2025 Kingaroy Highlights #13
Highlights from the Acting Principal
A sincere ‘thank you’ to all parents and caregivers who clicked on the link sent to them to provide feedback about Kingaroy SHS in the annual School Opinion Survey over the past few weeks.
We utilise the anonymous feedback provided by parents, staff and students through this survey to make improvements, sharpen up some areas and acknowledge what is working well, so gratitude for taking the time to let us know.
Reflecting over the past few weeks as I sit in the Principal’s chair, it is clear that our students at Kingaroy SHS are incredibly lucky to have some talented, caring and thoughtful staff who provide a quality education but also value-add to provide so many more opportunities for our students. Some highlights include:
- Our Stage Band playing at BaconFest
- Indigenous students learning some Wakka Wakka language
- Bullying No Way Week activities, messages and food at break last week for all students
- Ongoing preparation and community support for the H2GP team heading to Germany as you read this newsletter
- Over 100 students playing and officiating at Queensland Country Cup Netball
- Another successful Schools’ Cup Volleyball campaign for our Senior students
- Our music students accompanying Troy Cassar-Daley on stage at BaconFest
- Indigenous girls’ dance group and Clontarf boys’ smoking ceremony welcoming the Regional Director and 20 local principals to Kingaroy SHS
- The Year 8 students on their History studies going to the Abbey Museum
- Another successful sporting exchange with Clontarf Beach SHS
- Some in-house and school-visits with local primary schools for Year 5/6 transition activities
- A successful campaign for three touch teams at the Sunshine Coast Schools’ Cup competition, with the Open Mixed team winning
- Senior Indigenous girls visiting the Bangarra Dance Performance
- Great feedback from different schools and Cricket Queensland for our young umpires about their initiative, care and knowledge
- Another successful Mountain Biking campaign at the Sunshine Coast
There are many more opportunities so please keep encouraging your children to make the most of any opportunity that presents itself as so many relevant life experiences are gained.
I spoke with students on full school assembly this week about organising themselves for the upcoming assessment as we head towards the second half of the term. It is important that if they have not started to sort themselves by now, that now is key. Each of the form teachers and Year Level Co-ordinators and Guidance Officers can help students or families to access key dates, share tips for study, and generally answer any assessment-related questions so please don’t hesitate to make contact now. Year 11 and 12 students have their assessment and mock block timetables, and all Year 7-10 students received their assessment calendars for the semester a few weeks ago.
This week our team of staff has met with dozens of parents and Year 10 students to complete SET Plan interviews. These meetings prepare our Year 10 students to head into Year 11/12 studies and assist students to make appropriate choices to set them up for life after school. Thank you both to all our parents who have engaged, and also to the staff, for the time invested in this three-way partnership. If there are any parents of Year 10 students who have not yet made an appointment, please ring the school to make this appointment so that we can work on the best options for your student’s pathway going forward.
Ms Helen Maudsley
A/Principal
Year 9 Work Experience
The Year 9 cohort at Kingaroy SHS will be participating in work experience in the final week of school, December 8 to December 12.
Students will be required to source their own work experience. With close to 170 students in Year 9, and most work experience placements expected to occur in the South Burnett, placements with Kingaroy businesses could be challenging. Please encourage your student to start looking now. Students will be given a Work Experience Placements for School Students Agreement on Monday of Week 8 for employers to complete.
The Department of Education provides insurance for students attending an approved work experience placement under a Contract of Insurance with WorkCover Queensland.
Year 9 classes will not be running in the final week of school, while work experience is on.
Mr Steve Perrett
Deputy Principal, Wellbeing and Engagement
2025 Staff Awards - We need your help!
We are excited to once again celebrate the incredible talent and dedication within our school community at this year’s Speech Night.
As part of the evening, we will be presenting Staff Awards to recognise teachers and support staff who:
- Inspire through their deep professional knowledge
- Create engaging and meaningful learning experiences
- Consistently demonstrate professionalism in every interaction
These awards shine a spotlight on the staff members who make a real difference in the lives of our students.
