News from our Year Level Co-ordinators
Mrs Tanya Hamilton - Year 7
A great 3 days was held at Camp Cooby last week. Students were engaged in a structured outdoor educational leadership program which included giant climbing ladders, archery, zipline challenges, raft building and mindfulness activities. Students gained motivation, confidence, resilience skills as well as develop healthy relationships and connections. Students’ talent was on display at night with ‘Camp Cooby has Talent’. Mrs Hamilton and teachers had the opportunity to judge and reward the winners as well as award the Camp Cooby REP Champions. It was a wonderful, exciting 3 days and it was a pleasure to be the Year 7 Co-Ordinator of this cohort.
Students that didn’t attend camp attended Year 7 Incursion, these students were also engaged in a variety of activities including communication sessions, resilience and problem-solving activities as well as our Stanthorpe State High School Support staff delivered programs about growing empathy, healthy boundaries and consequential thinking.
We hold our Year 7 Assembly on Tuesdays and on Thursdays, our wellbeing lessons, we will be continuing focusing on respectful relationships, being kind, inclusive and conducting ourselves respectfully online. At length we will be discussing how we can respect others and ourselves and promote healthy relationships at school. It has been great to see and hear respectful conversations, observe culture of inclusion within classrooms, clean C block corridors and students being in the right place at the right time – Keep it up, Year 7!
Finally, I have inherited a few towels and clothing pieces after camp. All items have been washed, if you think your student may own these items, I have dropped these items for collection to the library. Year 7 Lost and Found areas are located either Library or C Block outside staff room. If you child is missing items please ask them to go to either one of these locations to check.
If you have any concerns, questions please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Thanks
Tanya Hamilton Email: thami105@eq.edu.au
Stephanie Stevens Email: sstev255@eq.edu.au
Ph: 4681 5888
Ms Leigh Cusack - Year 8
Assessment
You may have noticed a change in your student of late, perhaps a little extra tension in the house? Assessment is underway for the remainder of the Term in all subjects. We will be discussing strategies to manage time and commitments, seek help and working to achieve your best, with the students at school. Extra support may be needed at home as well. Consider that your student may need a quiet space to work, extra time to study or complete assignments, and more food and sleep than they normally would. If you have concerns around the workload or how your student is coping, or you would like confirmation of assessment dates -please make contact with myself or Mr Mainey.
Attendance
It has been great to see parents being proactive with attendance! Contact the office to explain absences or flag upcoming dates your student will be away. Please be aware that Weeks 4-6 and Weeks 8-10 of each term are set aside for assessment. Students may be expected to complete work while away or via Qlearn (online platform). It is not always possible to alter programmes or extend due dates to accommodate absent students. Being at school everyday is the best way to help your student succeed.
Student Reps
Introducing the 2025 Year 8 Student Representatives: Brydie Boston, Teagan Costanzo, Mieke Dawes, Eryk Regnier, Christopher Simpson. Congratulations on taking on a leadership role and speaking for your peers.
Scholarship Opportunity
The Harding Miller Scholarship is coming up again this year. Open to any Year 8 girls who are on an academic pathway, but may miss out on post-school opportunities due to financial constraints. It is designed to provide material and financial support to students to allow them to complete schooling to Year 12. To find out more on eligibility for this $20,000 scholarship, contact me before the end of Term.
Coming Up
Due to Tropical Cyclone Alfred, School photos have been postponed with a new Date of Thursday March 13th confirmed.
The next full school assembly is Tuesday, 25 March. Formal uniform is the expectation for this day.
The Stanthorpe State High School Cross Country is Friday, 4 April. Come along and support your student and their house!
email: lcusa9@eq.edu.au ph: 4681 5888
Mr James Killer - Year 9
Peer Power
This past Friday (28/02) we hosted an incursion day which saw the Year 9 cohort split into males and females. In the morning the boys worked with the external organisation Peer Power on developing an understanding on healthy masculinity and what it means to become a man, and the girls worked on a community art project. Then, in the afternoon the girls worked with Peer Power on considering how they view and value what it is to be a healthy, authentic female in today’s society, and the boys worked on their part of the community art project.
NAPLAN
Looking towards the future we have NAPLAN coming up over Week 7 and Week 8. It is important students bring their iPad fully charged each day, and if possible, a set of wired headphones (headphones will be provided if needed). If you have any questions about NAPLAN, please direct them towards jmain24@eq.edu.au. I have attached the schedule below.
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12/03/25 Writing Test Period 3: 9A, 9B Period 4: 9C, 9D |
13/03/25 Reading Test Period 2: 9C, 9D Period 4: 9A, 9B |
14/03/25 Language Conventions Period 1: 9C, 9D Period 4: 9A, 9B |
17/03/25 Numeracy Test Period 1: 9A, 9B Period 4: 9C, 9D |
If you have any issues or concerns please make contact
Ms Kate Dearden - Year 10
We've made it past halfway for Term 1 and Year 10s are busily tackling assignments and formative exams in preparation for final submission later in the term.
