1. education
2. school

Coombabah
PO Box 146
Runaway Bay QLD 4216
Phone: 07 5552 3888
Fax:
07 5552 3800
Email:
[email protected]
Web:
www.coombabashs.eq.edu.au
State High School
A Community – Building Productive Partnerships & Pathways
2nd April , 2015 Volume 15, No. 4
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
WRITER’S FESTIVAL
A brilliant day was had by all 205 participants in our inaugural Writer’s Festival with students in Years 5 - 8 from 8 different schools attending. Two
engaging authors presented in addition to four workshops undertaken by the participants. The feedback from students and presenters was fabulous and
certainly highlighted what a great school we are, with many wonderful opportunities
A special thanks to our presenters at the Festival. Authors Vacen Taylor and James Moloney, Photo Journalist/Promoter Aldwyn Altuny, Bulletin Txt4U
organiser Annemarie Webber and longtime Coombabah supporter Andrew Kavanagh of MSP photography, as well as our own staff who shone, William
Ricketts, Andrew Morgan and Kristine Sleeth.
QPARENTS
All Year 7 – 9 parents / guardians have been emailed an invitation to join this great opportunity to view live data of their child in our OneSchool database.
To this point 55 parents in junior secondary have taken up the offer. It is expected that all parents take up the offer and regularly check particularly
attendance and behaviour. We will send out a second invitation to all parents not yet connected. We will also have a booth at the parent teacher
interviews if you bring in the correct ID to attain the 100pts required. We have been provided a wonderful opportunity to pilot this program, let’s all make it
successful.
PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS
It is extremely important to take this time to meet the teachers face to face and discuss the future. This may be in terms of changing behaviours or
extending learning. There are always points to consider and improvements to be made regardless of the level of achievement. Information regarding
these nights were included with the mid semester report that was mailed out the last day of term.
UNIFORM
The uniform generally is good except in regard to shoes and socks. Socks must be plain white and be visible to three fingers high above the shoe.
Students are fully aware of how this is measured. Day uniform shoes must be full black and made of leather (low cut shoes, not boots). With winter
coming so are jumpers. Only school jumpers are allowed. On the rare occasion this is not available that day, students can wear a plain black pullover (no
hoodies) and bring a note from home.
School resumes on Monday the 20th April, normal start times apply for all year levels.
Chris Kern,
Principal
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
Knowing your
your destination is half the journey.
journey.
Anonymous
WHAT’S ON
WHAT’S ON
Monday
20/04/15
First Day Term 2
Tuesday
28/04/15
District Sport Cluster 3
Tuesday
21/04/15
School Sport Cluster 3
Wednesday
29/04/15
Parent/Teacher Interviews
Friday
24/04/15
School ANZAC Service
Friday
1/05/15
School Cross Country
Saturday
25/04/15
ANZAC Day – Lest We Forget
Monday
4/05/15
Year 11 Chemistry Exc Griffith Uni
Monday
27/04/15
Parent/Teacher Interviews
Tuesday
5/05/15
School Sport Cluster 4
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SENIOR SECONDARY
SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER
On Tuesday the 24th of March, Grade 10 was able to meet an incredibly inspiring man:
Sergeant Major Varley Thornburgh, a retired SAS sniper. In his younger years he was
deployed overseas for a continual 9 years. The students walked in to find their guest
casually tossing a grenade from hand to hand. He explained the blast range by pulling
the pin out of the grenade and tossing it to a student. After that he said, “Don’t worry –
it’s inactive.” The Sergeant shared many personal experiences from when he was in the
field in up to 11 countries.
Survival of the fittest is something Sergeant Major Thornburgh is accustomed to.
Throughout his youth, Varley Thornburgh encountered severe bullying, which
encouraged him to join the army and protect the weak.
