Kingaroy State High School eNewsletter

Principal's Message

P and C News

I appreciated the many parents, caregivers and teachers who attended the special uniform discussion this last week and those who could not attend but gave their input. We had a very useful discussion with an overview of the current uniforms available (thanks very much Gayle for your work) and input from teachers and parents. It seems we have a wonderful polo shirt which we will keep, so no changes there. Otherwise, we are looking to tidy up the options available and have a more consistent uniform which will be smart, comfortable and useful and our students will be proud to wear. A working group of parents will be looking into this and hopefully it will be ready to go in 2024.

A huge thankyou to our new Canteen team who seem to be going from strength to strength with lots of new items for your students(and teachers) to eat/drink, including breakfast, coffees and hot chocolates. Our new canteen plans are being finalised, ready for a grand opening at the beginning of next year if all goes to plan.

Thank you to all who have attended meetings over the year and given your input, remembering we are here for our students.

Lois Blanch
P & C President

Exploring local history and culture at the Ration Shed

Last Monday, Year 10 Humanities and Social Science students, along with a small group of Year 11 and 12 students, visited the Ration Shed in Cherbourg to learn more about local history and culture. They were given a tour around the buildings, including the Ration Shed and the Boys Dormitory, as well as discussing what ‘rations’ were and who the stolen generation were.
We were surprised to learn that children only went to school until Grade four and then had to go to work. After exploring the incredible local artwork, the afternoon ended with an art workshop focussing on this year’s NAIDOC theme ‘For Our Elders’.

QUT Future You Summit

Kirra Glenwright, Rory Scott, Sienna Cluff and Charlotte Bourke, senior students at Kingaroy State High School, have been chosen to attend the 2023 QUT Future You Summit due to their
outstanding academic achievement. They will join a select group of high achieving students from across Queensland and northern NSW in a four-day on-campus program that will provide them with an engaging and inspirational experience to explore their career ambitions.
The students will get a taste of first-year university life, and work together with other senior students, as well as academics and QUT students. Congratulations to all these students, and a big thank you to their supporting teachers who provided well deserved recommendations for
their applications.

From the Arts Department

As we say goodbye to Term 2, it is so good to be able to reflect on the many triumphs and opportunities in the Arts Department. Students across the school have participated in various workshops, with many kodak moments captured and posted on Facebook, including:
• 12 VAP Excursion to Eumundi, Week 2
• Kingaroy Eisteddfod, Week 4
• Arts Week, Week 6
• Topology Workshop, Week 7
• The Scene Project – Artist in Residency, Week 8
CGEN Update
Throughout the term we have inched closer to CGEN show-week, with our dancers and singers making the long drive to Brisbane on weekends. Students have been busily practising before school, during breaks and after school.
This week, we have students and teachers representing our school at the Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Instrumental Music (MOST). The MOST program extends musically gifted and talented students in a 10-day program of musical development in large and small ensembles, tutorial groups, aural musicianship and a range of music and cultural activities. The program will culminate in a gala concert featuring the 2023 MOST students on Wednesday 28th June at 7pm (Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University). Tickets are now on sale through QTIX or phone 13 62 46.
And, to cap off the 2023 Creative Generations experience, our non-instrumental performers will be heading to Brisbane in Week 1 of Term 3 – to prepare for the onstage showcase. We still have a few tickets left for the school excursion to watch the Onstage showcase on Friday 14th of July. Please see the Excursion Consent form for more details.
Senior Subject Selection
I spent some time talking with students in Year 10 about their upcoming senior subject selection. In the presentation, I discussed the importance of speaking with teachers and current students, regarding what it is like to take subjects and how demanding each subject might be. I encouraged students to speak to the following staff –
Ms Tonita Penny – Visual Arts (General/ATAR) and Visual Arts in Practice (Applied)
Mrs Christine Alderton-Pink – Music (General/ATAR) and Music in Practice (Applied)
Myself – Drama (General/ATAR)
Mrs Sue Dowideit-Reiger – Dance (General/ATAR)
We look forward to supporting students in their subject selections!
Student Spotlight
Students in Year 10 Visual Arts have completed their semester elective in a culminating art assessment. Their task was to resolve a piece of artwork which could be publicly displayed, and reflect on the creative process. This involved manipulating materials, techniques and processes to develop and refine to represent ideas and subject matter in their artworks. The [2] Artworks below have experimented with clay medium, utilising the onsite kiln. Well done Belle and Teagan.

