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Principal's Report

Published by Blackwater State High School

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all of our new students and their families and our new staff to Blackwater State High School. I would also like to welcome back all of our continuing students, staff and parents. We strongly believe that by working together as student, parents and the school, we have the best chance of ensuring success for your child.

Our new students – particularly Year 7 – have settled into the important routines of school life with classes focussed on the business of learning in these first weeks. The focus for the entire school has been to reinforce our high expectations of behaviour – Respect, Responsibility, Safety, Effort – and to engage all students in learning across the school.

I congratulate our families for their efforts in ensuring their children are ready for learning with all equipment and uniforms ready for the school year. The high standard of uniform sends a clear message to our community about what is expected at Blackwater State High School. I thank parents and families for your support. Remember that it is expected that your child wears the correct school uniform every day. If they come to school out of uniform, they need to see the office before school. If we have the correct item in our bank of spares, they will be asked to change into the correct uniform. Otherwise they will be issued a uniform pass for the day. As we only have a small bank of spares, it is asked that if they do not have the correct item, they wear something that matches as closely as possible to uniform colours.

We are passionate about student learning at Blackwater State High School, and our responsibility is to ensure that our students pass through our school achieving their best. We have a responsibility to “set students up for success”. By now we hope parents have assisted us to ensure their student is well and truly into positive routines around school. We ask you to ensure:

  • Your child has routines re-established around good school / study practices. For example, - do they constantly refer to their diaries, have they brought home their assessment schedule and placed it safely where they can see and plan for important dates ? Does their study schedule meet their other responsibilities also around sporting commitments, part time work, family expectations?
  • You assist in fostering independent behaviours from your child – independence is critical as students move into the Senior years. They need to bring correct equipment to school, complete tasks on time, ask for assistance when it is needed, and also ensure they understand their personal responsibilities as learners
  • Homework is part of their daily routine, assist your child to establish a regular time and place for study.

Together with our staff, I look forward to another productive year of student growth and learning. Our school vision of ‘Creating excellent educational opportunities in an environment of success that inspires and supports all students to achieve their full potential’ will ensure that we can focus on maximising student learning and achievement.

Our priorities for 2019 are as follows:

Writing

Attainment

Attendance

The below 2019 targets have been set by our school and will be regularly communicated to staff, students and the P&C.

Attendance: Whole school from 87.5% in 2018 to 90% in 2019 with particular focus on reducing students’ attendance that is below 85%.

% at or above National Minimum Standard NAPLAN Writing 5% Improvement in Year 7 and 9.

% Upper 2 Bands NAPLAN Writing 2% Improvement in Year 7 and 9

% C or higher in Maths, English, Science Levels of Achievement (LOA) 2% Improvement in Years 7-10

% Overall Position (OP) 1-15 5% Improvement

% Queensland Certificate of Education or Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement Maintain 100%

Leadership Investiture Ceremony

Our Student Investiture Ceremony will be held on Wednesday 6th March, commencing at 2:15pm at the Blackwater Civic Centre. All parents and community members are invited to attend this event, where our 2019 student leaders and Year 12 students will be inducted into their positions and presented their badges. If you would like to attend this ceremony, please RSVP to the school office so that we can ensure there are enough seats available for parents.

Staffing

In 2019 we welcome new faces to our school Leadership Team.  As you may be aware, our Principal Frank Brunetto is currently in Cairns as acting principal at Woree State High School. During Term 1, Rebecca Godfrey is filling the position as acting principal.

Our 2019 Leadership Team consists of the following:

Acting Principal - Rebecca Godfrey

Deputy Principal -Terri Weatherley

Business Manager - Rebecca James

HOD Junior Secondary - Jackson Mackay

A/HOD Senior School - Harley Kowald-Dawson

Head of Special Education - Cassandra Martyr

A/HOD Student Services - Abbey Jeffery

HOD Teaching and Learning - Sarah Cobb

HOD Literacy – Lisabeth Donohue

We welcome the following new staff to the Blackwater State High School community: Tayla Zupp, Kristy Paskin, Cheryl Bland, Mia Haffejee, Jacqueline Holloway and Daniel Leschke

I once again look forward to continuing our tradition of success at Blackwater State High School and wish all an exciting and successful 2019.

