A warm welcome back to all our wonderful students and their families. I sincerely hope you all had a restful few weeks with friends and family, ready for yet another full term at Blackwater State High School. This 10-week term (six weeks for Year 12 and eight weeks for Year 10 and 11) is very important in terms of finishing the year’s learning program. We will pause several times to recognise the achievements of our students, including on Thursday 1 November at our evening Awards Ceremony (7.00pm start) and on Thursday 15 November for Graduation. I am looking forward to recognising the outstanding work by many students as well as announcing our 2019 School Captains at the Annual Awards evening at the Civic Centre which will acknowledge the successes of our students in sporting, cultural and academic pursuits.  We present all our cultural, sporting and academic achievers with their well-deserved accolades on this night.  We are proud of all of our students who ensure that each day they do their best to achieve.

This term, we farewell our Year 12s (for many, it is after 5 years at Blackwater State High School). We will celebrate their formal and graduation in the coming weeks. We also look forward to welcoming our future Year 7 students as we continue with our transition sessions for 2019.

As a school we are providing quality education in a caring environment is what we do each and every day, this also means that each and every lesson absolutely counts as a teaching and learning opportunity. Sometimes there is a feeling amongst students that Term 4 is one where they can ‘sit back', that all the really hard work is done for the year. This could not be further from the truth. I expect that each and every student will be focussed and doing their very best in every lesson right up to the end of the year and that our standards of dress, behaviour and attendance will be just as exemplary as they have been throughout each term. Only in this way, will we truly reach our individual goals and together, transform this great school into a superb one. We’ve been talking to all of our Year 12 students about the need to understand that these few weeks can make a difference to their final results. Even one great piece of work can help a student move their place up and influence their final result. At worst, a great piece gives us evidence to maintain a student’s place as we moderate results and negotiate around the quality of student work and the standards set. The message is clear — keep working at your best until we are finished… then we’ll celebrate. 

Student Achievement- Queensland School Sport Athletics 13-19 Years Track and Field

Congratulations goes to two of our students - Mitchell Brown and Tara Wilson who have represented Capricornia at the Queensland School Sport Athletics 13-19 years Track and Field in Brisbane which was held from the 25-28 October.  Both students represented our school and Region to the best of their ability. Mitchell Brown received a 4^th place in the Men’s 18-19 years 200 metre.

It was with great pleasure that I was able to personally congratulate Tara Wilson over the phone after she excelled in the Women’s 18-19 years Field Events. 

Tara received 4 medals in what can only be described as a fantastic performance and a well-deserved result.  These results rank Tara as number 1 and 2 in Queensland School Sport for 18-19 years Women.

Results:

Gold-Hammer Throw                               

Gold-Shot Put

Silver- Javelin

Silver-Discus

Attendance

Attendance is a key factor in the success, not just at school, but in work and life. I have signed many certificates in recent days for 100% Attendance and High Achievement and Improved Achievement. Not surprisingly, many of the same names appear. I encourage all students and especially their families to try to have students at school and engaging EVERY DAY. It does make a huge difference.

Enrolments

If you know of someone whose child is wanting to attend Blackwater State High School in 2019 and has NOT had an enrolment interview, please tell them to contact the school immediately. It is difficult to place students in certain classes when enrolment is left to the last minute.

World Teachers’ Day

October 26 was World Teachers Day and as a school community, we took the time to recognise the wonderful teaching workforce we have at our school. Teachers enjoyed a BBQ breakfast whilst reading the personalised messages written to them by students, taking the time to wish them a happy World Teacher's Day.  I would also like to thank our P&C who provided lunch on this special day.

This date is at the end of Education Week and I certainly want to celebrate the enormous contribution our teachers make to provide curricular and extra-curricular opportunities for our students. I hope my staff are proud of their work and the contribution they make to the lives of young people. I am proud to say I am a teacher and I have never regretted making this career decision.

I wish all a wonderful Term 4 and look forward to the many successes of the students of Blackwater State High School.

Mr Frank Brunetto

Principal

Welcome back to Term 4. Report Cards were issued to all students in the first week of this term. Leftover reports for absent students were sent in the mail, as were any NAPLAN reports for Year 7 and 9 students who had not yet collected them. Whilst we do not have any parent – teacher interviews scheduled for Term 4, teachers are happy to discuss any concerns you may have in regards to your child’s education. If you wish to speak to your child’s teacher, you may contact the school office, or email them using the contact list sent home earlier in the year. Term 4 Report Cards for Years 7 to 11 will be distributed in the last week of term.