In memorial to the 100th anniversary of the ANZACS, Sergeant Major Thornburgh
constructed a slide show with confronting images, conveying the truth about the
gruesome event that is war. His opinion of deaths in war was definite when he simply
said, “Killing a human being changes you forever”. From what Sergeant Thornburgh said, his time in the SAS was difficult – the training was intense and
extreme, but necessary. He had trained in such unusual places such as the Artic in Greenland to develop lifesaving skills and knowledge. He obtained
injuries along his army path but they did not stop him, showing true soldier bravery and courage.
Many students respectfully came up afterwards and shook hands with their guest and thanked him for his service, reducing SAS Sergeant Major
Thornburgh, ex-sniper, to a teary state.
Ashka Satrya & Matthias Smalley - Year 10
Photo: Kali Clemens - Year 10
JUNIOR SECONDARY
JUNIOR SECONDARY
Week 10 has arrived, and I am quite sure that all students and teachers are looking forward to a well-earned break over the holidays. It is important that
children get plenty of rest and relaxation during this time, so that they can come back feeling refreshed and ready to get stuck into things again next term.
Learning in Action
In the last week of school, whilst visiting classes, I saw some fabulous student engagement with learning.
In Year 7 SOSE with Mrs Wright students have been learning about Water in
the World in Geography.
The students were given six vocabulary words and their task was to hunt for the
QR codes. The QR codes had the meaning of each vocabulary word. Students
scanned each of the QR codes and matched the correct meaning to the
vocabulary word. They recorded the card number to the vocabulary words they
were given. The codes were scattered around the courts and L block. We then
went back to the classroom, discussed the meaning of each vocabulary word,
and checked to see if the students had the correct answers and an
understanding of each vocabulary word.
Last week Mrs Schalch’s Year 7X welcomed one of our senior teachers, Mr Ricketts, to
their Science class to explore their prior knowledge on the topic of Simple Machines.
Students were asked to consider the famous saying by Archimedes; ‘Give me a firm place
to stand and a lever and I will shift the world!’ What was Archimedes inferring? Students
explored the statement using two practical activities that showed that with little effort levers
could be used to lift a person off the ground and to move Mr Rickett’s two tonne vehicle.
Students actively participated with great questions and thoughtful answers in what was a
really wonderful example of some practical applications of scientific concepts!
Mid-Semester Reports and Parent-Teacher Interviews
As mentioned in my last newsletter article, Mid-Semester reports were mailed on the last day of school. Reports will show progress results for
Achievement, Effort and Behaviour at this stage of the semester. I urge you to take some time to discuss your child’s progress with him/her, and if they
appear to be travelling well, please congratulate them.
Conversely, if results suggest that he/she is not working to capacity, or if behaviour is causing some issues, this presents the opportunity for some
reflection, and to think about how improvement can be made. If teachers have requested an interview, you are strongly encouraged to make a booking to
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speak with them about how we can work together to get your child working to the best of his/her ability. Even if interviews are not specifically requested,
please consider booking some anyway, as this will further assist in fostering positive relationships between home and school.
Finally, may I take this opportunity to wish all families a very happy Easter, and remind you that Term 2 begins on Monday 20 April.
Mal Attree
Director of Junior Secondary
FROM THE P & C
Please feel free to come along to our next meeting on Monday the 27th of April 2015 in the Administration Common Room at 4.00pm.
If you are interested in finding out what happens at Coombabah High please feel free to attend our monthly meetings. One of the interesting items at our
meetings is when Mr Kern, the Principal, updates us on what’s happening at our school through his Principal’s Report. This includes events, news
items/updates, facilities & what’s coming up within the school as well as a ‘to do list in the next 4 weeks’.
For any questions regarding P & C activities please email [email protected] or call myself, Monday – Friday, on 5552 3888, 8.30am 3.00pm.
Cheers,
☺
Patricia Campbell,
P & C Vice President.
ADMINISTRATION
ABSENCES – SMS MESSAGING
Parents are required to notify the school by SMS message to advise us of student absences.
