13 May 2022

Newsletter Articles

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From the Principal

Dear Helensvale State High School Community

One of our universal expectations of our students is linked to our learning value of Responsibility - ‘I am reflective about my progress, set SMART goals and seek feedback’. During recent Years 7 to 10 Futures lessons, teachers have been supporting students in how to take responsibility for their own learning. In the below video, Ms Chambers, Head of Department Junior Secondary, explains what goal setting looks like in the classroom.

I encourage you to watch this video so you are aware of how your child reflects on their academic, attendance and behaviour data, analyses the data and creates their own learning goals. I encourage parents and carers to continue these learning conversations with your child at home.

Beyond the School Gates – An Excellent Learning Opportunity for Year 12 Students

FREE after-hours masterclasses are back for Term 2 for Year 12 students! Students have a wonderful learning opportunity for extra support and are able to ask questions of expert teachers from across the Gold Coast in the study areas of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics Methods. Beyond the School Gates is an initiative of the Gold Coast Secondary Principals’ Alliance and is jointly funded by Study Gold Coast. Participating students will be invited to free school holiday consolidation workshops in the June July school holidays delivered by Griffith University.

From Weeks 3-9:

Students may register now via the following link.

Parents and Citizens Association (P & C) Meetings

The P & C promotes parent participation and encourages collaboration between families, staff and school community members to foster a commitment to achieving the best educational outcomes for children and young people. The P & C meetings are a great way to learn more about the school and what it has to offer your child. Attending P & C meetings also provides an opportunity for input and feedback.

One of the agenda items for our next meeting will be the 2023 Student Resource Scheme, where the P and C will be asked to endorse the student resource fees for next year. Details of the meeting are below.

For a sneak peek into life as a student at Helensvale State High School, keep an eye out on Facebook for a series of short videos, ‘Within the School Gates’.

Yours truly
Karen Lindsay
Executive Principal
Helensvale State High School

My Fair Lady set to hit the HOTA stage in June!

On June 14th and 15th over ninety students will take the stage at Gold Coast’s premier venue, the Home of the Arts (HOTA). The musical tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young flower seller with an unmistakable Cockney accent which keeps her in the lower rungs of Edwardian society. When Professor Henry Higgins tries to teach her how to speak like a proper lady, an unlikely friendship begins to flourish.

As Year 12 students we have been really excited to be a part of this year’s musical. We are both members of the chorus and rehearse three times a week, singing and dancing and acting alongside the lead performers. Since joining the musical cast in February we have loved being a part of such an enriching experience - learning new skills, making new friends and stepping out of our comfort zone. What is really memorable is the relationships we are creating with students from other year levels and the positive role models we have become, particularly with the Year 7 and 8 students.

With only five weeks of rehearsals left before opening night, we wanted to take this opportunity to invite our school community to join us in our whole school celebration of the Arts.

Tickets are $28.00 and will go on sale soon!

We can’t wait to see you there.

Sonja Gilson and Ella Bridges
Year 12 students

School Based Health Nurse

From the Guidance Officers

Dr Kate Owen recently presented a very successful webinar regarding Anxiety. We are pleased to inform you of the upcoming webinar on School Refusal.

In this 90 minute webinar you will learn:

• What is school refusal.
• What drives school refusal behaviour - what is really going on?
• Why you need to take school refusal seriously and act quickly.
• Strategies for you as the adult to help.
• Strategies you can use with your child and teenager.
• Strategies to teach your child and teen for them to use.
• Why connecting with school is important for students.
• How to identify resilience and amplify what is already working.
• When to seek extra support.
• Where to seek extra support.

For access to this webinar please see

For free access please use the coupon code: HELENSVALE-2022-SCHOOL-REFUSAL

The expiry is December 31st 2022.

Wellbeing

News from Industry Pathways:

2022 Queensland Training Awards, SE Region – School Based Apprentice or Trainee of the Year

Congratulations to Year 12 students Ethan Alborn and Jorjah Ball on being nominated on behalf of Helensvale SHS for the 2022 QTA awards for School Based Apprentice of the Year.

The Helensvale SHS community are very proud of Ethan and Jorjah’s progress with their school-based apprenticeships. We are so excited to see where their careers will take them.

Ethan is an Apprentice Chef at the Star Gold Coast, whilst Jorjah is completing her Hairdressing Apprenticeship with Champions Hair and Beauty Day Spa.

Receiving a nomination for this award is something they should be very proud of.

School based traineeships available:

I still have some new wonderful traineeship opportunities available for current Year 11 students - Year 10s can start applying for traineeships in Term 3.

Get paid while gaining a qualification when doing a school-based traineeship and earn up to 8 QCE points!! You are able to remove a subject at school and get a line of study.

Email me on lbell138@eq.edu.au for more information regarding these positions, and to discuss if you are eligible for a traineeship.

Only students on a Vocational Pathway can apply for traineeships.

City Venue Management:

Helensvale Aquatic Centre are looking for new school based trainees for lifeguarding, customer service, and swim teaching… If you would like to be part of their team please apply via the link.below

School based vacancies links:

Ignite Education:

Aurora Training Institute:

Prestige Staffing Solution vacancies:

To Our Current Year 10 and 11 Students – External Course Enrolments:

If you would like to enrol into an external course, please come and see me, as Semester 2 enrolments are now open. We are also allowing Year 10 students to enrol into the TAFE Taster Programs which run for all of Term 3. Enrolments close soon!

French Beauty Academy Cert II Retail Cosmetics Course – commencement date is 15th July.

Gold Coast Careers Festival

Staff from HSHS recently took a group of Year 10 and 11 students to the annual Gold Coast Careers Festival, held at the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre, at Carrara on Thursday 5th May.

It was a great opportunity for students to speak with employers about apprenticeship opportunities, visit exhibitors from a wide range of industries and to learn more about other possible study options post Year 12.

Here is a useful website if your student is seeking some information on study/work and pathways.

Defence Force Work Experience Program

The Defence Work Experience Program (DWEP) is a national Youth Program that provides young Australians with an interest in a Defence career, the opportunity to gain exposure to a range of job roles available within Defence and the Australian Public Service. Defence work experience activities are designed to be hands on and interactive so that young people can make informed career decisions.

Below is the website link for your child to look at what programs are currently taking applicants for work experience:

Feel free to contact me regarding traineeships, external programs or to just have a chat about possibilities for your child, Thank you.

Lisa Bellamy
Industry Liaison Officer
55738 545
lbell138@eq.edu.au

Helensvale SHS Farmers Markets

Don’t forget to support our local farmers.

Every Day Counts!

Cyberbullying Help

For some wonderful, helpful advice about online safety see the eSafety Commissioner website.

You can find an abundance of advice for parents and carers to help children have safe experiences online

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 below, 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.