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- 2020 Student Leaders’ Induction
- A Message from the Executive Principal
- Dean of Students
- Head of Year 7
- State High Foundation
- Student Achievements
- Student Voice
- Peers for Academic Success
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- P&C Association
- Faculty News
- Head of Partnerships & Transitions
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2020 Student Leaders’ Induction

Congratulations to our 2020 Student Leaders who were officially inducted on Monday 10 February.
Pictured: 2020 School Captains Tess Lynn and Ethan Willis
A Message from the Executive Principal
Mr Wade Haynes
“We have an outstanding group of leaders for 2020. We wish them well over the next 12 months and congratulate them on their tenure.”

School Leaders
On Monday 10 February, we held our Student Leaders’ Induction Ceremony. We recognised, congratulated and encouraged our four School Captains, 26 Prefects, 16 House Leaders, four Spirit Leaders, six Junior School Captains, two Student Representative Council Leaders and 28 members of our Junior School Leadership Team. To be selected for these positions, these students are clearly remarkable young men and women. Now they step up to the role of making a difference for everyone in our school. We look forward to their leadership this year.










2020 Student Leaders’ Induction Ceremony
Our special guest speakers were Lillian Rangiah (Prefect) and Raphael Wixted (School Vice-Captain) from the Class of 2016. I’ve selected some of the great messages from their speeches for you:
"Part of leading by example means using any opportunities and privileges we have, to help make the world a better place for all of us. And one privilege that we all have here at State High is that we get go to school with people from all walks of life. We have the opportunity to meet such a diverse range of people here and to try to get to understand the unique values, opportunities and challenges facing people who are not like ourselves. I strongly urge you to take advantage of this privilege, and to use it to make State High and the world a better, more equitable place for everyone.
Part of being a leader also means having the courage to dive into the unknown, to forge new opportunities for yourself and others – and to keep working at them. When I was in high school, I was often encouraged to pursue a pretty traditional path by going into law or medicine. But instead, I chose to work really hard in the fields I’m passionate about: cultural studies, philosophy and economics. I guess what I’m trying to say here is… it takes courage to carve out a different path, but that path could benefit so many others. Sometimes leadership is having to do what you believe is right, not just what others think is right.
We need more people who will take the time to sit down and listen to someone else. They may be a friend, a sibling, a younger student you happen to know, or just a peer who you sit next to. When we take the time to hear what they have to say, we are showing leadership by telling them we value their experience; by communicating to others that this is how we do it; and by reminding ourselves that being a leader is about what we can do for those in our community, not the other way around.
I think then, perhaps the most valuable thing to remember about leadership is that you personally are capable of it. It’s a cliché that anyone can be a leader, but what I think is often overlooked is that this kind of leadership – the quiet, slow, personal things we do with and for those around us – is really the most important form of leadership available."