We invite you to nominate a staff member who has made a positive impact. Share their story, highlight their contributions, and help us acknowledge the outstanding work that deserves to be celebrated.
Teaching Staff Nominations: https://forms.office.com/r/u26bRGe7du
Support Staff Nominations: https://forms.office.com/r/49SZ594RX3
Nominations close 5 September 2025.
Thank you for helping us recognise and celebrate the people who make our school such a special place.
The Arts
It has been a busy start to Term 3, filled with fantastic opportunities for our students.
Creative Generations kicked off in Week 1, with 11 dance students representing our school across a variety of genres. A huge thank you to the dedicated parents and family members who spent countless hours and kilometres ensuring students were where they needed to be. A special shout-out also goes to Mrs D-R for coordinating our school’s participation. The organisation and time involved in managing endless emails and communicating with students and families is truly appreciated. CGEN was once again a highlight for both participants and audience members, with 41 of our students travelling to Brisbane to enthusiastically cheer on their schoolmates.
In Week 4, Years 9–12 students enjoyed a memorable day at HOTA on the Gold Coast, watching The Play That Goes Wrong. There were plenty of laughs, along with valuable lessons about how performers use improvisation and physicality safely on stage to do some truly painful-looking things! Students who choose Drama as a senior elective have the opportunity to view quality live theatre annually – we look forward to seeing what 2026 will bring.
Last weekend, some of our keen guitarists and singers experienced a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform with Troy Cassar-Daley at BaconFest. They met him on Friday and sang alongside other school students from across the South Burnett. A big thank you to Mrs Pink who, despite not being a country music fan, generously guided our students in learning the harmonies to support Troy’s performance.
Finally, we are looking forward to our upcoming Art Exhibition on Thursday 4 September. Our Visual Arts students and teachers are excited to share their work from this year, and we are also thrilled to have The Paradox performing acoustic tunes during the event.
A reminder for all students: there are some Arts activities you can get involved in:
• Wednesday mornings from 8:00am – Something In-Between (Music Group)
• Wednesday first break – Art Club
• Friday first break – Drama Club
Ms Kathryn Radunz
HOD The Arts
Market Day – Wednesday 4 September
One of the highlights of the school calendar is almost here – Market Day!
On Wednesday 4 September, our Year 9 Economics and Business students will put their learning into action by running their very own small businesses. This hands-on experience allows students to explore what it takes to be an entrepreneur – from planning and product development through to marketing and customer service.
Market Day is always a favourite, with all sorts of fabulous goods and services available for purchase. Not only do our students gain valuable real-world skills, but our school community also gets to enjoy the creativity and hard work that goes into each stall. Check out some of the offerings below 👇
FLAIR Update
Ahoy crew!
The countdown is on. FLAIR is happening Friday, 19th September. There’ll be a student show during Periods 3 & 4 (yes, that means you get out of class – you’re welcome), and an evening performance at 7PM for families and friends.
⚠️ Important for performers and parents:
If you are performing in FLAIR, your parents must complete the QParents consent form to confirm your participation. Please make sure this is signed as soon as possible so we can finalise the program.
⛵ Smooth sailing at rehearsals:
Every good crew needs to know when to be on deck! If you’re unsure which day your technical rehearsal is scheduled, make sure to check in with Ms Penfold so you don’t miss your call.
Get keen, get excited, and get ready to set sail with us — FLAIR is almost here!
– From your School Captains, the bingo masters!
Sunshine Coast Secondary Touch Football All Schools - Kingaroy SHS Achieves Outstanding Results
Kingaroy State High School shone brightly at the Sunshine Coast Secondary Touch Football All Schools tournament, with all teams showing exceptional skill, determination, and sportsmanship.