Goodbye Mrs Milanovic
And lastly, we say a big goodbye and good luck to Mrs Kara Milanovic (Godwin), who has been with the Kingaroy State High School community since 2018. Mrs Milanovic has been a salient figure in the Arts department; she has encouraged many students, over the years, to participate and engage in drama. Thank you, Mrs Milanovic! Your passion, enthusiasm and knowledge will be missed and we wish you well in your new position at Nanango State High School.

Ms Kathryn Radunz - HOD Arts and Year 9 Student Engagement

Health News

Men’s Health week was held last week. It is an event that is celebrated around the world each year. This year’s theme for Men’s Health week was Healthy Habits. Most of us know what healthy habits are and that smoking, unhealthy eating and being inactive is bad for our health. But did you know that being unfit can be as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day or one vape? The Australian Men’s Health Forum have published 10 Facts About Exercise + Men’s Health #KnowYourManFacts.
Fact #1: 10 men a day die from physical inactivity.
• A lack of exercise kills more men each year than prostate cancer, suicide or road traffic accidents.
Fact #2: More men than women stay healthy by being active.
• Men born in Australia die 7 years younger than women on average.
Fact #3: Most Men aren’t active enough to stay healthy.
• Men may be more active than women in general, but most men aren’t active enough.
Fact # 4: Being unfit can be as bad for you as smoking.
• Most people feel better when they move their body more, but most men don’t move enough to enjoy better health.
Fact #5: Being active keeps your body + mind healthy.
• Fitter lungs • Stronger bones
• Lower cholesterol • Better weight
• Healthy heart • Lower blood pressure
• Lower blood sugar • Improved mood
Fact #6: Being active cuts your risk of disease by
• 60% for Bowel Cancer • 50% for Heart Disease
• 40% for Diabetes • 33% for Alzheimers
Fact #7: Men who sit less, live longer.
• You don’t have to be a top athlete or spend hours in the gym, you just need to find ways to move more.
Fact #8: A short daily walk can add 3 years to your life.
• For men who are inactive, every extra 1,000 steps reduce your risk of early death by 5%. Increase to 10,000 steps per day and your risk of dying early is decreased by 50%.
Fact #9: Staying strong can help you beat poor health.
• Men of working age who can do 40 push ups have a much lower risk of getting heart disease in later life.
Fact #10: You can help your mates and family stay fit.
• You can be active with your family and friends.What ways can you be more active and increase your movement?

We also had a visit from the Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia this week. They delivered their Periods, Pain and Endometriosis Program - a pain education program which is endorsed by the Federal Government Department of Health. If you are interested in what the PPEP Talk is, there is a great video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4w3m7DBqHg

Selena Stevens - School Based Youth Health Nurse

Stanwell Apprentice and Trainee Intake

Patreece Rackemann – Mechanical Fitter Apprentice

Having completed a traineeship in Warehouse Operations at Stanwell’s Tarong Power Station in 2021/2022, Patreece Rackemann realised that she was actually more mechanically minded than she initially thought.
This, along with her experience with Stanwell, empowered her to pursue an apprenticeship as a Mechanical Fitter this year.
Patreece said when she first joined Stanwell, after graduating from Kingaroy High School, she was excited to be able to pursue a role that she was interested in but didn’t know much about.
As a warehouse trainee she spent her day receiving and dispatching items, cross-checking part numbers with orders, operating a forklift to load and unload couriers and trucks, delivering items across the Tarong site, talking with suppliers, and helping fitters, electricians and other tradespeople source items to use at the power station.
Now she’s fixing pumps, replacing pipe work, rebuilding ash pumps, and doing general maintenance to help keep the site running and producing power for the state.
“I love the culture of the site, flexible work/life balance, benefits, and being paid to learn,” Patreece said.
“I’m grateful to be able to learn and develop my skill set and the knowledge of my trade over the next four years.”
Applications for Tarong power stations’ Apprentice and Traineeship Program open on 12 June and close of 2 July.
If, like Patreece, you think an apprenticeship or traineeship would be a great way to spark your career, you can apply here Current Vacancies - Stanwell