Mrs Rebecca Godfrey

Principal

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Deputy Principal's Report

Published by Blackwater State High School

Welcome to the 2019 schooling year!

Term one has been action packed and already 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 year our students have made a smooth transition with the change to our timetable and are now attending 4 x 70 minute periods per day. All students will now start at 9am and finish at 3pm.

We have welcomed our cohort of Year 7 students into our school and they have had a positive start to the year. We have had lots of pleasing comments from both staff as well as our students that they have settled in and transitioned well into high school life. Most students have started to develop new friendships and this was one of our goals in establishing their classes during transition last year.

Unfortunately our proposed Year 7 camp has been cancelled due to lack of numbers. We are looking at other options for our Year 7 students for later on in the year.

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.

School Photos

Our school photo day will be held on the 13th March. Envelopes were sent home with students and need to be returned on the day of the photos, not prior. Please see the ladies in our office if you did not receive an envelope.

Student Investiture

All students will attend our student investiture ceremony at the Blackwater Civic Centre on Wednesday 6th March. Letters were sent home in Week 3 to inform parents/carers about this event.

Student investiture is a special occasion whereby we formally recognise our student leaders, all of whom play a very important role in the school community. Our Senior and Junior School Captains along with our House Captains and Student Participation Leaders will be announced and presented with their badges.

Students will be walked to the Civic Centre after second break to attend the ceremony and then released from the Civic Centre at 3pm. Parents and carers are more than welcome to attend this special event.

 

Attendance

At Blackwater State High School students are aware that our target for attendance is 90%. Each week we closely monitor each student in every year level to identify those students who are missing school on a regular basis. Please ensure that your child is at school every day unless they are too ill to attend or absent due to a family emergency. In the case of a long term illness, please ask a Doctor for a medical certificate.

So why is it important for students to attend every day? Often students who are away for one or two days per week often return to school feeling like they have missed significant chunks of content, specialised skills and strategies which can  lead to stress, anxiety and poor academic results. The table below clearly indicates how much learning time students are missing when they are absent.

Every Day Counts

Education Queensland is continuing the push of Everyday counts and have asked that all principals share the following messages with their parent communities.

  • It is important that your children attend school every day. Taking a day off because the fish are biting, or you want to go shopping on your birthday, is not an acceptable reason to miss a day of school.
  • If your child is sick you should contact the school as soon as possible with an estimation of how long your child will be away from school.
  • If your family has to travel away for family or cultural reasons, and expect to be away for more than 10 days you will have to apply for an exemption from Compulsory Schooling. Exemptions should be applied for and approved by the Principal of your child’s school BEFORE you travel away. (The school does not have to provide school work for children with an exemption).
  • It is not acceptable to take your children out of school for holidays. Families should plan their holidays to coincide with school holidays. You can find more information about exemptions: exemptions from compulsory schooling and compulsory participation procedure.

Regular school attendance will mean that your child has a better chance in life. Your child will achieve better results when they go to school all day, every school day.

  • they learn better
  • they make friends
  • they are happier
  • they have a brighter future.

Why must I send my child to school?

Under Queensland law, you must make sure your child of school age is enrolled and attends school all day, every school day unless they have an acceptable reason for absence.

NRL Rugby League

Commencing in Week 7, Sally Galloway and her assistants will run Rugby League skills and activities at second break as well as after school from 3pm-4pm. This will be for both new and experienced players, boys and girls.

Core Values - Safety, Effort, Respect and Responsibility

At Blackwater State High School, we believe that every student has the right to learn.

Our expectation is for all students to follow and demonstrate the four core values of Respect, Effort, Responsibility and Safety.