Lillian Rangiah and Raphael Wixsted speaking at our 2020 Student Leaders’ Induction Ceremony
Lillian Rangiah 2016 Prefect
Raphael Wixted 2016 School Vice-Captain
What amazing insights! Combined with some outstanding speeches from our new leaders, this made for a powerful start for this year’s leader group. I wish that everyone could have been there to be inspired by this.
We have an outstanding group of leaders for 2020. We wish them well over the next 12 months and congratulate them on their tenure.
2020 Student Leaders |
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School Captains |
School Vice-Captains |
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Tess Lynn |
Ethan Willis |
Mia Norman |
Issei Stephenson |
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Prefects |
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Ankitha Balakrishnan |
Sean Fairweather |
Beth Lynn |
Kosei Stephenson |
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Milind Bordia |
Elouise Gaffney |
Alex Merkel |
Vivi Su |
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Lily Bromley |
Noah Greenaway |
Lucy Mowbray |
Omega Vaka |
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Martha Bullen |
Sineth Jayawardana |
Connor Phillips |
Edgar Vetharaj |
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Eliza Carey |
Kerrie Liang |
Emma Searle |
Isaac Willmington |
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Angela Chen |
Deborah Lim |
Hannah Searle |
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Matilda Elliott |
Ben Lindstrom |
Yashasvee Singhal |
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House Leaders |
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Allenby House |
Birdwood House |
Glasgow House |
Monash House |
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Alyssa Beaumont |
Emma Hossack |
Samuel Macey |
Axel Sebastian |
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Ava Brieschke |
Sofia Karalouka |
Nikita Moore |
Kunwar Singh |
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Frances Colvin |
Oliver Kefford |
Lauren N |
George Steel |
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Charlotte Deans |
Taylah Kowtan |
Khabir Panchal |
April Tucker |
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Spirit Leaders |
Student Representative Council Leaders |
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Ofo Naupoto |
Aemelia Riley |
Sukhleen Arora |
Lily Chen |
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Kush Parmar |
Sophie Ryder |
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Junior School Captains |
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Respect |
Spirit |
Excellence |
Learning |
Public Education |
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Mugil Annathurai |
Jade Bartholomeusz |
Zoe Cartwright |
Yesmi Kalugalage |
Nishita Rahman |
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Junior School Leaders |
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Lefteris Apergis |
Hasara Ekanayake |
Amy Kininmonth |
Zoe Mullen |
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Nithija Ariyaratne |
Kym Eng |
Ryan Kumar |
Fiona Shen |
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Florence Brown |
Boudica Gotlucky |
Yujin Lamuri |
Jessie Su |
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Claudia Carter |
Laura Gough |
Francis Lau |
Taliyah Thompson |
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Megan Chan |
Emma Howard |
Tilly Leat |
Rachel Yang |
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Eunsu Choi |
Charlotte Jamieson |
Emily McWilliams |
Ye Jin Yoon |
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Chelsea Clifford |
Seongju Kang |
Emily Moore |
Lucy Zhou |
Enrolments
We have settled our enrolment numbers at 3,361 students, which is made up of the following:
- Year 7: 561
- Year 8: 534
- Year 9: 589
- Year 10: 588
- Year 11: 569
- Year 12: 520
This finalises our staffing allocation and we have made adjustments to match this final number. We extend a welcome our new families.
Connecting for Our Students
Over the last few weeks, we have welcomed many of our families to our Parent Information Evenings for each of our year levels.
It was great to meet so many parents and guardians at these information evenings; the opportunity, albeit brief, to make connection between families and teaching staff is invaluable. We appreciated the opportunity to explain how things work in this school so that you and your students can gain maximum benefit from what is on offer. The PowerPoint presentations from Year 7 to Year 12 information evenings are available on our website.
Thanks for the important part you play in making all of this work.
As we move into Week 5, you might like to expand your conversations about what your children are learning. Across the parent nights, we talked about some prompts for these conversations that, with persistence, might elicit more meaningful responses. You might like to try:
- What were three good things about your day?
- What were you learning (WALT = We are learning to…) in each class today?
- How did you go by the end of the lesson? How did you think about the WILF (What I’m looking for) the teacher gave you?
- What feedback did you receive today?
- What are you reading at the moment?
Year 12 Program
Our Year 12s have their first Internal Assessments this coming week, in our mini-blocks. These assessments are the first that count towards their final result, remembering that each subject has a maximum of four assessments in the year. You might think these are rather early in the year. They are early since they cover work from last year as well as the deepening of this learning over that last few weeks. It is a chance for students to show their mastery of these first pieces and to bank some high quality results. It also has the effect of spreading the load more than we have ever seen. Our 12s will be looking to use the time between assessments to build real expertise.
QCE Academic Achievement Awards
At the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) Achievement Awards Ceremony on Saturday 15 February, four State High graduates from the Class of 2019 were among the state’s top Year 12 achievers (of 31 students in Queensland). Congratulations to our four awardees who were recognised as Distinguished Academic Achievers at the Ceremony, at which Sunny Fan, Madeleine Orr and Calder Barksdale attended.

QCE Academic Achievement Award winners
L-R: Calder Barksdale, Madeleine Orr and Sunny Fan pictured with Mr Wade Haynes
Mrs Samantha Hawkins