•
•
•
SMS Messages can be sent to 0428 431 926 either by replying to the Attendance Alert or direct to the
number.
Messages should be sent by 8.15 am on the day of the absence.
In your message please include the date, student name, form class and reason for absence.
SMS Attendance Alerts go out daily after attendance has been marked in the morning roll class and entries
entered into the system. Please continue to query the message if you believe there may be an error, or
advise us if you believe your student should be at school.
Coombabah State High
School
Student Absentee SMS
If you have not received any SMS messages (and your student has had absences), please contact the
office so that we can check your mobile phone details to ensure we have a correct number for you in our
records.
0428 431 926
by 8.15 daily
The 24 hour absence hotline will no longer be used.
Include Student Name, Year,
Form class and reason for
absence.
If you do not have a mobile phone, please call the school office after 8.00 am.
If you need to speak to us regarding a lengthy absence from school, please call the school office.
Your ongoing assistance with notifying us of your child’s absence is appreciated.
E.g. Sam Jones Yr 8A
sick today
Jim Kenny,
Business Services Manager.
USING INTERNET BANKING TO PAY SCHOOL FEES
Please remember to use only your student name and reason for payment. PLEASE DO NOT USE PARENT NAME or STUDENT ID NUMBER
It is extremely important that payments match the correct student.
If paying for an excursion, please state which excursion or the Department responsible ie. Art, Humanities, Science etc.
Bank details are as follows:
COMMONWEALTH BANK
BSB: 064 430
A/C No: 0009 1203
The Cashier Office remains open for all EFTPOS, cash & cheque transactions as usual. Hours are; Mon-Thurs 8.00am-12.00noon
Please note:
The Cashiers office is closed for collections on Fridays.
Payments can be made at anytime through internet banking
Jim Kenny,
Business Services Manager.
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CHANGE OF ADDRESS / PHONE NUMBER.
Are you moving house or changing jobs over the holidays?
Do you have a new phone number as a result?
Do you need to update your details?
If you answered ‘Yes’ to any of the above questions we would appreciate either a phone call, email to [email protected] or a note dropped
into the office with your current details.
It is really important that we have up-to-date information in case of emergency situations, sick children or the staff need to contact you.
Mrs. Campbell, Mrs Bowen & Mrs. Schmidt,
Administration.
STUDENT SUPPORT HUB
STUDENT SUPPORT TEAM
Guidance Counsellor:
Glenda Musgrave – Mon-Fri Ph:55523858 Email: [email protected]
Industry Liaison Officer:
Louise Peters – Mon-Thurs Ph: 55523815 Email: [email protected]
Indigenous Support Officer:
Vicki Campbell – Wed-Thurs & every 2nd Fri Ph: 55523818 Email:
[email protected]
School Based Youth Health Nurse:
Suzie Koenig – Mon-Tues Ph: 55523818 Email: [email protected]
School Chaplin:
John Catterall – Wed-Fri Ph: 55523853 Email: [email protected]
Youth Support Co-ordinator
Mandy Pickett – Wed-Frid Ph:5552 3853 Email: [email protected]
Tis the season to eat too much chocolate…
So did you know?
Chocolate is high in sugar and fat and is classified as a ‘discretionary’ food. A healthy, balanced diet can include a small amount of chocolate, but too
many discretionary foods and drinks can have a negative impact on overall health, such as contributing to weight gain or making it difficult to maintain a
healthy weight.
There are components in cocoa beans (used to make chocolate) that may help prevent heart disease, cancer and other degenerative illnesses, but more
evidence is needed to support these claims.
Nutrients and other active components
The nutritional content of chocolate varies according to the recipe. Generally, chocolate contains small amounts of essential nutrients such as protein,
vitamin E, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, copper and antioxidants.
While chocolate may include some healthy things, it is high in fat and added sugar. Eating too many discretionary foods can make it difficult to maintain a
healthy weight and can leave less room in the diet for healthy foods. Chocolate should only be enjoyed in small serves of up to 25 grams and only
occasionally.
