School Newsletter - Issue 7 - December 9, 2022

From the Principal's Desk

Dear Families

Thank you for your support of our school during another complex and challenging year. This greatly contributed to the success of our school’s programs throughout 2022. Our end of year events recognised this success and it was wonderful to celebrate with so many families and community guests.

Next year brings a number of new initiatives. Our new tuckshop, outdoor area and engagement centre is expected to be completed at the end of Term 1 at a cost of approximately $4.4 million. This will provide additional world-class facilities and be a wonderful asset to our school.

We are introducing three new subjects for 2023. With the endorsement of the Minjerribah Moorgumpin Elders-in-Council we will expand our Jandai language program to both Year 7 and Year 8. This is a great outcome that will allow students who develop higher levels of language and cultural skills.

Second, we will introduce ‘Work Studies’ as an elective as part of our Humanities program for Years 9 and 10. This subject will provide opportunities for students to learn about work practices and better prepare students who are on a vocational pathway.

Finally, ‘Outdoor Education’ will be a new elective led by our HPE facility, that will provide a hands-on approach to allow students to have experiences in outdoor education for both their studies and as a possible pathway for future work.

Another significant change is to our student wellbeing program, ICARE, which will be called SPARC in 2023. From next year, students in Years 7-9 will have the opportunity to engage in this program through a mini-electives or club model. Before the start of next year, students and families will be sent an email that will list a large variety of clubs for students to identify their preferences. Students will have the chance to join two clubs in 2023, one per semester. Each club will be vertical aligned, meaning that students in Years 7-9 can learn in the same club. Years 10-12 students will have the option of leaving school at lunch on Wednesday, with their family’s permission, to study, attend work or traineeships. This opportunity will only be offered to students who are on track with their studies and school engagement. Senior students can also help teachers with the Junior Secondary clubs or stay at school for additional support. The senior wellbeing program will be conducted through a number of scheduled presentations. More information will be provided to students and families at the start of next year.

I wish all our families all the best for the new year.

Leonard McKeown

DipT BEd GradDipMgt MEd(Res) MBA MACEL MAICD 
Executive Principal

CIQ Chinese Language Student Incentive Awards

As part of the support program for our Confucius Classroom, the Confucius Institute at QUT (CIQ) offered their support to students and staff involved in the teaching and learning of Chinese language and culture by providing an Award Incentive up to the value of $260. These awards were designed to recognise student commitment and excellence to their Chinese language studies during 2022.

Poppy Garden - Remembrance Day

Over the past week, students and volunteers helped plant poppies around the Paul Bancroft Centre and U Block to honour our Veterans for 2022 Remembrance Day. This poppy garden started last year with 300 poppies and this year, we have grown the exhibition 1000+ red and purple poppies. We have added purple poppies alongside red poppies to remember the animals that lost their lives to war.   

Cleveland High thanks the wonderful people involved in making and planting the poppies. We planted close to 1200 poppies in just under 30mins, it was a great team effort. On behalf of Ms Edwards and the Student Council, I would like to thank everyone involved for their effort.  

Vanessa 

2023 Leader 

2022 Remembrance Day

Cleveland High Students has a long tradition of working with the Redlands RSL Sub Branch in a variety of activities.

On Friday the 11^th of November, two of 2023 Junior Leaders and, Year 10 student Ivan, along with Ms Edwards and Mrs Ryan, attended the Redlands Remembrance Day Service at ANZAC Park Cleveland.

Ivan, partnered with a Vietnam Veteran to lay the fallen soldier’s slouch hat at the cenotaph. Ivan felt very honour to be asked to participate. Our upcoming Junior Leaders represented Cleveland High in laying a memorial wreath on the behalf of the school. 

Cleveland High students are heavily involved in the Defence Force Cadent program and once again our students were in attendance doing a variety of jobs. This was a wonderful opportunity and we thank Redlands RSL Sub Branch Mr Michael MacDonald (League Secretary) and Mr Ian Gray (Deputy President) for giving us these opportunities.

We commemorate and remember those who served and made the ultimate sacrifices and we ‘Thank all past and present service personnel for their Service.’

 Lest we forget

Honour the Fallen

Recently, Student Council representatives, 2022 Junior Leaders and, 2023 Senior & Junior Leaders assisted the Redlands RSL Sub Branch by participating in the Honour the Fallen Project.  We went to Cleveland cemetery to honour the veterans who served our country, by placing Australian flags on their final resting place. This event is special because it allows Cleveland District State High School to show our respect towards the Veterans who gave their lives for Australia.

