Mr Justin Kuskie  Principal

Welcome, or welcome back for 2025. It is fantastic to be able to reflect on how much has already occurred in such a short space of time. The year began with our staff coming together the week before students to organise, plan and be prepared for our school year.

In 2025 as a school our 3 priority areas of focus will be:

• Collaborative Leadership, Partnerships & Informed Practice
• Wellbeing & Inclusion
• Pedagogy & Curriculum

Put simply this year we will collectively work together to enhance our purpose of providing all students with quality learning in a supportive environment. This will be strengthened by delivering equitable high-quality learning, teaching, curriculum, and assessment. In 2025, consistent engagement will be the key.

In the first three student weeks of the year, it has been magnificent to see the level of co-operation and buy-in from our students in all aspects of schooling. Since the arrival of our students every day there has been a mix of regular learning and extra-curricular activities. Throw into the pot a public holiday, brilliant swimming carnival and highly successful local show and we are busy.

Thank you to everyone for working with us to ensure your children are prepared to make the most out of the opportunities which are on offer. If it any stage, and for any reason help is required please be comfortable in contacting the school and we will direct you to the most appropriate person, or area for support.

This Wednesday 19 February we will again hold our annual ‘Meet & Greet Evening’, at the concrete tiered seating area outside of K Block. The evening will run from at 5:30pm – 7:00pm with a brief welcome and introductions at 5:45pm, following by a sausage sizzle and sweets at 6:00pm. This is a very informal way to connect with teachers and key support staff.

Thank you for a very positive start to 2025.

Justin

Mrs Chandell Pole

Deputy Principal - Senior School

Welcome back and I hope everyone was able to spend some quality time with their friends and loved ones over the break. 

Congratulations to the Staff, House Captains and all our students for cooperating and engaging to make our Swimming Carnival such a success. Our next major whole school event is the Investiture of our Senior Leaders, taking place on Tuesday 25 February at 9:30am. We look forward to seeing the leaders take to the stage and receive their official badges and certificates. 

New Staff updates 

We are very excited to welcome the following experienced and beginning teachers to our teaching staff.  

• Ashleigh Freeman – Science, Humanities and Wellbeing
• James Howley – Technology and Science
• Chonty Vandermolen – District Relief Teacher
• Stephanie Oppermann – Health and Physical Education

We also have some changes within the Leadership Team with Chris Smith as HOD Year 11, Arts and Wellbeing, Lydia Barker as HOD Agriculture/PE and Linda Perret as HOD Humanities and Year 7.

Assessment and timetable information for the Senior School 

Students must complete all assessment on the scheduled date unless they have a valid medical reason for non-attendance. Documentary evidence which must include a medical certificate or medical report which must be provided to the school as soon as possible. If your student is unable to attend an examination, please advise the school before the exam. 

Year 11 and Year 12 Exam block will occur this term in Week 7 (10 - 14 March). 

Mr Daniel Ward

Deputy Principal - Junior School

Dear Parents & Carers

Welcome back to school for the 2025 school year. It is especially wonderful to see our new year seven students arrive at high school for the first time and settle in to learning as quickly as they have. They will attend their Year 7 camp in Week 5, which will be a great opportunity for them to establish friendships as they settle into high school.

This year at Stanthorpe State High School, we will be continuing to build a “positive learning culture”. Students will be given clear expectations about what is expected of them at school, which will help create a positive learning environment. Our REP expectations of Respect, Engaged & Prepared will continue to be a focus across the school. The REP expectations have been incorporated into our positive reward system for all students. This reward system involves all students having a REP card, which is used by staff to reinforce positive behaviour. Students will receive REP stamps on their cards for displaying expected behaviours and competed cards are then used to redeem rewards.

Once again, welcome back to school for 2025, wishing everyone a great start to the new school year.

Mrs Tanya Hamilton - Year 7

Welcome parents, carers & guardians to Stanthorpe State High School. We are very pleased to welcome you to our school community and support your child through their first year of high school. We are truly into the swing of things in Year 7! Over the last 2 weeks it has been wonderful to see students become more confident navigating the Stanthorpe High School experience: classrooms, subjects, teachers, lockers, canteen, attending swimming carnival and making new friendships.

In our Tuesday and Thursday form lessons, we’ve been learning about high school preparedness and engagement; next week we’ll be focusing on respect. These explored concepts – respect, engaged and prepared – are part of our whole-school approach to positive behaviour and expectations. Each student has been given a ‘REP Card’ which students are encouraged to take to class and collect reward stamps.