Our Open Mixed team dominated and were the stars of the day, winning all six of their games. They capped off the tournament with an impressive 6–4 victory in the final against Benowa SHS, finishing an incredible campaign with composure under pressure. With this performance, the team is on track to make a strong push for the Queensland All Schools Carnival in October.
Team: Rory Crumpton, Tyler Fuller-Sandys, Riley Gleich, Brock Glenwright, Ryder Monteith, Fletcher Prain, Bree Renouf-Dowdle, Billie-Kate Stead, Callie Trace.
The Under 15 Boys team also had a strong campaign, fighting their way to the semi-finals. Despite their best efforts, they fell just short of the final in a competitive and hard-fought match. This result was even more impressive considering the mix of young and relatively inexperienced players who rose to the challenge and delivered under pressure.
Team: Zayne Bartlett, Mason Fuller-Sandys, Harrison Heit, Lachlan Prain, Matty Reddacliff, Rutland Turner, Alex Williamson.
The Under 15 Girls team put on an excellent display, winning four out of their five games and narrowly missing a finals berth. They continue to show improvement at every carnival they attend, demonstrating growing confidence, skill, and teamwork.
Team: Mackenzie Bourke, Luca Campbell, Madi Campbell, Tiahna Dean, Mercie Ogden, Clare Petersen, Chloe Roon, Emma Tones, Lucy Trace, Tiffany Williamson.
Across all divisions, our players displayed not only skill and determination but also the values of respect and fair play that make our school proud. A heartfelt thank you to Mrs Connelly, Dekota Hetherington for refereeing, and our greatest supporters—our parents and carers—who made the day possible.
Kingaroy SHS’s achievements at this year’s tournament are a testament to the dedication and hard work of our teams. We can’t wait to see what they will accomplish next.
Mr John Bunyoung
Coach
From the School Nurse
Healthy Heart
One in five people will die early from heart disease, which claims more lives than cancer and chronic respiratory disease combined. Yet, up to 80% of heart disease and stroke cases are preventable through early screening and making healthy choices in nutrition while staying active.
With World Heart Day coming up on the 29 September it is a good time to assess the health of your heart and see what changes you can make to help prevent heart disease.
You are eligible for a heart health check with your doctor if you do not already have heart disease and are:
- 45 years and over
- 35 years for people living with diabetes
- 30 years for First Nations people.
Your doctor will be able to work out your chance of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 5 years and discuss ways to lower your risk of heart disease.
Just 30 minutes of exercise a day could help tackle 80% of heart disease cases, yet 1 in 3 adults are not moving enough. Physical activity can help reduce heart disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, while also managing your weight, lowering your risk of diabetes and some cancers, and promoting bone health. Start with small realistic goals while being kind to yourself and move just a few minutes more in your day and slowly build up.
Following a heart healthy eating pattern can help protect your heart and reduce your risk of heart disease.
- Eat plenty of vegetables, fruit & wholegrains.
- Wholegrain foods like brown rice, wholemeal pasta, grainy bread and oats are high in fibre and can help lower your cholesterol.
- Include a variety of healthy protein-rich foods
- Such as legumes, nuts, seeds, fish, seafood, eggs and lean poultry.
- Limit lean red meat to 1-3 times a week.
- Include healthy fats & oils.
- Such as avocadoes, olives, nuts and seeds.
- Healthy oils for cooking include olive, canola, sunflower, peanut and soybean.
- Eat fish 2-3 times per week
- Use herbs and spices to flavour foods instead of salt.
- Too much salt can lead to high blood pressure which increases risk of heart disease.
- On average, Australians eat nearly double the recommended maximum amount of salt (5gm) each day.
For heart healthy recipes, go to The Heart Foundation.
For more information, go to:
https://world-heart-federation.org/world-heart-day/
https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-living/physical-activity/physical-activity-and-exercise
https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-living/healthy-eating/heart-healthy-eating-pattern
Selena Stevens
School Based Youth Health Nurse
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