Each Monday in Form class, our teachers and students discuss the Positive Behaviour for Learning focus for the week and the whole school expectations.

Until next time,

Mrs Terri Weatherley

Deputy Principal

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Junior Secondary News

Published by Blackwater State High School

Firstly a very warm welcome to the 2019 Academic year, I look forward to a wonderful year full of growth, challenges and opportunities for all Junior students within our school community.

In my role as Junior Secondary Head of Department, I have had the privilege of visiting numerous different Junior classes over the last four weeks and I have been very impressed by the effort and behaviour of our Year 7 students.  It is also warming to see our Year 8 and Year 9 students settling back into the routine of school in a sensible and orderly fashion. This year our expectations for high standards from both our staff and students continues with an emphasis placed on everyone achieving their personal best.

In order to help our Junior students achieve their best, the school has a range of support mechanisms which ensures that all students have access to emotional, social and academic assistance where and when required.

The team that can assist your Junior Secondary student’s emotional and social elements are as follows:

 

Students in Year 7 & 8

  Mr Paterson

  gxpat1@eq.edu.au

 

 

 

  Students in Year 9

  Miss Ross

  cross250@eq.edu.au

            

 

Other support includes:

Head of Department Student Services - Ms Jeffery

Guidance officer - Ms Hancock

School Based Youth Nurse - Ms Oughton

Community Education Counsellor- Ms Dyer

Further to this we also have support for our Junior students through the means of Academic coordinators, these Academic coordinators are responsible for their respective subjects:

The 2019 Coordinators are

English – Ms Pryor kpryo17@eq.edu.au

Maths – Miss Trace axtra2@eq.edu.au

Science – Miss Rawle lrawl24@eq.edu.au

HASS (History, Social Science) – Mrs Bland cxbla7@eq.edu.au

Health & Physical Education – Mr Bigaila spbig0@eq.edu.au

Homework expectations

In order to best prepare our students for Senior school, our Junior Secondary teachers set homework that assists students in supporting class learning. Homework supports students in developing qualities such as responsibility, time management and problem solving skills, students in junior use their diaries to record homework. Please contact your child’s teachers if you have any questions regarding homework (even if you feel as though they are not getting enough homework) and they can assist you further. If you would like to get the contact details of your child’s teacher please don’t hesitate to contact me or the school.

NAPLAN

NAPLAN is a diagnostic tool that shows students their achievement at a single point in time, which teachers can use to help differentiate and plan their classes. NAPLAN falls on 14th – 16th May, 2019 and will be completed in our library. It is important that your student does put their best effort into the test and as such this year we will be holding a Reward afternoon for those students who continually put in 100% effort.

If you have any questions about NAPLAN, or have a question/concern regarding your student please feel free to contact me on  jmack294@eq.edu.au or the school on 4986 9555.

Extra-curricular

Junior students at Blackwater are fortunate enough to have access to a variety and abundance of extra-curricular activities that happen at our school on a regular basis.

Some examples of these extra-curricular activities include

  • Science and Math tutoring in the Library Thursday afternoon 3:00-4:00pm
  • STEM Club Friday first lunch
  • QMEA Beakers Bots and Builds events
  • Friday lunchtime activities
  • CH sporting and DD sporting

I do want to mention that all of these extra-curricular events only occur due to the dedicated staff here at Blackwater State High School, thank you to the teachers for providing their time and expertise to students and running these events.

I look forward to seeing and hearing more of the amazing things that occur in Junior Secondary every single day.

Mr Jackson Mackay

HOD Junior Secondary

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Senior Secondary News

Published by Blackwater State High School

Welcome back students and parents of Year 10, 11 & 12 to what I am sure will be an amazing year to come. I would like to start by introducing myself, I am Harley Dawson and I have taken on the role of Head of Senior Schooling for 2019 here at Blackwater State High School. I would like to thank all the students who I have got to know already and look forward to working with and getting to know our Senior School students and ensuring they achieve all the success they can in their senior schooling.