‘Welcome back’ Assemblies, the Student Leaders’ Induction, an OP1 congratulatory lunch, the Interhouse Swimming Carnival, six Parent Information Evenings and the start of extra-curricular seasons have made the first four weeks of this term feel like it has whizzed by. All of these events have taken place while our students and teachers have been working to establish learning routines that will set students up for a successful year.
At State High, we are committed to working in partnership with our parent/guardian community to ensure that each of our students can become the best versions of themselves. One of the ways we connect with parents is through information nights. Our Parent Information Evenings are an opportunity for our community to connect with and understand the ‘why’ behind our ways of working.
One of the themes at our information evenings this year was the adaptability, functionality and practicality of our Year 7 – 12 core learning device, the iPad. The iPad skills and habits that our students will learn at State High will stand them in good stead for their tertiary studies and work endeavours.
On Monday of this week, we welcomed back our OP1 students from 2019 to acknowledge their achievements. Often congratulations can focus on achieving the outcome, the OP. On Monday, we focused on the persistence, sacrifice, dedication, hard work, effective study routines, bouncing back from disappointment and sheer grit that it takes to achieve an OP1. To achieve an OP1, students had to be committed to a journey of visible progress, which in reality is also a commitment to creating and developing visible expertise. This was highlighted in an address from Advaith Suresh, 2019 School Vice-Captain. I have included a snippet of Advaith’s address below. His words encapsulate the essence of our values and what we are working towards for each of our students, to be lifelong learners, creative thinkers, resilient, confident and principled communicators, and active caring citizens who will always feel a sense of belonging to team Blue-Red-Blue.

On Monday, we welcomed back our OP1 students from 2019 to acknowledge their achievements.
Photo: Gayathiri Murugadas (Year 11)
"I’ll finish by giving three pieces of advice which I hope you’ll find to be valuable:
The first to be proactive. Take charge of your own learning and take advantage of the opportunities that we’re so lucky to have. If class alone isn’t getting you through, talk to your teachers about what you need help with, and actually go to the tutorials on offer. Throughout Year 12, I was very conflicted on what I wanted to pursue after school, and I’m sure many of you will be too. But State High is so incredible because it gives you the chance to figure this out. Go to uni info sessions, or approach your Head of Year. There are so many people here who want to help you to reach your personal best. Taking the extra step and asking for help makes a world of difference.
The second is to teach while you learn. We retain less than half of what we hear and read, but around 90 per cent of what we teach. It’s the fastest and most effective form of learning, so during the next big assessment preparation phase at school, help out your mates and see how you’ll benefit, too.
Finally, to the Year 12s, remember that this year is a marathon, not a sprint – don’t burn yourself out too early. We all have different things that we do to recharge, be it playing sport, reading, listening to music, or just sleeping. Make time for yourself so you can keep the energy going and finish strong."

Advaith Suresh (2019 School Vice-Captain) presenting his speech on Assembly on Monday 17 February
Photo: Gayathiri Murugadas (Year 11)
Advaith Suresh 2019 School Vice-Captain
In closing this week, I wish our Year 12 students all the best with their assessment block next week and I look forward to hearing how they have applied The Learning Scientists’ strategies that we have been working through with all our students to positively enhance their capacity to strive for their personal best.
Have a great week.
Ms Grainne Hamer

Our Year 7 students are settling in well; they have been spending much of their time in ARC putting systems in place to best manage school life. Students have populated their iPad calendars with their timetables, the Assessment and Learning Calendar and extra-curricular commitments and are now working on building good habits of recording all homework and planned study sessions into their calendars. Through having all of their commitments in one place, students are better equipped to manage school. Please ask your child to show you their calendar and assist them to plan when they will do their homework and study. Students who plan and schedule are more organised, relaxed and produce better work. By working together, we can support our young people to meet the challenges of high school head on.

Ms Natalie Loye Head of Alumni & Parent Engagement
Calling all Golfers – Registrations are Open!
Places in our inaugural State High Golf Day – THE STATE HIGH MASTERS – are filling up fast. Register as an individual player or register a whole team via State High Connect.
Would Your Business Like to Sponsor a Hole?
Funds raised from sponsorship greatly assist the State High Foundation deliver special projects for the school. Marketing materials are included in the price of $330. Contact Ms Natalie Loye for further information on 3291 4230.
We have so many students at State High achieving remarkable things and we want to showcase them all. We share school-based student achievements on our social media platforms while news of student successes in external programs is showcased on our ‘News’ page on our website.
We want to celebrate our students’ achievements, so if you are aware of any that we should celebrate, please advise us of all the relevant details via email – newsletter@brisbaneshs.eq.edu.au – and please include photographs with your message.