As our Year 7s begin feeling more settled, it is important that they continue to bring all required equipment to class, including iPads, books and writing equipment. Now that each student has received a school hat, they should only be wearing that hat. I’m seeing a number of hats and water bottles left in classrooms, eating/playing areas and across the port rack at the end of the school day. Being responsible for our own property is an essential skill that we will continue to develop each day.

Students are also encouraged to wear formal uniform on Whole School Assembly days. Important days and dates of school events and information will be communicated to parents through SZapp, Schoolzine Newsletters, weekly email updates, daily reminders and notifications are placed on the Year 7 notice board and student notices. If you need to see a Year 7 YLC (Year Level Coordinator), please send us an email or notify the office staff and we will endeavour to call you and make a meeting time regarding your child on any matter.

Week 4 : Parent Engagement – Meet and Greet afternoon will be held on the 19th February between 5.30pm – 7pm. This is a great opportunity for teachers to meet parents, guardians, carers and engage in any questions about school.

Week 5: Camp Cooby and Alternate program for non-camp attenders will be held 26^th – 28^th February, we will be departing school at 7.00am on the 26^th February, please meet at bus stop in front of the school. We will endeavour to return to Stanthorpe State High School at 3.00pm 28^th February.  

Week 6: School Photos, students must wear formal uniform, if you require a form please see the administration office.  

If you have any concerns, questions or other wellbeing matters, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I am looking forward to a fantastic year with the Year 7 cohort!

Thanks 

Tanya Hamilton Email: thami105@eq.edu.au

Stephanie Stevens Email: sstev255@eq.edu.au

Ph: 4681 5888

Ms Leigh Cusack - Year 8

Welcome to Term 1 2025

The Year 8s have made a conscientious start to their first term in Year 8. Parents/Guardians, thank you for your support in getting your student to school in the correct uniform, with a charged iPad and materials for the day. It makes a huge difference to whether they have a successful day at school.

Everyday counts

It can be difficult getting back into the swing of things after holidays, but routine is key!. If your student is reluctant to get going, try getting back to basics: Pack bags the night before, focus on one job at a time in the morning, (eg. time to get up!), rather than a list to be rushed through, allow extra time to avoid stress.

Keep in mind, 1-2 days off each month, from prep to Year 12, means a year of learning missed.

Aim to be at school by 8.35am each day. If problems are getting in the way, make contact with myself, (YLC), Mr Mainey (Yr 8 HOD) or the staff of your choosing.

Prepared to succeed

As Year 8s enter the 3rd week of school, iPads are being used well. Please be aware much of classroom learning now requires access to a device for at least part of every lesson. While teachers will have alternate work, your student may feel they are missing out on activities they see their peers undertaking.

Your child will need support as the term wears on, to charge iPads each night and check they have them packed in school bags before they go to sleep.

Please avoid allowing students to use iPads in bed at night. The battery is run down for the next day at school, (your child’s and the iPad’s).

Meet and Greet

For parents and carers curious about who is teaching their child and how they are going about it, a Meet and Greet evening is set for 19 Feb at 5.30pm, at the school (McGlew St Stanthorpe). Tea/coffee, a sweet treat and sausage sizzle are complimentary. Siblings are also welcome.

email: lcusa9@eq.edu.au    ph: 4681 5888 

Mr James Killer - Year 9

Ms Kate Dearden - Year 10

Year 10s have made a strong start to the year but as they settle in, they need to ensure that their Year 9 behaviours are left behind. This is a vital year for choices - choosing to engage fully in learning, choosing to support classmates with their actions and choosing their future direction whether that's continuing school, moving to a trade or entering the workforce. I look forward to working with this cohort.

 Please feel free to make contact with me if:

• You have any concerns for your student’s wellbeing
• You need to advise medical or family information that will impact their school attendance and/or focus
• You are having issues with their use of their computer (your house your rules)
• You are unsure how to support them academically or socially
• Anything else where you are not sure who to contact.

 Also please note the following upcoming events:

• Week 4 Wed 19 Feb Parent Teacher Meet and Greet 5.30pm – see you there
• Week 6 Tue 4 Mar  InvestitureWeek 6
• Thur 6 Mar  School photos – formal uniform required 
• 
  
                           

Mrs Josephine Rogers - Year 11

Year 11s have made a strong, positive start to the year and are taking their studies and role as emerging school leaders seriously. The theme for Year 11 is Responsibility and Leadership so form lessons will focus on resilience strategies for improved learning, leadership and wellbeing.