Cleveland District State High School would like to thank every past and present veteran for their service.

Lest We Forget

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander News

Celebrating with our Year 12s at Graduation is always a special time.  We wish them well and look forward to hearing about their future successes

It was rewarding to see the outstanding sporting achievements that were celebrated at the Sports Awards event. Congratulations goes to Sterling Cockatoo-Collins who was selected to train at the National Indigenous Rugby 7s Camp. We certainly have some talented sportspeople in our midst.

Congratulations to our students who had their successes in the academic and citizenship arena recognised at the 2022 Presentation evening. Many of our students earned Excellence Awards in a number of areas.

Senior and Junior Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander bursaries were awarded to Georgia Matthews and Anika Anderson in recognition of their high attendance rate, their willingness to engage with studies and co-curricular activities and to share and promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. Anika has also been selected as a 2023 Junior School Leader and, Georgia has represented students on the Ministerial Student Advisory Council in 2022. 

Jasmine Kitchener received the QATSIF Young Indigenous Leader Award; awarded to students who have demonstrated great leadership and, have made a significant contribution to their community. Jasmine has been an excellent role model for her peers, a tireless worker at cultural events and a valued member of the EATSIPs committee. Jasmine’s achievements were also recognised by Beyond Broncos with their annual award.

Some Year 7 and 8 students had the opportunity to participate in the Deadly Choices Good Quick Tukka program. These omelettes were delicious. We see some budding chefs in our midst. We thank Taylah for her cooking and nutrition guidance.

We recently welcomed our 2023 Year 7 students at our Orientation Day. Students reported that they had a fun day and they are looking forward to joining us next year.

Our Year 7 students were excited to have the opportunity to study Jandai as a language option this year. Preparations are underway for Jandai expanding to Year 8 next year.  Student comments include: “I love Jandai! It gives me a chance to connect and get closer to my culture. I can also learn with my friends.” “I get to learn about culture. This class is engaging and fun.”

We deeply appreciate the support of Minjerribah Moorgumpin Elders In Council Aboriginal Corporation and community members in the development of this subject.

As the school year comes to an end, we wish our students a fun and relaxing break. 

Beyond The Broncos

Term 4 is almost finished and, it has been an amazing year! We have seen students participating in the Indigenous Round Bangarra dance on national tv, our first smoking ceremony, Quandamooka traditional dancing for their peers and parents during special occasions and much more.

Last year, two students in the program  graduated year 12. This year, we saw an increase with six Beyond the Broncos students graduating from the program and school. CONGRATULATIONS AND ALL THE BEST!

OPPORTUNITIES: BCF, Coles, Rebel Sports and Kmart are hiring. We also have 3 full time business Traineeships at Cleveland and Capalaba. If you would like more information on the traineeships or would like to apply for any positions please don’t hesitate to contact me.

UPCOMING EVENTS: A select number of students in the program, who maintained 90% attendance, good behaviour and were culturally involved throughout the whole school year, have been awarded a free trip to Dreamworld in week 10.  Happy holidays and I look forward to working with students participating in the program next year.

Jadeen Chisolm SSO  Jadeen.chisholm@broncos.com.au

Chinese Cuisine

Our Year 8 Chinese class had a fantastic time learning about Chinese cuisine this term. As part of the authentic Chinese food experience, the students spent a lesson on Friday learning and making traditional Chinese spring rolls. They also got to taste their own delicious spring rolls.

Tuckshop News

As we are approaching the end of the school year, the Tuckshop Team would like to express our thanks to all that have supported us this year. We could not operate such a wonderful Tuckshop without your support.

Merry Christmas

We would like to wish all the students, teachers, staff & support people throughout the school community a very safe and happy Christmas and an exciting New Year.

We need YOU!!

Are you looking for something to do next year??

We are looking for some wonderful volunteers to help support the Tuckshop next year. If you think you would like to come and lend as a hand and help out, please give us a ring on 3824 9214 or Tina on 0407960547. Talk soon.