We are beginning to organise the classes and timetable for 2018. If you are aware that your child will not be returning to Blackwater State High School next year, could you please contact the school office to let us know so we can get an idea of the classes required, and begin the leaver’s process. Enrolment Packs for Year 7 students in 2019 have been provided to the primary schools. Please return this paperwork for new students as soon as possible, as they are already due. Note that all paperwork in the enrolment pack must be completed and returned for us to be able to process their enrolment. Also, if you have changed contact details, such as address or phone numbers, please advise the school office as soon as possible.

As the final term for Year 12 students draws to a close, we are preparing for their Graduation Ceremony and then their Year 12 Formal. Tickets for the Graduation Ceremony for student families will be handed out in the next week. Walk in’s for the Formal will commence on Friday 16^th November around 5pm. Everyone is welcome to come down to the Civic Centre to watch the students as they arrive in their formal attire.

Finally, we look forward to seeing you all at our Annual Awards Evening for 2018. This is a wonderful evening of celebration of the academic, cultural and sporting achievements of our students. If your child is receiving an award, they will have already brought home an invitation to attend the evening. Note that they must be in full school formal uniform to receive their award. In addition, we will be announcing the Senior School Captains for 2019 at this event. Our special guest speaker for the evening is Mr Nick Earls, the author of twenty-seven books for adults, teenagers and younger readers. His work has appeared on bestseller lists in Australia, the UK and US and also won awards in those three countries. Five of his books have been adapted into stage plays and two, Perfect Skin and Children’s Book Council Book of the Year winner 48 Shades of Brown, have become feature films. He is the first University of Queensland graduate to go back after being awarded Alumnus of the Year and do another degree there. He graduated with his PhD in Creative Writing in July. His PhD thesis incorporated his novella series Wisdom Tree, which has won multiple awards, including a New South Wales Premier’s Literary Award and, in the US, a gold medal at the Independent Publisher Book Awards. The Sydney Morning Herald called it ‘a triumphant and extraordinary piece of fiction’. In 2012, the Age included him among its top ten Greatest Living Australians (along with Bob Hawke, Shane Warne and Warwick Capper).

Mrs Rebecca Godfrey

Deputy Principal

Junior Secondary News

As the heat begins to build each day, it is a sudden reminder that our term is quickly drawing to an end and that our Christmas holidays are near. Our term is action packed and filled with many activities and events. Our expectation for our students to be at school and learning every day is still of great importance. Our target of 90% attendance can only be reached if our students are attending every day. This is the business end of the term with assessments to be completed and it is vital that your child/children are in class learning and participating up until the ringing of the final bell in Week 10.

All School’s Touch

Term Three kicked off with a bang as our All School’s Girls team travelled to Brisbane to participate in the All School’s Carnival during the first week of Term Three. I had the opportunity to attend and cheer on our team as they competed each day. The weather was not kind to us and we were faced with some unfortunate conditions, however, the team persevered and we were fortunate to notch up a few wins. A huge thank you to our coaches, Rourke and Jayden who gave up many hours training the girls on their weekends. Our support team consisting of Mrs Webley and Mrs Window were also fabulous and assisted us throughout the week.

Transition Program- Year 6 students enrolling in 2019.

Our final Parent Information Session was held last Thursday evening. We are currently creating our class lists for next year based on the information received from the enrolment forms and the individual interviews held after the information sessions. If you have not returned your enrolment forms then please do so as soon as possible to ensure that your student has a place for 2019.

Our final Transition Taster days will be held in Week 9 on Thursday 6^th and Friday the 7^th December.  Students will have an opportunity to experience high school life and participate in subjects throughout the two days while becoming more familiar with the school surroundings and buildings. Students who have not submitted their enrolment paperwork will be unable to attend the two days of the transition program.

Friday Afternoon Activities

Who ever said that school was boring? Each Friday the Student Services team along with our Student Council have been organising fun and engaging activities for our students to participate in. Last week our parade shed and surrounding grassed areas were full of students enjoying some fun with skipping ropes. With music playing in the background, many students were using the single ropes to have a competition amongst their friends, others were using the long ropes and trying to get as many students in the middle as possible. We also attempted to do double dutch. This was such a fun lunch time that most of our students requested that we do it again.

Students also supported the ‘Footy Colours Day’ the previous Friday by wearing their footy colours and participating in a number of fun activities. There were many exhausted staff and students after a number of fast paced games of tag using the Velcro sashes. Students were encouraged to bring a gold coin donation to support childhood cancer.