Senior School Leadership Group

State High Spirit
During our first year at State High, Senior School students would often talk to us about State High Spirit; little did we know it would take a long time to learn what these words truly mean. They would often tell us that the State High Spirit is about screaming the School War Cry or cheering on your mates – but it really is so much more than that.
State High Spirit is about taking care of each other. It’s about looking out for not only your friends but any students who wear the Blue-Red-Blue. This year, we can’t wait to help others feel the State High Spirit too.
Valentine’s Day
As one of State High’s largest Student Leader events, the Prefects worked alongside House and Spirit Leaders, Junior School Leaders and Student Representative Council members to ensure that our annual Valentine’s Day event was memorable. The event was a success, full of roses, balloons and serenades. We are proud to play our part to add to the positive culture of our school and increase the sense of belonging within our community.

Year 12 students Ally Rendall and Veronique Bagley-Jones serenading students on Valentine’s Day
Photo: Max Hodder (Year 12)
Pink Stumps Day
In the coming weeks, the Prefects will be working towards Pink Stumps Day. A day-long cricket match will be held on the school Oval on Tuesday 31 March in order to promote awareness and raise funds for breast cancer.
Tess Lynn and Ethan Willis School Captains

Leadership Camp
On Sunday 2 February, a group of 30 Prefects accompanied by Ms Jordan, Mrs Hawkins, Ms Simons and Mr Haynes travelled to Tangalooma to partake in a leadership development and team building camp. Over three days, students discussed concrete key values of the 2020 Prefect team and developed insightful leadership modules to create a distinct direction for the upcoming year. Informative leadership forums run by the school’s Senior Executive team were broken up by team bonding activities such as dolphin feeding, snorkelling, sand tobogganing and morning beach boot camp. The camp has provided inspiration, strong planning and built upon individuals’ skills to create a strong foundation for the Prefect team’s initiatives for 2020. We look forward to putting what we planned into action!

Prefects 'reaching new heights' at Leadership Camp
Lucy Mowbray Prefect
Junior School Leadership Group

We’re halfway through the term already! The Junior School Leaders hope everyone’s made it back into their routine. Although we all have some pretty tricky assessments ahead of us, we know that everyone can achieve their goals. Here are a few small tips to make the next few weeks a lot easier and stress-free.
Tip 1
Assign one subject’s worth of revision to each day for a week and quiz yourself on topics you found difficult.
Tip 2
Go to bed early and prepare your uniform, bag, and even lunch the night before so that you have more time in the morning and feel refreshed and ready for another day of learning.
Tip 3
Study before exams with friends! It always helps to have one another’s ideas and thoughts on a topic, especially if you find that you are struggling. You could even meet at a cafe or your local library after school or on weekends for a more calm and relaxing environment.
Have an amazing week!
Florence Brown and Emma Howard Junior School Leaders

Peers for Academic Success (PAS) is our very successful student run program for Senior School students in Year 10, 11 and 12. PAS provides a safe platform for connecting students through meaningful and productive collaboration to achieve academic progress.
This year, Olive Chen (Year 10), Georgia Geyer (Year 10), Samuel Zhu (Year 10), Djordje Jovanovic (Year 11) and me, Gauravi Baral (Year 11), have been warmly welcomed into the PAS Leadership Team and we’re looking forward to starting the year with new thrilling ideas for the program!
PAS 2020 officially kicked off on Monday in Week 4 with the first session laying the groundwork for successful buddy/mentor relationships. Student mentors are focusing on the deliberate application of the ‘retrieval’ and ‘spaced practice’ strategies into our study routines to boost our long-term memories, since this is very critical for the external exams we will sit in the current syllabus.

The 2020 PAS Leadership Team
Back Row: Samuel Zhu, Djordje Jovanovic, Daniel Mahini, Ankitha Balakrishnan, Alex Merkel, Elouise Gaffney, Julie Tran, Kelly Kuan
Front Row: Georgia Geyer, Olive Chen, Gauravi Baral, Prerna Nagesh
We’re extremely excited to make 2020 a year to remember!
Gauravi Baral Year 11
In this newsletter, we would like to introduce you to four of our new key staff members.
Mrs Ashlee Bruce – Head of Languages

I am thrilled to have joined Brisbane State High School in 2020 this year as Head of Languages. I have been teaching since 2003, firstly with Education Queensland, and most recently in an Independent School in Brisbane’s northside, where I was Head of Languages for the past 14 years. I have been fortunate to live and study languages in Japan and Spain and I draw on these experiences when working with students. I am a passionate advocate for the inclusion of additional languages in education and I look forward to championing languages within the State High community.
Ms Rebecca Evans – Deputy Dean of Teaching & Learning