Year 9 Business Venture

On Wednesday 9^th November 2022, Mrs Birmingham’s Year 9 Business class held their Icecream Sundae and Spider stall.  Each group created and produced their own unique Sundae or Spider to sell during lunch with profits being donated to the Cancer Council.  Each group were successful with selling out of their product and raising over $440 for the charity.  We were lucky enough to have Trish from the Cancer Council come and present a letter of thanks to the class.  The other business classes also raised close to $400 earlier in the year for the Make a Wish Foundation and Daniel Morcombe.  Everyone had a great time and recommends choosing Business as a subject for this valuable experience.

New Leave Pass Email Address

For added parent convenience we have created a dedicated Leave Pass Email Address.

Along with our 24 hour Leave Pass Line this new email address will be an additional means of communication for busy parents.

Ways to request a Leave Pass:

Email – leavepasses@clevelanddistrictshs.eq.edu.au

Phone – 3824 9222 (Option 2)

QParents Portal

When requesting a Leave Pass, please remember to include the following information:

Student’s Name & Roll Class

Date & Time of Departure

Reason for Departure

Parent’s Name and Contact Number

It is important that Leave Passes must be requested before 10am each day.

We look forward to continued support from Parents as we move into 2023 together.

Space arrives at Cleveland High

Cleveland District State High School has been honoured to have received framed photos from Australia’s First Australian Satellite System (AUSSAT) by Mr John Butler Wellbeing Officer Redlands RSL Sub Branch. This system provided nationwide TV, Radio and Telecommunications services via three satellites launched successively by the NASA Space Shuttle and the European Space Agency rocket system ARIANE.

Two stamp designs were released by Australia Post in 1986 to commemorate this historic event. Reproductions of the original artwork created for the stamp issues are combined with sets of mint condition stamps and one of only 355 Australian flags carried aboard the Space Shuttle “Discovery” in this limited Stamp Art production.

Cleveland District State High School thanks Mr Butler for this donation and the Science department can’t wait to display this wonderful donation.

News from our Student Council

2022 has been another outstanding year for the Student Council. We have run successful barbeques at Cross Country, Athletics and Multi-Cultural Day, Gold Coin Days supporting Shave for Cure, Bandana Day, Day for Daniel and Cancer Council. We have supported Chaplaincy and participating in Share the Dignity Appeal. Working with Redlands RSL Sub Branch is part of our culture and we have been honoured to support them in their events: Honour the Fallen (ANZAC & Remembrance Days), creation of our poppy garden and attending ANZAC, Vietnam and Remembrance Day Services. 

Student Council is a team, and I would like to thank the 2022 Leaders; Joseph, Bella, Lilly, Leon, Claudia, Jaleyna, Courtney, Jemma, Sophie, Liam, Annabelle and Elodie for being outstanding leaders and role models.  Also, thank you to the Student Council Representatives who have attending the meetings, created the poppy garden, assisted with creating the displays throughout the school and, working on the BBQ’s.

I would also like to acknowledge, Ms Westbury, MsYarwood, Mr Mitchell, Mrs Birmingham, Mr Mabbs, Mr Murray, Mr McKenzie, Mrs Allan, Mrs Knowles, Mrs Paddock, office administration and the tuckshop staff for their support and assistances with the running of our events. We wouldn’t have our success without everyone’s support.

We wish everyone a wonderful and safe Christmas Holiday.

See you in 2023.
Joni Edwards
Student Council Co Ordinator

Senior Schooling News

Our 2022 year 12 students have only just left the building, having celebrated 13 years of schooling with a beautiful Graduation Ceremony on Friday 18^th of November.  They are literally only 2 weeks out the door and yet, we are already blown away by a number of stellar achievements from this group since beginning life beyond the gates!  It seems our programs of study and the range of opportunities on offer at Cleveland District SHS are indeed preparing our students to 'Meet the Future'.  Check out these marvellous stories from some of our recent graduates.

VET SUCCESS

• Yr 12 Graduate Luke Burr missed his own Graduation Ceremony. He was attending a work conference in Melbourne, to assist Doctors Without Borders with their charity work. His newly attained Diploma of Business assisted him in acquiring this position! Congratulations Luke!
• Lambertine Gombongi and Susmita Rana are both employed full-time, thanks to the successful completion of a Cert III in Health Support Services.
• Declan Tate and Harry Smith have both assumed trainee management positions through their part-time jobs, which they maintained throughout their senior phase of learning.
• Mia Baeb has acquired a full-time position with Island Transport, utilising her Certificate II in Logistics.