Your Year 11 student was recently provided with an expectations letter. For students to be eligible to order a Senior Jacket for 2026 and to participate in co-curricular activities and other school functions during 2025, students must meet the expectations criteria. This information will be regularly communicated throughout the year.   As the Year 11 YLC, I will support students to meet expectations and have a successful school year.

I encourage parents and carers to use the Schoolzine app to keep up to date with upcoming events including the Investiture for school leaders, the Parent Meet and Greet and school photo day. Please ensure that your student has their formal uniform ready for these events.

I look forward to working with the 2025 Year 11 cohort and carers. Please contact me via email or the school office with any queries.

email: jroge3@eq.edu.au  ph: 4681 5888

Miss Meghann Wear - Year 12

Welcome Back Year 12!

2025 is already shaping up to be a busy and exciting year. I would like to thank the cohort for the wonderful start we have had to the year. It has been wonderful to see our Senior students come back to school and ready to learn for their final year. 

Congratulations to those students who attended the Swimming Carnival last week, the leadership of our sporting houses was evident through both our House Captains as well as other students who supported throughout the day. 

As we move forward in to Term 1 there are many events to take note of in our school calendar.

Week 5: 25/2 Student Leader Investiture - Formal Uniform Required

              26/2 GRIP Leadership (Student Leaders) - Formal Uniform Required

Week 6: 6/3 School Photos - Formal Uniform Required 

Week 7: 10/3 - 14/3 Exam Block Year 11 and 12

Full school assemblies will also be held on Tuesday in week 6 and 9. Senior students are expected to wear their formal or trade uniform on these days. If your student needs any support in accessing items of the uniform, including formal uniform, please contact me.

During form this term Year 12 will be focusing on job skills and attributes and begining to update their SET planning to reflect their current pathways and further study aspirations. 

I look forward to working with this group throughout 2025. 

If you have any queries please don't hesitate to get in contact via email: mwear8@eq.edu.au

Mrs Sonya Ensoll - Guidance officer

Dear parents, carers and school community members,

Welcome back to another school year. We look forward to a happy and successful partnership with our school in 2025.

Attendance

Attendance is vital for student success at school. Not only does it encourage a greater chance of success in acquiring academic, sporting, musical, leadership and socialisation skills as scholars, it also builds skills that allow our students to grow, flourish and develop as wonderful human beings; it develops qualities that include resilience, co-operation, empathy and persistence, to name but a few.

“Attend every day” is included in our 2025 REP matrix – it forms part of the “Engaged” core behaviour expectation for all students. We do, however, understand that for a multitude of reasons that may include medical/specialist appointments, family emergencies and student mental health challenges, attendance on occasions may not be possible. In these instances, we just ask that you let us know (as far in advance as possible) of reasons for your student’s absence so we can update school records and offer appropriate assistance. You can also advise us of reasons for absence by:

• Replying directly to the text you receive from school which asks for a reason for absence that day
• Send an email to absence@stanthorpeshs.eq.edu.au

 Please do not hesitate to ring the office if you need assistance with your student’s attendance – we have wonderful staff here who would be more than happy to assist, for example the relevant Year Level  Co-Ordinator or myself.

This term we are launching a wonderful initiative – ARM – which stands for Attendance Really Matters. Yes, for many reasons – it really does. As part of this initiative, each week a new attendance poster features in the Student Notices. Our students will see them on school noticeboards and referred to in class-time and assemblies. This term in Weeks 4-8, we are offering our students the chance to vote on an ARM logo that will accompany any future ARM promotion. Any student that completes a vote will go into a draw to win a prize (1 x Junior and 1 x Senior). 

What can you do to help your student attend school more often?

• Be positive about them attending school. Remind them of some of the benefits of coming.
• Get them to bed on time (where able). A good night’s sleep (between 8-10 hours) will set them up for feeling rested enough to get ready for school in the morning.
• Encourage your young person to get organised when they get home from school – lunch out, books swapped, timetable checked.
• Seek support if non-attendance is becoming a problem. Our Student Support Services Team are happy to assist you.

Thanks for all you do to support your child in their education by getting them here each day as attendance really matters.

Sonia Ensoll – Guidance Officer – smain0@eq.edu.au

Mrs Jenny McCarthy - Behaviour Support Teacher (Learning and Engagement)

Student Council:

Stanthorpe Show - Stanthorpe State High School Fruit & Vegetable Display - 1st Place!