New to the school, I am busy getting organised around key aspects such as future pathways & QCE tracking of our Year 11 & 12 students. If you have any concerns or queries regarding your students QCE progress, ATAR eligibility or general questions regarding the new or old Senior Schooling system please contact me at the school anytime and I will endeavour to answer any questions you may have.

Notes to Students & Parents

Year 10 Students

If you have not applied for and returned your paperwork for your USI, please organise and do this as soon as possible.

Year 11 & 12 students

Please ensure you have returned your VET induction paperwork from our VET inductions to the office as soon as possible.

Mr Harley Dawson

HOD Senior Schooling

School Based Traineeships & Apprenticeships

Congratulations to Elissa Russell in Year 12 who has kick started her career in the Hair & Beauty industry. Elissa is  very passionate about the beauty industry and will be looking into short beauty courses to extend her flair in the Beauty industry and Photography Makeup.

We wish Elissa every success in her Senior year and an amazing career in the Hair & Beauty industry. Thank you to Sam at FL’HAIR Creations for giving Elissa the opportunity to enrol into a Certificate III in Hairdressing while still at school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like more information about employing a School Based Trainee or Apprentice, please call Blackwater State High School on 4986 9555 or email jchad19@eq.edu.au

Certificate II in Health Support Services

Students in Years 11 & 12 who are interested in a career in the health industry, have the opportunity to enrol in this Certificate. This course is suitable for students who require a pathway in vocational training into Certificate III in Individual Support, Aged Care, Pathology Collection and Administration in the Health Industry.

The Recognised Training Company Bluestone Medical & Professional will supply trainer Nicole Hood one day a week to do face to face training with students at Blackwater State High School.

This course will start on the 7th March, if you have not as yet got your Application Pack in, please do so as soon as possible as applications will be closing and numbers are limited.

For more information please see me in D Block staffroom.

Ms Julie Chadwick-Lyall

Youth Support Coordinator

 

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Business Manager's Report

Published by Blackwater State High School

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 every day.

VISITORS

All visitors including parents and carers MUST go directly to the school administration office to sign in. This helps the well-being of students, staff and visitors to our school.  This reflects the Duty of Care as per EQ policy.

 

WHAT IF:

Your student is feeling sick or hurt

  • They must report to their teacher who will direct them to the sick bay. If required the school will contact you.

Your student needs to call home

  • Student can report to the front office only during lunch time and office staff will make the call to parents. These calls are only emergency calls. Calling home to see if they can go to a friend’s place is not acceptable and should be sorted prior to or after school hours.

(Student’s mobile phone use is prohibited on school grounds)

Your student is absent from school

  • You call the office and talk to office staff or use the message bank
  • You can provide a note or medical certificate when the student returns
  • You can use Qparent
  • You can reply to the absent text on that day.

Remember everyday counts.

You need to give your student a message

  • Contact the school office on 4986 9555 and a message will be delivered to your student.

You need to drop off lunch or bring your child an item

  • You need to drop item to the office and office staff will pass it on.

(no student to receive items over the fence or out of cars)

Mrs Rebecca James

Business Manager

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The Student Support Team

Published by Blackwater State High School

Welcome to 2019! The Student Support Team has hit the ground running, and we are excited to be a part of the great things happening at Blackwater State High School in 2019. The Student Support Team is here to support your students as they journey through high school with support from a range of different teams. Our main priority is student wellbeing, and ensuring school is a great place to be at every day, as well as promoting positive behaviour for learning.

This year we welcome back Mr Paterson as our Year 7&8 Coordinator, Ms Jeffery as our Year 11&12 Coordinator, Beth Dyer as our Community Education Councillor and Anita Linke as our School Chaplain. This year we welcome Ms Ross and Ms Paskins to our team as Year 9&10 Coordinator and Sports Coordinator respectively. The Student Support Team also works with Guidance Officer, Kerri Hancock (Wednesday and Thursday), and School Based Youth Health Nurse Jo Oughton (Thursday and Friday). 

