2024 Kingaroy Highlights #7
Principal's Message
Good morning, everyone. David Thomson here, principal of Kingaroy State High School. It's time for another edition of Kingaroy Highlights. As you can see, I'm currently in the Assembly Hall where we've got some exciting things happening. There are so many developments across the school, particularly our agricultural plot, which is looking fantastic. I'll provide a preview of that in the next Kingaroy Highlights.
But first, I want to showcase our Assembly Hall. We're in the process of installing a brand-new ceiling and roof to revamp this space. It's not only a Year 12 common room but also a frequently used area. I wanted to share the progress with everyone, and over the next few weeks, this space will be completely renovated and looking great. I'll cover this again in the next Kingaroy Highlights.
Stay connected with the school. We have some fantastic programs coming up, including our Daily Hire laptop program, among other exciting initiatives this term. Stay tuned for more in the next Kingaroy Highlights.
Senior School
Years 11 & 12 Stanwell Visit
On Monday 20 May, staff from Stanwell will be discussing workforce readiness skills and upcoming apprenticeship and traineeship vacancies.
These workforce readiness skills are applicable to any position students may apply for; with tips for what employers look for in a resume, writing a cover letter that stands out, how to create a good impression at an interview, how to navigate one way video interviews and types of interview questions.
Some staff will also be available for students to discuss what apprenticeship and traineeship positions Stanwell will be offering in 2025.
Year 11 Block Exams
The Block Exams for the end of Unit 1 run from Wednesday 15-Friday 17 May. Letters have gone home to parents and caregivers, outlining the relevant information. Students have had the exam timetable emailed to them, as well as receiving a hard copy of their individual exam timetable.
Reminder: If students want to change subjects for Unit 2, it is best to change before the exam block so they are ready to start Unit 2 on Monday 20 May. The latest date to change subjects for Unit 2 is Friday 31 May.
Ms Leanne Krosch
A/Deputy Principal, Educational Achievement - Senior Secondary
Wellbeing and Engagement
School Refusal
School refusal occurs when children become extremely upset at the thought of going to school and consequently miss some or all of the school day.
Children experiencing school refusal may struggle with either going to school or leaving home, which can result in them not attending school at all. Despite their parents' efforts to encourage attendance, these children typically spend the day at home.
Parents can take several steps to address school refusal:
- Seek to understand the issue from their child’s perspective.
- Collaborate with teachers to facilitate their child's return to school.
- Acknowledge and praise their child for demonstrating bravery, such as preparing for school.
- Maintain a calm demeanor and manage their own feelings of frustration or concern.
Regular school attendance is crucial as it keeps children engaged in learning, fosters their confidence and resilience, and supports their social development. Reintegrating into school is often smoother if children haven't been absent for an extended period.
PBL - Rewarding Positive Behavior
The Kingaroy Merit Points program will continue at Kingaroy State High School. Rewards will be determined by the Student Council and student surveys. This initiative has been well-received within the school community.
The school's recent focus has been on promoting regular attendance.
Mr Steve Perrett
Deputy Principal, Wellbeing and Engagement
Year 10 Geography Excursion
On Wednesday, the Year 10 Geography class headed to Rainbow Beach to complete various field studies on coastal erosion impacting the area. The students gathered data in forms of quadrats of vegetation, dune measurements, throwing oranges into the ocean to measure longshoreman drift, and traffic surveys.
This excursion is a crucial part of their upcoming assessment where they will write a research report which proposes coastal management strategies for the future of Rainbow Beach.
This field trip is always a highlight of the Geography calendar,as it is always a pleasure taking our country kids to the coast.
Miss Rosie Pyke
Geography Teacher
Clontarf
Last Thursday, eleven Year 7 and 8 boys from Kingaroy travelled to Murgon to participate in the Junior Rugby League Carnival. This event featured twelve Clontarf teams from across the Darling Downs, with Palm Beach Currumbin emerging as the champions after defeating Murgon in the final match. Our Kingaroy boys performed admirably, reaching the semi-finals before exiting the tournament with their heads held high.
A special shoutout goes to Paipi Grevell for his outstanding performance throughout the carnival. Additionally, Keiran Fuller was honored with the Kingaroy Spirit Award for his exemplary sportsmanship and attitude.
Michael Brown
Director, Kingaroy Clontarf Academy
Changes to Report Card Issuing
Transitioning to QParents: A New Era for Report Cards
Beginning this term, report cards will be issued through the QParents App, marking a significant shift towards a more efficient system for our school community.