This year, I am excited to have joined Brisbane State High School as a Deputy Dean of Teaching and Learning. I have been a passionate member of Education Queensland for the past 13 years, having commenced my teaching career as a drama teacher. I have worked in a number of roles within secondary schools, most recently as Deputy Principal at Marsden State High School, as well as at a regional level. In 2017, I won the Australian Schools Accreditation Association – John Livingston Memorial Scholarship, which allowed me to attend Harvard University’s ‘Art of Leadership’ course. I have a passion for improving student outcomes and I look forward to working with State High’s students and community.
Ms Kimberley Jefferd – Head of Year 10

My diverse experience in education spans over 25 years in Queensland (state and independent sectors) and 14 years at in an international school in Seoul, South Korea. This year, I have a daughter in Year 12 and a son in Year 9 at our local state high school. I am familiar with both the academic challenges and the social milieu of today's teenagers. Please feel free to introduce yourselves to me. As a keen swimmer, I hope to be at the Swimming meets and competitions this term, cheering on State High!
Miss Meghan Gwynne – Head of Junior Mathematics and Science

I am beyond excited to have commenced the new school year at Brisbane State High School as a teacher and joint Head of Department for Junior Mathematics and Science. I have been teaching for the last eight years in Gladstone where I taught a range of subjects including dance, mathematics and science. Over the past four years, I was Head of Department for Arts and Whole School IT. I look forward to working in the Junior Mathematics and Science space this year.
Mrs Michelle Koripas P&C President
“Supporting our students to reach their full potential through actively engaging parents, school and community.”
Voluntary Contribution Appeal 2020
Annually, the P&C Association commits to raising funds to support our school and our students. The Voluntary Contribution Appeal, in conjunction with the government’s Textbook and Resource Allowance, supports the Library’s e-book and data access accounts ($40,000), Student Injury Insurance for all students ($9,500), student and staff awards ($9,000), disadvantaged students’ assistance ($5,000) and leasing costs for school mini-buses and a utility vehicle ($32,000).
Thank you to everyone who has generously provided a P&C contribution via the resource ordering process this year. For clarity, this was intended to be a Voluntary Contribution and the funds raised will go towards our student library resources. A school of this size requires funding over and above what the Queensland Government provides.
We are checking that you would like your contribution to support the school as planned. There is no need to reply or contact us unless there was confusion about your contribution and you would like a refund. Please send an email to enquiries@bshspandc.org.
If you missed this opportunity to contribute to our Voluntary Contribution Appeal, it’s not too late. Click the link below to complete the form.
For further information, please visit the school website.
P&C Membership – 2020 Applications & Renewals Due
P&C meeting dates and membership forms are available on the school website.
Upcoming Events
P&C Association General Meeting – Monday 24 February, 7:00pm
Year 7 Family Picnic – Saturday 7 March, 6:00pm
Free event – BYO picnic
Ms Aimee Gust Head of The Arts

Workshops with Ms Christina Waterson
On Wednesday 12 February, our Year 10 Visual Art students had the exciting opportunity to work with artist Ms Christina Waterson. Ms Waterson shared her artistic practices and facilitated a workshop with students to engage them in manipulating 3D forms, with a focus on transforming found objects into sculpture. These skills will inform students’ experimental folio of artworks.
On the same day, Ms Waterson kicked off the first workshop of our Artist in Residence Visual Art Enrichment Program for Selective Entry – Visual Art students. Ms Waterson will undertake a series of workshops with these students, to deepen their artistic practice, over the course of the semester.
Year 7 Music
Students in Year 7A have been using their iPads in Music to complete theory and aural skills activities. The students have adapted quickly to the use of technology in Music and have demonstrated an impressive level of responsibility as the newest citizens of our digital environment at State High.

Students in Year 7A using their iPads in Music to complete theory and aural skills activities.
Ms Jane Iszlaub Music Teacher
Ms Leisa McGiffin Head of Health & Physical Education