Chocolate and migraines
Migraines are debilitating headaches caused by spasms of the arteries leading to the brain. The underlying mechanisms remain unclear, but a number of
triggers seem to be needed to start the migraine process. Certain foods, including chocolate, are commonly cited as triggers. For most sufferers, however,
chocolate can’t start the migraine chain reaction by itself.
Numerous international trials have found that other factors, such as stress (as a result of tiredness, excitement or anger) and hormones need to be
present at the same time.
More research is needed to clarify the link between chocolate and migraines.
Acne and pimples
Chocolate is often believed to contribute to acne. There is no evidence to date to back up this long-held belief. Research has not identified compounds,
ingredients or naturally occurring chemicals in chocolate that can either trigger acne or make it worse. However, recent studies suggest that a high
glycaemic index (GI) diet, combined with a high intake of refined carbohydrates (sugars, products made with white flour etc.), may be linked to pimples.
Healthy weight
Having a nutritious, well-balanced diet is important for overall health and for keeping a healthy weight. This means eating a diet that is based on the five
food groups in the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, which are:
• fruit
• vegetables and legumes/bean
• grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fibre varieties
• lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans, and
• milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or alternatives, mostly reduced fat.
Consuming too many discretionary foods like chocolate and sugar-sweetened drinks, and not being active enough is the main reason people tend to gain
weight. Discretionary foods, including chocolate, are readily available in everyday life and larger portions such as ‘king-size’ chocolate bars have changed
our perception of what is an appropriate amount of chocolate to eat.
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Chocolate is energy dense, which means it contains a lot of kilojoules (or energy) for its weight. An appropriate serving size of chocolate is around 25
grams, which is half a small chocolate bar or one-tenth of a ‘family’ block of chocolate. If you enjoy the taste of chocolate, try a cup of hot chocolate made
with low-fat or skim milk as an alternative.
It would be wrong to say that eating chocolate will always lead to weight gain. A person with a healthy diet who is physically active can safely eat small
serves of discretionary foods such as chocolate, without fear of weight gain.
Chocolate and antioxidants
Due to processing to remove bitterness, most chocolate is a poor source of antioxidants. Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, and including black or
green tea in your diet are good ways to increase your antioxidant intake without the additional fat and sugar found in chocolate.
Where to get help
• Dietitians Association of Australia Tel. 1800 812 942
• Your doctor
Things to remember
• Chocolate is high in sugar and fat and is classified as a ‘discretionary’ food.
• An appropriate serving size of chocolate is about 25 grams – 1/2 a small chocolate bar or a tenth of a family block.
• More evidence is required to clarify the role that chocolate plays in migraines, acne and pimples.
• Fruits, vegetables, and green and black tea are good sources of antioxidants to include in the diet.
• A person with a healthy diet and who is physically active can safely eat small serves of chocolate without fear of weight
gain.
Reference: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au
Nurse Suzie ☺
SPECIAL EVENTS
Chess@Coombabah students are no April Fools!!!!
We had another record breaking Term 1 Tournament on April Fool’s day and lots of fun with excellent moves, quick quips, rowdy rounds, wonderful
winners, and 77 students who kept on persisting. Congratulations to everyone who participated in this fun day.
A Division Winners
1st
Ben - Year 10
2nd
Arlen - Year 10
3rd
Jamie - Year 10
Ribbon Winners:
Duke - Year 9, Harris - Year 9, Blix - Year 8, Reece - Year 9, William - Year 7 , Brodyn - Year 7, Jordan - Year 7, Illyandra - Year 10, Cooper - Year 7.
B Division Winners
1st
Dylan - Year 10
2nd
Damien - Year 9
Winning Girls
1st
Danielle - Year 10
2nd
Aly - Grade 5 from Biggera Waters Primary School
3rd
Jovahn - Year 9
3rd Madison - Year 9
Ribbon Winners:
Jack - Year 9, Dion - Year 9, Mathew - Year 9, Carlos - Year 9, Goobrey - Year 9, Cameron - Year 9, Kaelyb - Year 9, Kevin - Year 9.
