounds at any time.

Helensvale State High School has a ZERO TOLERANCE policy for the possession and use of all illicit substances including e-cigarettes, with all matters dealt in accordance with our Student Code of Conduct which states: “Inappropriate use, possession, supply of intoxicating substances and/or utensils (including but not limited to illegal drugs or illegal drug implements, alcohol, vape pens, paint, glue, prescription medicine etc) may result in permanent exclusion from Helensvale State High School.”

One proactive measure we are making is to educate our students, providing them with the information so that they can weigh up the pros and cons of certain behaviours, allowing them to make an informed decision.

We are currently negotiating with the Queensland Police Service to provide an educational assembly to students around the legal implication of vaping.

Here is what we know so far:

• Nicotine is highly addictive and can impair adolescent brain development.
• Liquid nicotine solutions vary in concentrations (from 2%-10%). It is rapidly absorbed through the skin, and fatal toxicity can occur from exposure to just one teaspoon.
• Harmful chemicals are found in over 75% of flavoured refill liquids.
• Propylene Glycol is a solvent that reacts with many flavours, specifically vanilla, cherry and cinnamon, to create entirely new chemicals that lead to inflammation, cell death and irreversible lung damage.
• Additional information can be found here: https://www.qld.gov.au/health/staying-healthy/atods/smoking/devices

It’s important to remember that young people may turn to substance use for many different reasons (e.g. stress, family conflict, financial concerns, relationship issues, etc.). We encourage our students to access support if they are going through a challenging time, and some of these support options may include:

• Guidance Officers
• Deputy Principals
• Chaplains
• School Based Youth Health Nurses
• Deans
• Adis (24/7 Alcohol and Drug Support) – 1800 177 833
• Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800

To support the health and wellbeing of all the Helensvale State High School community we ask you to discuss the health and legal implications of vaping with your child.

Thank you for your anticipated support with this and together, let’s continue to prioritise the health and wellbeing of your child.

Humanities Tutorials and Homework Help Club

Do you have an assignment or exam coming up and need a little extra help to understand the content?

Have you been away and would like to catch up on what you missed?

Would you would like to improve your skills in analysing sources or constructing a clear paragraph?

Open to all students who are studying Humanities in year 7 & 8 or History and Geography in year 9 to 12. Our amazing Humanities staff will be available to help and give you extra support.

Come find us in DG33.

Maths Tutorials

Science Tutorials

Chat n Chill

Support Staff

As part of our Learning and Well-being framework, we have created a Well-being Hub for students and parents, which can be accessed through the Helensvale State High School webpage. The hub includes links to other websites and apps which can help to support student well-being, as well as provide information on career pathways. To access these ‘well-being hubs’ click on the icons below or go to the HSHS website, scroll down the page and click on the relevant icon.

Acknowledgment of Country

Helensvale State High School as one community, acknowledges the Kombumerri Peoples, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which our school is built. We respect their long history, ancestry and culture. We pay our respects to the Elders, past, present and emerging for they carry the memories and traditions of past times.

We would also like to extend our acknowledgment to other First Nations Peoples: those hailing from the Torres Strait Islands and those belonging to other Aboriginal Language Groups.

We acknowledge the strength and resilience of Kombumerri peoples. We respect their enduring connection to the local wetlands and the cultural responsibility they uphold to preserve wildlife. Together, we go forward, learning in the spirit of these values.