Swimming Carnival

This Friday our students will be participating in our Annual Swimming Carnival in anticipation of stealing a win and taking possession of the treasured trophy. Students will need to arrive at the pool for a 9am start. Bus students will be dropped at the pool and then escorted to Blackwater North State School after the carnival to catch the bus. Admission is free for students. Spectators are required to pay the normal admission fee into the pool.

Students will need to ensure that they are prepared on the day with adequate lunch or money to purchase food from the canteen. Take away food will not be permitted on the premises.

Due to the heat, we strongly encourage all students to wear sun safe swimmers, shirt, hat and apply sunscreen on a regular basis. Drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated will be encouraged throughout the day.

Please ensure that coloured zinc, coloured hairspray etc is not taken to the pool or worn during the day. Bikinis must be covered with a swimming shirt/rashy.

This is a normal school day with fun events planned for those students who are not confident in the water or who are not competitive swimmers. We are looking forward to seeing our students proudly wearing their team colours and cheering on their team mates.

One of our four school values that we encourage all of our students to uphold is Effort. As the end of the school year is approaching, it is common for some students to start to wind down and start to think about what they would like to be doing on the holidays.

Our expectation for our students is to participate in all activities with 100% effort. Effort is demonstrated by attending class on time and being ‘prompt and prepared'. Having all of your resources available and with you in class. Working to the best of your ability and completing the tasks that you are capable of doing. Using your time effectively and organising your time so that you are able to complete your assessments on time. Effort is demonstrated by giving things a go, no matter how confusing they may seem.  Placing your rubbish in the bin once you have eaten is a simple way to make our school presentable and a pleasant place to be and this takes very little effort. This is one value that we will continue to emphasise with our students for the remainder of the year.

Awards Evening

I am looking forward to attending my first Awards Evening and celebrating the wonderful accomplishments of some of our students. Students are expected to wear their formal day uniform. Please don’t hesitate to come and introduce yourself to me if you are attending our Awards Evening.

Until next time,

Mrs Terri Weatherley

Deputy Principal

“Success for every student” is the shared vision of Queensland state schools and this continues to underpin Blackwater State High School’s practice.

Term Four is a busy and exciting time for our Senior Students, in particular our Year 12s. All are working hard to achieve their QCE (the Queensland Certificate of Education) and the school has processes in place to ensure a 100% success rate. The Year 12 Graduation is fast approaching and I am looking forward to seeing you all there to join us in congratulating our students and celebrating their success.

This event is being held on Thursday, the 15^th November. Students will be issued with an invitation for themselves and their family to attend the celebratory breakfast, followed by the graduation Monday next week. Breakfast commences at 9.00am, and the Graduation at 9.45am for a 10.00am start. Of course, students will then celebrate the end of their Secondary Schooling at the formal, an event we’re all looking forward to.

There are a number of post-school options for students being advertised at present. James Cook University (JCU) has a range of scholarships to support students in tertiary study on offer. They include: JCU Access Fund; JCU Deans' Scholarship; QCoal Foundation Scholarship, and The George Alexander Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship. You can access more information through this link: www.jcu.edu.au/scholarships-@-jcu.

Another opportunity to be highlighted is the Central Highlands District Health Council Bursary which is open to students from the Central Highlands Local Government Area. It is open to first year students studying any undergraduate human health sciences course who are a resident of Springsure or another location within the Central Highlands Local Government Area. The value is $3000.00. Applications open on the 1^st November 2018 and close on the 31^st January 2019.

A Post School Options Expo – Central Highlands is being held in Emerald on Monday, 5^th November from 10.00am to 2.00pm at the Mayfair Ridge Tavern. It is for students with all Abilities, their parents and educators. Here students can learn from people in the Agriculture, Construction, Health, Hospitality and Mining industries. Students can see me to register and I can forward the information to any parent interested in attending. There are a number of Certificate III Guarantee courses available and apprenticeships in a range of fields continue to be advertised. As students know, we are more than happy to assist students with applications.  

Block exams for Year 10 and Year 11 students will be occurring in Week 8. Timetables will be distributed to students and posted on Facebook in Week 7.

If you have any questions about your student’s Senior Schooling please contact me anytime. My email address is phend4@eq.edu.au

Ms Pam Henderson

Head of Senior Schooling

SCHOOL FEES

Last week statements for fees were posted out, thank you if you have already paid. All outstanding fees require payment immediately.  Non-payment or limited payment of fees may exclude students from any school activity or purchase not associated with academic assessment including (for example, but not limited to: excursions, camps, sports representations, ID cards and formal tickets). The school relies on these funds to provide resources to students each year. Payment plans are avaliable, please call me on 49869555 to arrange a meeting.