So far this year we have relaunched our positive school based reward systems VIVOs, held our annual “Meet the Murris” meetings, held Student Council voting to elect Form Representatives and kicked off Friday Lunch Time Activities. 

2019 is looking to be jam packed with a range of events and activities happening throughout the year. We have the much anticipated Spirit Day Colour Run coming up on the last day of term, as well Shave for a Cure and The National Day of Action - Bully, No Way! Day also happening this term. Footy Colours Day and Pink Stumps Day will be returning this year, along with a plethora of other events supporting both the school and the wider community.

If you have any questions, or would like to be in touch with the Student Support Team, please phone the School Office.

See you throughout 2019!

Ms Abbey Jeffery

Acting HOD Student Support

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Blackwater State High School P&C Report

Published by Blackwater State High School

A note from Blackwater State High School P&C Executive team and members

AGM & General Meetings

Our P&C team continues to support the goal of providing a safe and engaging learning environment for our children. We welcome existing and new members to our P&C in 2019. Our Annual General Meeting will be held in the Blackwater State High School Library at 4:30pm on the 11th March. All Positions Vacant. Monthly General Meetings will also be held at that time in the library on the dates below:

13 May, 10 June, 12 August, 9 September, 14 October, 11 November, 9 December

Interested in volunteering in the tuckshop?

Assisting at the tuckshop is often a means of easing into the high school environment and meeting other parents and your child’s teachers as well as gaining an insight into high school life.

We have a very busy tuckshop which operates daily. The tuckshop provides balanced and nutritious food at affordable prices for students and staff of the school. It is also the prime source of funds for the P&C to purchase resources for student use and for funding ongoing projects.

If you are interested, please email pandc@blackwatershs.eq.edu.au or pop into the tuckshop and chat to Rhonda. Volunteers need to hold a current BlueCard (application can be organised if needed).

Uniform Shop Hours

The uniform shop is open between 11:00am - 12:45pm Monday to Friday. Outside of these hours it will open by appointment only.

President: Antonia Mathewson 

Vice President: Rachel Hancock

Secretary:  Victoria Flynn

Treasurer:  Jodie Lane 

Red Day at the Tuckshop

Friday the 15th March

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Swimming Carnival

Published by Blackwater State High School

Blackwater State High School Swimming Carnival!

Friday 1st March

Inter-house School Swimming Carnival at the Blackwater Pool (Hunter Street)

Students are encouraged to wear House Colours and participate in the Inter-house Competition!

Students are to meet at the pool for a 9am start

REMEMBER- Hat and sun safe, house coloured clothes, lunch or lunch money (NO EFTPOS), water bottle and a smile!

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Free Tutoring

Published by Blackwater State High School

Free tutoring is held in the school library

English

Tuesday afternoons 3.00pm - 4.00pm

Maths

Thursday afternoons 3.00pm - 4.00pm

Science

Thursday afternoons 3.00pm - 4.00pm

 

 

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Student Exchange Opportunities

Published by Blackwater State High School
WEP Student Exchange
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Dates to Remember

Published by Blackwater State High School

 

Friday 1/3

Swimming Carnival

Wednesday 6/3

Student Investiture

Tuesday 12/3

QMEA Moranbah TK4SK

Wednesday 13/3

School Photo Day

Thursday14/3

QMEA Emerald TK4SK

Friday 15/3

Bully! No way Day

Tuckshop Red Day

Tuesday 19/3

Immunisations

Wednesday 20/3

Shave for a Cure

Monday 25/3 - Wednesday 27/3

Year 12 Block Exams

Tuesday 26th & Wednesday 27/3

CQ QMEA Skills Competition

Thursday 28/3

Beakers.Bots.Build

Friday 5/4

Cross Country & Spirit Day

Last Day Term 1

 

 

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