Well done to the Student Council volunteers who worked hard on the Fruit & Vegtable display at this year's Stanthorpe Show. The theme was "Treasures of the Granite Belt" and students last year brainstormed ideas of what they considered treasures in our district.  Inspiration for the display was Girraween National Park, wineries, our school and the steam train. Thank you to all the farms that provided produce that made our display extra special. 

2025 Student Council's 1st Meeting

This Wednesday saw our first gathering of Student Council Representatives.  Our 2025 executive's agenda included expectations of the representatives and discussing the 2025 Events Calendar.  Stay tuned for upcoming events.

REP Expectations – Reinforcing Student Behaviours

Once again teachers of Stanthorpe State High School will be acknowledging students for demonstrating expected behaviours both inside and outside the classroom.  Students have been issued a REP card to place on their desks during class for adults to reward with a REP stamp.  The REP card once completed can be redeemed or banked for students to reap the rewards. Discuss with your child/ren about their REP cards and where they can bank or replace them. (Ans: Library)

REP – Behaviour Expectation Analysis Team (BEAT) Meeting

This term Behaviour Expectations Analysis Team (BEAT) will meet in weeks 5&9 to review school behaviour data and systems. The team includes students, school staff and parents who work together to develop each term's ‘Behaviour Focus Schedule’. If you would like to be involved, please contact the school for more information.

REP Behaviour Focus:

Each week we explicitly discuss and teach a behaviour focus on the school Behaviour Expectation Matrix. This week and upcoming weeks 4&5 focuses are:

Week 3: ENGAGED – Cooperate with others.

Week 4: RESPECTFUL – Follow classroom expectations.

Week 5: RESPECTFUL – Take ownership of your actions.

email:  jmcca398@eq.edu.au Phone: 4681 5888

Mrs Keisha Kuskie - Sports Co- Ordinator 

Stanthorpe State High School Inter-House Swimming Carnival

What a wonderful Interhouse Swimming Carnival we had last Friday. We’d like to congratulate all students who participated and made it such a fun experience. Our students are great at getting themselves involved and we need to acknowledge some of the fantastic dress-ups, war cries, novelty event participation and competitive swims we all witnessed.

Congratulations to our 2025 Runners Up and Age Champions.

Two old records were broken at the 2025 carnival. New records have been made in the following events by some great swims:

 Ellice Gow – 15 years Girls Butterfly, 33.13

Ryan Burgess – 18 years Boys backstroke, 40.87

It was Langan House that came away with the Rock trophy for house spirit this year, but it was Finch that dominated the water coming away with trophies for the Relays, Participation and Overall Champion House. We look forward to our Cross Country which will occur in week 10 this term to see which house can knock Finch off their perch!

 

Border District Swimming Carnival

On Thursday 13th February, Stanthorpe State High School hosted the annual Border District Swimming Carnival at our local pool. 

Schools from across our region as far west as Goondiwindi, to Killarney in the east, and Clifton from the north, all brought their top performers to compete in various swimming events.

There was a strong number of students from Stanthorpe State High School that competed, and their individual effort and performance was greatly appreciated.

Specific acknowledgment and congratulations go to the following students on their individual accomplishments:

Ashley Jackson - 16 year girls Age Champion

Brianna Anderson - 15 year girls Age Champion

Ellice Gow - 15 year girls Runner Up Age Champion

Isabella Jackson - 14 year girls Runner Up Age Champion

The girls performance on the day contributed to Stanthorpe State High School being Runner Up for the Girls Champion School trophy and overall, Stanthorpe State High School came third in the Border District.

The success of the day would not have been possible without the partnership and support from the Stanthorpe Swim Club, and we thank them for their continued involvement for our swimming students. 

Additionally, several year 12 students volunteered on the day in timekeeping positions and their contributions led to a well organised and executed event. 

Thank you again, to all students who participated in the day, and a final congratulations to our students and staff for a fabulous day at the pool! 

Welcome to the 2025 school year.

We would like to take the opportunity to introduce our P and C staff members. L to R Kelly (uniform shop), Michelle and Colleen (canteen)

Tastes and Tunes
We are excited to announce this year we are trying something new. On Saturday March 15 we will be
hosting Tastes and Tunes at the Stanthorpe Showgrounds. A community event featuring our school
musicians, Nine Year Sister, Mitch King, and The Cole Train. We are partnering with local service
organisations and Primary School P and Cs to complement the music with some yummy food and some
children’s activities. Bookings open soon.  Keep an eye out for our event updates. 

Please get in touch if you would like to volunteer.

Greg, Cameron and Melinda P and C Executive

sshspcsecretary@gmail.com