CONTACT INFO

If you have changed any contact details recently could you please call the office to update these details. This could be an address, phone number, email address and or emergency contact. Or, if you cannot remember what you had submitted also call and the ladies will be happy to let you know and update if needed.

END OF YEAR

The end of year is fast approaching and we are starting to prepare for 2019 already. If you know that your family are leaving us could you please contact us so we can ensure we have all the correct forwarding details, this will make the departing process a lot smoother. 

LIBRARY

Our library is in the process of a stocktake. If you have any library books that are no longer required for this term's classes could you please return ASAP?  The Library has been closed for renovations and will re-open to students on Monday 5th November.

SCHOOL DROP OFF/ PICK UP

Just a reminder when dropping off or picking up students there is a designated zone outside the school grounds. Our carpark is only open to visitors and staff, not for student drop off and pick up. This ensures our students arrive and depart safely everyday.

UNIFORMS

Our uniform bank is in need of a stock up and we would appreciate any donatations.

Rebecca James

Business Manager

Once in a lifetime opportunity for BSHS students

For the first time ever, Blackwater State High School students will have the opportunity to learn from one of Australia’s greatest award winning authors, Nick Earls.

Nick Earls is the author of twenty-six books for adults, teenagers and children, including novels that have appeared on bestseller lists in Australia, the UK and the Amazon Kindle Store.

Zigzag Street won a Betty Trask Award in the UK. Perfect Skin was the only novel to be a finalist in the Australian Comedy Awards in 2003. Its Italian edition was adapted into the feature film Solo un Padre, which was a top-ten box-office hit in Italy through Cattleya/Warner Bros.

He has written five novels with teenage central characters. 48 Shades of Brown was awarded Book of the Year (older readers) by the Children’s Book Council of Australia, and in the US it was a Kirkus Reviews ‘book of the year’ selection. A feature film adapted from the novel was released by Disney’s Buena Vista International. His earlier young-adult novel, After January, was also an award-winner.

Five of his books have been adapted successfully for theatre, with the Zigzag Street play touring to thirty-six cities and towns around Australia.

Nick Earls is also the author of the world’s first etymology-based time-travel adventure series for children, Word Hunters, which was shortlisted in both the Australian Book Industry Awards and the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards. His subsequent book for children, New Boy, won Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year (8-10 years) and was shortlisted for the Children’s Peace Literature Award and the Griffith University Children’s Book Award.

In 2012, the Age included him among its top ten Greatest Living Australians (along with Bob Hawke, Warwick Capper and Shane Warne).

His most recent published work for adults is the novella series Wisdom Tree, winner of gold medals in the Independent Publisher Book Awards and the eLit Awards in the US, and the People's Choice Award at the 2017 NSW Premier's Literary Awards. Wisdom Tree was also incorporated into his creative writing PhD, which examined the impact of technology on novella publishing in the twenty-first century.

Nick is making a trip out to Blackwater State High School on Thursday the 1^st and Friday the 2^nd of November. He will be running a creative writing workshop with a number of Year 7 and 8s on Thursday afternoon and a Writing Master Class on developing characters on Friday morning, which is open to all year levels. 

Students wishing to be involved in the Friday morning Master Class can let Miss Barry know in E Block, or write their name on the sign-up sheet on the E Block Staffroom door.

Mrs Skye McGregor

Master Teacher/STLaN

In the September holidays, 11 Blackwater State High School students from Years 9-12 jet set across the country to participate in the STEM trip of a lifetime. Arriving at Rockhampton airport in the wee hours of the morning, both students and staff eagerly began the long journey to the USA – First stop, Orlando, Florida. In Orlando, students were excited to go to IFly where they learned the physics behind the perfect way to fly,  and experienced a wind tunnel flight equivalent to the free fall of an outdoor skydive from 14,000 feet! After the adrenaline rush, students headed out to Kissimmee to go to Boggy Creek Airboats where they learned about Native American culture and went on an airboat ride around the everglades. Kennedy Space centre was next on the agenda, with a full day of exploring the space craft exhibitions, viewing the launch pads at Cape Canaveral, and learning about the inspirational space missions and amazing astronauts and scientists who have dedicated their lives to advancements in science and technology. The Orlando leg of the tour was topped off with a whole day at Universal Studios where students were given a private tour of the park and given a behind the scenes look at how their iconic Spiderman 3D simulator ride works. Overall Orlando was a jam packed STEM experience in itself, but our trip had only just begun!