School has been a neverending parade of events and activities this term, most recently the Investiture, where we saw our Student Councillors firstly act as ushers and then step up to receive their badges. I congratulate these students on their willingness and enthusiasm to be involved in making the school a better place and contribute to building school culture. These students will speak at a Year 10 assembly next Thursday about their plans for 2025
Student Councillors: Mianka Diederiks, Thane Hills, Ashley Jackson, Connor McKay, Jacqueline Wood
Student Councillors and Southern Downs Youth Council Representatives: Bailey Cosmo, Ava Hobba.
Year 10s have had a focus on attendance after the first half of the term. They were provided with their percentage attendance for 2025 to date and asked to consider reasons for their absences then develop a SMART goal that would help them to lift or maintain their attendance rate. Right now, Year 10s are sitting at an 82% attendance average which is already below the school's target of 90%. The school is keen to support parents to ensure their attendance is as high as possible.
As the term winds down, it is essential that Year 10s are treating each other and the their teachers well. If your student is having any issues, please advise the school that we can make their time as productive and enjoyable as possible.
If you have any issues or concerns please make contact
email: kdear13@eq.edu.au Ph: 07 4681 5888
Mrs Josephine Rogers - Year 11
Academic Skills
Year 11 students are busy with assessment and other activities and events. Recent form lessons have focussed on organisational skills and strategies to cope with stress. For more information and assistance, your student can speak with me, the Guidance Officer and other school support staff, as well as their teachers.
It has been pleasing to see so many Year 11 students submitting drafts on time and many are studying for exams. Students are reminded that acting on teacher feedback does improve performance!
Investiture Ceremony
It was pleasing to see many Year 11 students be invested into their leadership positions at the recent full school assembly. Many students wore the correct uniform and showed their support with respectful behaviours during the ceremony.
I extend my congratulations to all Year 11 leaders and wish them well for a productive and positive year.
RSA
A Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) qualification is required by staff working in venues that serve alcohol. The RSA course develops understanding about the fines and penalties imposed on staff and workplaces if they do not follow liquor laws.
The RSA course for Stanthorpe State High School students is being sponsored by the Stanthorpe RSL Service Club; therefore, there is no cost. The course will be held at school on Friday 14 March 2025, during the school day.
The RSA course is being offered to 50 students that return the permission form to the school office.
Respectful Relationships
Year 11 students will be participating in a series of Respectful Relationship Lessons, presented by the School Based Youth Health Nurse. Topics include consent, respectful communication, contraception, sexually transmitted infections and pornography.
Year 11 Future Pathways Excursion to Brisbane
Year 11 students will be offered the opportunity to attend the Future Pathways Excursion to Brisbane. The excursion will be held in Term 3, Week 10 (15-17 September).
During the excursion, students will use public transport and visit universities, Southbank TAFE and various workplaces and industries to develop their understanding of future career opportunities. The Amazing Race activity will improve student understanding of Brisbane city highlights, while accommodation will be at the Queensland Conference and Camping Centres Brookfield.
I encourage students to begin saving up (Qeensland University of Technology is subsidising travel costs) and all are reminded that as the excursion is an extra-curricular activity, students must ensure they meet the eligibility criteria for participation.
email: jroge3@eq.edu.au ph: 4681 5888
Miss Meghann Wear - Year 12
Senior Investiture
Congratulations to all of our senior leaders who were invested in to their roles last week. It is always a pleasure to see so many of the Year 12s begin their leadership journies at Stanthorpe State High School and I look forward to seeing all the great things they will do in our school and wider communities this year.
GRIP Leadership
Our Year 12 student leaders attended the GRIP Leadership Conference in Toowoomba last week. Students took part in a range of activities and listened to a range of speakers about how to lead school projects and change, at a student level.
Lion's Youth of the Year
Ewan Keith and Fitzroy Pascoe took part in Lion's Youth of the Year. As School Captains, public speaking is an important part of their roles both in and out of school. Despite not taking home the prize, both boys presented wonderful speeches and represented Stanthorpe State High School with pride. Congratulations Ewan and Fitzroy.
There will be a meeting for those students and their parents/guardians who are interested in attending Ski Trip. This information session is an essential event for anyone considering attending. The 2025 Ski Trip is secheduled for Saturday 13th Sepetmber to Saturday 20th September (Term 3, Week 10). A representative from our tour company, Crisps Coaches and the school coordinators will be available for any questions you might have.
When: Monday 10th March
Where: R Block Stanthorpe State High School
Time: 5:30pm
If you have any queries please don't hesitate to get in contact via email: mwear8@eq.edu.au