Yoga and Meditation Workshop
Last Thursday, Year 11 Health students completed a workshop at the Australian School of Yoga and Meditation in West End as a part of our Resilience unit. As a class, we have been investigating mindfulness strategies that help us to develop resilience and improve our wellbeing. As Health students, we knew yoga had many health benefits and we were excited to practise what we had been learning about during class. The yoga lesson introduced us to new breathing exercises, body conditioning and relaxation techniques. We completed some guided meditation as well as some asana (movement) practice. This included a sun salutation, ‘tree pose’ and the very comforting ‘child’s pose’. We also participated in a hula hoop activity that allowed us to feel a lifting energy in the room and understand how focussing on our breathing can assist to calm our internal environment and shift this energy.“I think the aim of yoga is to relieve stress, confusion and provide a sense of calm in the body. By the end of the lesson, I felt clear headed and relieved.”
– Connor McMillan
“I enjoyed the complete feeling of control over my body which was achieved by certain stretches and the three part breathing strategy we learnt.”
– Minnie Hazell
It was extremely rewarding to feel the positive mental and physical effect of a yoga class after just one lesson. The class felt more mindful, focussed and re-energised. As a result, the Year 11 Health students are looking forward to implementing yoga as a wellbeing strategy as part our assignment.
Minnie Hazell & Connor McMillan Year 11
Ms Lucy Gray Head of Senior Humanities
Mr Clinton Shield Head of Junior English & Humanities

Senior Humanities
Welcome
This year, the Senior Humanities Department has welcomed two new teaching staff members to the team: Ms Monica Tracy (Senior Geography) and Mr Justin Virly (Senior Economics). Both teachers have had an impressive start to the term and are quickly adapting to the State High ways of working.
I have been inspired by work ethic and determination that has been demonstrated by our students at the start to term. As I have walked between classes, I have seen students engaged and active in their lessons. Today, our Year 12 Ancient History and Philosophy students have embarked on their first (IA1) assessment, with Modern History and Economics IA1 assessments in Week 5. In the lead up to the assessment period, it has been great to hear the thoughtful questions that students have been posing to their peers and teachers.
Please reach out to the Senior Humanities team at any point if you would like to discuss your child’s learning; email is usually the best way to make initial contact with us. All the very best for a safe and successful year.
Mrs Gay Phillips Head of Junior Mathematics & Science
Miss Meghan Gwynne Head of Junior Mathematics & Science
Mr Jeff Woodroffe Head of Senior Mathematics

Mathematics Competition Opportunities
Mathematics competitions and contests provide a wonderful opportunity for students to apply their skills and expand their learning. At State High, we conduct several competitions at school throughout the year.
The Australian Mathematics Competition and ICAS Mathematics are our two largest mathematics competitions in which our students can participate. Please note that where payment is required for the competition, we cannot accept applications after the due dates. For details on these competitions, please download the document below.
Details of these competitions will also be advertised to students via StudentNet.
Please contact your child’s Head of Department for further information about these competitions.

Ms Amanda Nuell Head of Senior Science
Mrs Gay Phillips Head of Junior Mathematics & Science
Miss Meghan Gwynne Head of Junior Mathematics & Science

Science Competition Opportunities
Science competitions and contests provide wonderful opportunities for students to apply their skills and expand their learning. At State High, we conduct several science focused competitions at school. Please note that where payment is required for the competition, we cannot accept applications after the stated due dates. The details of the competitions are listed in the document below.

Head of Partnerships & Transitions
Mrs Rebecca Johnson

Aspiring Minds
Earlier this term, we welcomed our Year 6 Aspiring Minds students to the school to engage in a transitional extension and enrichment program. These Year 6 students received a conditional offer of enrolment to State High through demonstrating a depth of aptitude to their primary school study and through their results in our Academic Selective Entry test when they were in Year 5.
The program engages students in our ways of learning and aims to ignite and foster a desire for powerful learning as we push the boundaries of how incoming students see themselves as learners. Over the semester, students work across multiple faculties as they get to know their peers, teachers, State High student leaders and university mentors.
We were fortunate to have the Directors of the Extraordinary join us to begin our Aspiring Minds Program during which our students undertook the ‘Puzzle Masters’ challenge. This learning challenge required our students to work in groups to visit and solve puzzle stations within a limited timeframe, challenging them to think interdependently and enter The Learning Pit.