Chess@Coombabah after-school chess club will commence Term 2 from week 2. New members experienced players or beginners are very welcome.
Thank you
Sue Kimura
Chess@Coombabah Coordinator.
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FROM THE DEPARTMENTS
ENGLISH
Coombabah’s ANZAC Day Centennial Poetry Competition
To acknowledge this important year in Australia’s history, the school is conducting a poetry competition, open to all current students, in search of a new
poem to be read at our two ANZAC Day ceremonies: the in-school celebration and the Dawn Service at Runaway Bay. Students are asked to submit a
poem of no more than 200 words. It should cover the following:
•
•
•
A theme that focuses on our wonderful quality of life here in Australia/ on the Gold Coast and the opportunities available.
The content needs to be linked to gratitude for the sacrifices of the past.
The tone should be uplifting and connect with youth.
Final submission date is 9.00 a.m. Tuesday 21 April. Please email entries to Dr Sue Bittner at [email protected].
Each entry is to be accompanied by a statement from the student’s English teacher, verifying that the work is original and that of the student.
Please direct all enquiries to Dr Sue Bittner on 07 55523866 or to the above email.
Dr Sue Bittner,
Head of Department - English.
HPE & SPORT
Coombabah would like
like to congratulate the following students on their recent selections
into the Under 18’s Queensland Oztag Team.
Hayden Firth, Ryan Berrell & Ethan Wakeman
The boys will play State Of Origin at the beginning of May.
Mick Halsall
Head of Department - HPE
HUMANITIES & LOTE
TERM 1 TOURISM
For our Year 11 classes, this term has been an introduction to the business that is tourism. We have covered a broad range of concepts giving students a
foundation on which to build their knowledge bank. Our focus is very much about developing employability skills which was reiterated by our guests from
Beacon (Brent) and the Intercontinental at Sanctuary Cove (Carly - the HR Manager and Tom – a F&B manager).
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Some Year 11 students attended a full day excursion to experience the operations of the Intercontinental. This day was informative and reinforced
concepts that have been delivered in class. Students who attended represented the school exceptionally well and were complimented by all. Thanks to
Brent from Beacon and Monique, Carly and all involved staff at the Intercontinental. Our students have now been offered the opportunity to undertake a
school-based traineeship at this international resort. Students who are interested must see Mrs Peters.
Year 12 Tourism also received a visit from Carly the Human Resources Manager and Tom a
Food and Beverage Manager at the Intercontinental.
Their presentation also reinforced the importance of developing employability skills.
Occupational Health and Safety is the current focus for the Year 12 class. Their major
assessment piece will be a report following an excursion to Dreamworld. Once again, all students
were well behaved and took comprehensive notes during the presentation. On an extremely hot
day, students recorded aspects of OHS and had some fun along the way!
Louise Dodds
Humanities & LOTE.
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SCHOOL NOTICES
WANTED - HOST FAMILIES
ARRIVAL DATE:
2 May 2015
DEPARTURE DATE:
30 May 2015
This group is from Mexico but not confirmed yet. We would also like to update our data
base as we have quite a few groups that visit during the year from China, Japan etc. that
would like to use school families. This is a great opportunity for your child to experience
another culture.
HOST FAMILY REQUIREMENTS:
• No other person of the same origin staying with the family
• Provide 3 meals per day
• Own bed, but can share a room with a host child
• Over 18’s hold a Blue Card or willing to apply through school
• Safe travel to & from school
• Financial assistance is provided
Families with children in ANY GRADES are welcome to host.
If you are interested in hosting one or more students and would like more information
please contact Mrs Jane Wilson 55523820 or [email protected]
COMMUNITY NOTICES
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