What to Expect:
The transition process will commence at the end of this term. Unit 1 reports for Year 11 students will be available through QParents on the 31st May, followed by an email copy on the 14th of June. For students in Year 7-10, report cards will be first released through the QParents App on the 10th of July. This will be followed by a secondary distribution through the old system via email on the 24th of July. Please note that Parent Teacher Interviews will be held on the 15th of July, so if you would like to discuss your student's results, you will need to have access to QParents prior to the interviews.
Finalising the Change:
After the 24th of July, the old system for distributing report cards will be officially retired. From that point forward, all future reports will be exclusively issued through the QParents App.
Requesting Email Reports:
Moving forward, report cards will only be emailed upon individual request. Should you require a report to be sent via email instead of accessing it through the QParents App, please reach out to the school administration for assistance.
Why QParents?
The adoption of the QParents App aligns with our commitment to enhance communication and engagement between the school, students, and parents. This digital platform offers secure and convenient access to academic information, ensuring timely delivery of important updates and reports. QParents will allow you to access all historical report cards for your student, so you never have to go searching through your emails again.
How to Access QParents:
For those who haven't yet downloaded the QParents App, we encourage you to do so to ensure seamless access to your child's report cards and other school-related communications. The app is available for download on both iOS and Android devices. Invitations to create an account have been emailed out to families again today. If you have not received an invitation, please get in touch with the schoool on 4160 0666 or enquiries@kingaroyshs.eq.edu.au
We are confident that this transition will streamline the report card distribution process and provide a more efficient means of communication. Should you have any questions or concerns regarding this change, please don't hesitate to contact the school administration for clarification.
We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to embracing this new chapter in our school's communication strategy.
Fudooka Visit
We are happy to announce that our sister school, Fudooka Senior High School in Japan is coming to visit us from 27th July to 2nd August. We are looking for families willing to host a female Japanese student during this time. All you need to do is provide them with their own room and bring them to school with your child. Blue cards are essential but the school can organise these for you. If you are interested or would like more information, please get in touch with Mrs Anna Vogelaar on avoge7@eq.edu.au.
Hospitality News
Year 12 Certificate II in Hospitality students have run two training restaurants at school this term. At our first lunch, we hosted Kingaroy Probus with twenty of their group being able to attend, while at this week’s lunch a few of the students' family members were able to attend along with school staff. These training restaurants prepare our students for their final work placement at The Explorer Restaurant, Burke & Wills Motel. Early this term, the students spent a class lesson at the Burke & Wills, learning about country motels and becoming familiar with its layout, in readiness for their work placement shifts.
Year 11 Hospitality students have been demonstrating their safety and hygiene in the kitchen. This week the students had a site visit to the Kingaroy McDonalds store to observe how they implement safety and hygiene in their establishment.
We thank both the Burke & Wills and Kingaroy McDonalds on their continued support of our Certificate II in Hospitality course.
Mrs Lisa Hutton
Hospitality Teacher
The eSafety Commissioner leads the world's first government agency committed to keeping its citizens safer online.
For some great parent resources about online safety, check out their website https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents
Health News
Cold and flu (Influenza) symptoms can be similar and difficult to tell apart. Both colds and flu are caused by viruses. There are two main types of virus that can cause the flu (A and B) and also many sub-types and strains. Over 200 types of viruses can cause colds.
Flu is more serious than the common cold and severe cases can result in breathing difficulties and pneumonia. Cold and flu can occur throughout the year but is most common in autumn and winter.
People with flu can be infectious before their symptoms starts, this can vary from 7-10 days prior to showing symptoms.
Anyone can get the flu, but some people are at a higher risk of becoming very unwell and requiring hospitalisation including:
- Babies and children under 5 years of age
- People aged 65 years and older
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- Pregnant women (at any stage of pregnancy)
- People with certain chronic medical
- If you are homeless
- If you live in an aged care or long term care facility
To prevent getting cold and flu symptoms, practise good hygiene.
- Avoid others who are sick
- Stay at home when sick
- Cover coughs and sneezes
- Practice good handwashing techniques.
Flu vaccine provides some immunity against the flu and can prevent the flu or at the very least people with the flu who have been vaccinated experience only mild symptoms for a few days.
Everyone 6 months and over is recommended to get an annual flu vaccine to prevent themselves from getting influenza.
A flu vaccine is needed every year as the influenza virus strains mutate constantly and each year the vaccine contains the best match for the predicted strain in the upcoming year.
Some people are eligible for a free influenza vaccine, discuss this further with your doctor or pharmacist.
Selena Stevens
School Based Youth Health Nurse
WANTED!!
Do you have any old musical instruments that need a new home? Our Youth Support Coordinator is seeking donations of music equipment to strip down and bring back to life as part of his Hands on Learning Programs.
If you think you can help, get in touch with Terry Forbes on tforb43@eq.edu.au
Upcoming Events
Community News