To learn more about the Aspiring Minds Program, please visit the school website:
Monday Afternoon Enrichment Program
In Week 3, there was a buzz in the air as students engaged in their first workshops as part of the 2020 Monday Afternoon Enrichment Program (MAEP). The purpose of the MAEP is to trigger students’ curiosity beyond the classroom, encourage experimental inquiry and innovation and connect to the real work through collaboration with external agencies.
MAEP Snapshot
RACQ Driver IQ
Year 11 and 12 students engaged in an interactive and engaging safety awareness workshop with RACQ, which utilised a resilience-based approach to empower novice drivers to survive and thrive throughout their driving journey.
Engineering with QUT
Students engaged in the first of three workshops, all of which discuss problems created from lack of resources in developing countries due to social and economic constraints.
UQ Ideas Hub
Students started their entrepreneurial journey by developing an understanding of the different steps involved in becoming an entrepreneur.
OzCLO
Students engaged in the first of four coaching sessions which is preparing them to participate in the Australian Computational and Linguistics Olympiad (OzCLO).
At State High, we seek feedback from our school community on the specific needs of our students. To contribute to the planning of the 2020 Monday Afternoon Enrichment Program and/or submit feedback on past or present programs, please follow the link below.
Mr Matthew Langmack Head of Extra-Curricular Activities

Congratulations to all students who have taken up the challenge by trialling and auditioning for teams and ensembles over the first few weeks of the school year. Fixtures and performances have already commenced in a range of activities. With several events cancelled due to the weather, students have flocked to see the exciting indoor sport of Volleyball. Last weekend, the stands of Churchie were filled with State High students proudly supporting their peers. The teams appreciate your support, which gives them that extra bit of motivation to perform.
I encourage all students to try to attend something new each weekend as a way of showing your support for the Blue-Red-Blue. A reminder that all students supporting State High teams and players are to wear their day uniform when attending extra-curricular events. We wish all teams the best of luck this coming week!
Whether or not students achieve selection in a team or activity, it is important that they take some time to reflect on their performance and re-evaluate their goals. I encourage students to seek feedback throughout this process. Obtaining feedback on your performance forms an integral part of the reflective process. It also links nicely with the habit of mind known as persistence, which underpins success. There are countless stories of athletes and performers missing out on selection early in their career and going on to be world leaders in their particular activity.
A reminder that there are some activities that allow for mass participation for students. These include the championship QGSSSA and GPS sports of Athletics, Cross Country and Swimming. They provide an opportunity for every student at State High to be involved in an extra-curricular activity throughout the year.
Uniforms
A reminder to all students that they should only be dressed in a sport uniform whilst attending training or competitions. Students are expected to arrive at school in their day uniform and change back into their day uniform immediately following the completion of the activity.
Levies
All non-curriculum activities conducted at the school have a ‘user pays’ structure. A levy to participate in an activity is payable to cover the cost of that year’s delivery of the activity. If you have any questions relating to levies, please contact the MIC of the activity or B Block Finance Counter.
Cultural Activities
Ms Karen Hadfield Director of Cultural Activities
Volunteers in Cultural Activities
As we settle into the new school year, Cultural Activities rehearsals have commenced and students are preparing for forthcoming events and competitions.
State High’s Instrumental Music and Dance Troupes programs are each supported by
their own P&C Association sub-committee. These sub-committees play an integral role in our programs’ success. They support our students and volunteer staff through raising much needed funds which go towards resources and increase the overall quality and affordability of our programs for students.
In 2020, we are seeking parents, guardians and supporters of our Instrumental Music and Dance Troupes programs to get involved in the relevant sub-committee, or help out wherever it is needed. Our Instrumental Music Sub-Committee initiates a variety of fundraising efforts, including the highly successful Music and International Food Festival (MIFF), which is held annually in September. The Dance Troupes Sub-Committee has successfully provided catering for annual school events such as The Arts curriculum showcase, CREATE (June) and Dance Showcase (September). Without parent/guardian support, these sub-committees are not able to function effectively and provide the much-needed financial support for these programs.
For further information regarding joining the Instrumental Music and Dance Troupe P&C sub-committees, please email culturalevents@brisbaneshs.eq.ed.au or email enquiries@bshspandc.org. You can also visit the P&C Association’s page on the school website.

