Principal's Report
Published by Blackwater State High SchoolI 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