Students flew to Huntsville, Alabama to attend their 5 day Space Camp. At the camp students worked in teams with other schools from Australia to complete simulated space missions, build model rockets, scuba dive to model zero gravity and participate in a wide range of activities all designed to give an authentic, astronaut training experience. The camp finished with students attending a graduation ceremony and officially becoming Space Camp Alumni. Blackwater students were specifically commended on their efforts during Space Camp by being the recipients of two of the 3 main awards that Space Camp offers. The first of which, “The Right Stuff Award” is given to a space camper who is consistently contributing to their team’s success by showing excellent teamwork and leadership skills. This award was received by Year 12 student Brandon Whelan. This award was previously won by another one of our Blackwater students on the 2016 tour – Mikaela King. The second award was titled “The Commander’s Cup”. This award was given to a team of students who were outstanding in all simulated missions. The students who made up this team were Jordan Jackson, Jack Pidgeon, Tenille Rennie, Holly Green, Aiden Leishman and Dylan Trevethan. All of the Blackwater students showed outstanding behaviour, teamwork, leadership, and respect and conducted themselves in a manner that would make their school and community very proud.

The last leg of the journey took the students to Nashville, Tennessee where they spent the day sightseeing before flying to San Diego, California. In San Diego, Students visited the U.S.S Midway aircraft carrier, explored the famous San Diego Zoo and cheered on the San Diego Padres at a Baseball game. We then travelled to Pasadena where students were given a tour of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory where the Mars rovers are developed and researched. All that was left now was to check out Santa Monica Pier before travelling to LA Airport to begin the long journey home to Australia!

These fantastic opportunities the students were able to experience would not have been possible without the support of many key businesses, organisations and individuals. Blackwater State High School would like to thank our major sponsors:

Along with our major sponsors we would like to thank any organisation or individual that supported us through monetary donations, raffle prize donations, or by attending any of our multiple fundraisers throughout the year. Without the continued support of our community, opportunities like this one would not be possible for our students. Last but not least, this trip would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the Blackwater State High School staff who organised the trip, Mrs Sandy McKenzie and Miss Lacee Rawle, the parents and students who gave up multiple weekends to work hard at fundraisers, and our parent chaperones, Mr Ray Jackson and Mr Dave Simpson. The money that we collectively raised made what might’ve only been a dream for some of our students, a reality.

The next Blackwater State High School Space Camp will occur in 2020. Any student who attended this year would agree that it is one of the best experiences that Blackwater State High School has to offer, and for each of them, it is an experience that they will never forget. If any students or parents are interested and want to know more about the next camp, information sessions will be held at the school in mid-2019. Keep a look out on our Facebook page, as more details will be released closer to these sessions.

Miss Lacee Rawle

Science Coordinator / Senior Chemistry / Senior Biology

At the end of Term 3, the PB4L team introduced four new posters to all classrooms, meeting rooms and the front office focusing on the four school values of Respect, Responsibility, Effort and Safety.  These posters are regularly referred to in Monday form classes or Monday first period for Seniors, on parades and in classrooms when discussing appropriate behaviour.  During Term 4, the PB4L team are focussing on re-establishing routines, with particular emphasis on students arriving to school and class on time, lining up quietly, and entering classrooms quietly and ready to learn.  Over the next few weeks, the PB4L focuses will be around good citizenship as students in a school setting.  We will be looking at key areas  such as keeping our environment clean and in good working order, considering others in what we say and how we say it, responding to others in appropriate ways and working in ways that allow others to do their work.

Mrs Stacey Sheather

Student Services Team

With plenty of employment prospects, an increasing range of new teaching areas and opportunities to travel, a teaching career can take you anywhere! Explore the range of resources to support students looking at a career in teaching:https://teach.qld.gov.au/discover-teaching/career-advisors

Semester 2 Maths and Science tutoring continues to grow in size which is great to see.  It is free to attend and all maths and science teachers are there to assist anyone who wants any help.

Miss Ashleigh Trace

Maths Coordinator

Maths

Thursday afternoons 2.30pm - 4.00pm

Science

Thursday afternoons 2.30pm - 4.00pm

English

Tutoring by request

Monday afternoons 3.10pm - 4.00pm

All tutoring held in the library

What's your health story?

Tell us by taking part in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS)  - Interviewers from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) are now knocking on doors in your area, so make your story heard!

The NATSIHS collects information about the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We will ask you a range of questions face-to-face about your health and lifestyle, such as:

• visits to doctors, nurses or Aboriginal health workers

• health conditions

• medications

• smoking

• exercise

• what you eat and drink

You will have the opportunity to take part in a voluntary hearing test and have some physical measurements taken, if you agree (height, weight, waist and blood pressure).

For general enquiries, visit the ABS website at www.abs.gov.au/surveyinfo