QGSSSA & Girls’ Activities

Ms Anita Woodward Director of QGSSSA & Girls’ Activities
The wet weather has unfortunately been against us with no QGSSSA Cricket or Softball played last week. It has been great to see the creativity of our coaches who conducted some fitness and skills sessions undercover.
Whilst practising skills is very important for sport performance, so is stretching. We do encourage students to maintain their flexibility through stretching which can improve circulation, muscle flexibility, range of motion, and consequently, help athletes perform better in training and in competition. Joint range of motion can be improved with stretching as well. The resulting increased range of motion enables athletes to perform more dynamic tasks and improve technique in sport-specific areas.
QGSSSA Swimming Co-Captains Ava Brieschke and Matilda Elliott have provided some insights about Swimming:
QGSSSA Swimming Update
The best aspect of the Swimming season so far has to be the School Spirit and culture that constantly flows throughout the team. During our early morning training sessions, you can see the determined swimmers all trying their best. Loud War Cries can be heard a kilometre away and that is what State High is all about. Being a Swimming Co-Captain is important to us because we have always seen the potential in our State High QGSSSA Swimming Team. It is important that the team works together to achieve everyone’s goals and recognise the successes of others. As Co-Captains, our main goal is to make sure every girl has a fun season in and out of the pool. We want our team to appreciate how much fun the swimming season is, and also learn some new things. We are privileged to have an Australian Swim Team Coach, Mr David Lush, volunteer to guide us through the season, alongside Swimming Coach Alisha. The girls have already learnt ways to prepare for races, both physically and mentally. So far, it has been a privilege to Co-Captain our QGSSSA Swimming team and pass on knowledge to the younger students.

QGSSSA Swimming Co-Captains Ava Brieschke and Matilda Elliott with Swimming Coach Alysha (centre)
Ava Brieschke and Matilda Elliott QGSSSA Swimming Co-Captains
Guidance Officers
Ms Tara Le Pla Junior School Guidance Officer
Ms Karla Shaw Senior School Guidance Officer
Ms Alicia Gray Guidance Officer
Ms Karen Meiklejohn Guidance Officer

Exam Slaying Checklist
Reach Out Australia has created the following infographic which will assist students as they enter the assessment period.

Source: Reach Out Australia
Clarks Logan City Bus Service
Please be advised that the 2020 rollover of bus passes must be collect by Wednesday 4 March following the Department of Transport and Main Roads (School Transport) yearly rollover process for 2020 bus passes.
Any 2020 rollover bus passes that are not collected will be noted and dated off, meaning that a new application will need to be submitted.
Any further queries, please contact our office on 3200 9606 from Monday – Friday, 9:00am-4:00pm.
Ms Tia Lek Customer Service Representative
Clarks Logan City Bus Services (Qld) Pty Ltd
FairPlay Vouchers
Empowering students to move
FairPlay vouchers assist eligible school students with membership fees, to join a sport or physical activity. Eligible families can apply for a voucher valued up to $150. Applications are now open.
Queensland Government
Yeronga Junior Australian Football Club
The Yeronga Junior Australian Football Club is currently accepting registrations across all age groups with both girls and boys youth teams (Under 12 – Under 17). Many current students are members of our club. For more information, please email yerongajuniors@aflbj.com or view the flyer below.

Ms Kim Bridle Secretary
Yeronga Junior AFC
Community Plus+ Summer's End Garden Party
Community Plus+ Summer's End Garden Party will be held on Sunday 23 February at the West End Croquet Club in Musgrave Park. Enjoy an afternoon full of music and dancing to celebrate the end of summer with our local community.
Summer’s End Garden Party
Sunday 23 February 2020
3:00pm to 8:00pm
West End Croquet Club
91 Cordelia Street, South Brisbane
Featuring
Emily Wurramara
Kurilpa Reach
Dana Gehrman
DJ Synergy
Bring a Plate
Dance Flash Mob
A safe, dedicated kids art and activity space
Food and drinks available (licensed bar for adults 18+)
This ALL AGES event is FREE for children aged under 16
Tickets: $10 (pre-booked) or $15 (at the gate)
Proceeds support Community Plus+ to welcome people who are connecting, creating and making positive change in their local community.
Tickets and more information available via Eventbrite
Ms Caroline Gardam Caroline Gardam Communications
One of the great strengths of our school community is the partnerships we develop with our wider community. These partnerships allow us to build on our long traditions to enable our students to achieve their potential. To meet the needs of our unique school, State High relies heavily on the support of the community.
There are many sponsorship opportunities available to promote your business to our school community. These opportunities include sponsorship of our school, major events and ceremonies, sporting and extra-curricular activities, as well as festivals and parent functions.
Please visit our website for more information on our current sponsorship opportunities.

The newsletter also has a sponsorship section which provides a great opportunity for local businesses to engage with our parent/guardian community. If you would like to be a part of this, please contact Schoolzine.

Phone Jude 07 5414 2363
jude.dawson@schoolzine.com.au