WORK EXPERIENCE SUCCESS

• Yr 12 Graduates Seth Milne and Toby Shambrook were invited to take on full-time cadetships as draftsmen with a company that hosted them for work experience throughout Year 12. Congratulations  on your impressive achievements.
• Troy Webb secured a full-time apprenticeship following a short stint of work experience in cabinet making.
• Based on our good standing in the community, we have had a number of apprenticeship and job offers for graduates of CDSHS in a variety of fields.

ACADEMIC SUCCESS

• So far, we have heard of close to 20 students given early entry university offers, in fields such as; economics, business, midwifery, health and sciences. These offers came via text during the Graduation Ceremony!  What timing! 
• Our fingers are crossed for all of our QCE/ATAR students who find out their results on 16/12/22 and, our IB students whose results are released in early January.

COMMUNITY SUCCESS

Furthermore, our newest alumni were celebrated at the recent Redlands Coast Young Legends Awards.

• Brennan Beattie – was winner of the category for ‘Young Creative’ Redlands Coast Legend, for her contribution to The Arts.
• Taiyo Bush – was nominated as ‘Young Sports Leader’ Redlands Coast Legend for his work with Redlands United Football Club.
• Daniel Lalor – a 2021 graduate, was a recipient of a ‘Young Carer’ Redlands Coast Legend Award.

These students join a long list of CDSHS students who have been recognised for their community contributions in recent years.

What a cohort!

Crazy Sock Gold Coin day

On Thursday 1 December, we held a special Gold Coin Day to raise funds for LOVEYOURSISTER.ORG. This organisation was set up by the actor Samuel Johnson to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer.

Student Council would like to thank everyone who supported this event.

Library News

Thank you!

It has been a wonderful year in the Library. Students were welcomed into the Library space to read, print, research, play chess, complete the jigsaw puzzle or to find a quiet place for calming thoughts. Our Library promoted a healthy reading culture at CDSHS through our varied spectacular displays and activities organised by our dedicated Library team. We have loved getting to know your student and wish you and your family a very happy Christmas and Summer holiday filled with lots of books and reading time.

Horror at the Library!

At the end of October, in the spirit of Halloween, and to promote the Horror genre, we ran a Horror writing and drawing competition in the Library. The response from our students was overwhelming with many outstanding entries that were displayed for students and staff to vote on. The talent and creativity of our students was truly remarkable. Thank you to the students who entered our creepy Horror story and artwork competition.

Outstanding Resources

Thank you for encouraging your student to return their Library books. We received many books after sending emails home as a reminder. There are still some students from Year 7 to Year 11 who have outstanding Library resources. Please note these students will not be allowed to borrow books or receive their digital textbook resources until their Library books have been returned.

Lost and Found

Please note that at the end of each semester we donate any uncollected items to charity and/or the Junior and Senior Engagement Centres. If your student is missing an item, please contact the Library.

Redland City Library

Our local libraries have many Summer Holiday activities for your student. From Christmas crafts to Science shows, there are plenty of opportunities to entertain your student. Please use the link below to find out more about these activities.

https://www.redland.qld.gov.au/schoolholidayactivities

Happy holiday reading from the CDSHS Library Team!

A Taste of Poem Calligraphy in Chinese

春(chūn) 眠(mián) 不(bù) 觉(jué ) 晓(xiǎo)，处(chù) 处(chù) 闻(wén) 啼(tí) 鸟(niǎo)。夜(yè) 来(lái) 风(fēng) 雨(yǔ) 声(shēng)，花(huā) 落(luò) 知(zhī) 多(duō) 少(shǎo)？

In appreciation of this most famous Chinese poem《春(chūn) 晓(xiǎo)》, written by Meng Hao Ran during the Tang Dynasty, Year 9 Chinese students experienced the mesmerising Spring morning scenery portrayed by the poet. On the first day of Spring the author wakes up, hearing the chirping birds feeling the joy. He remembered the storm yesterday, and now wonders how many flowers have fallen overnight.

In term 4, the students learnt a unit on Seasons and Weather, and had fun writing a poem in calligraphic style just like the poet, and travelled back in ancient China for a short moment.

Sushi and Onigiri Day

This week, the students of Year 7 and 9 Japanese, with Mr. Kim, celebrated the end of their Japanese classes for the year by making sushi and onigiri!

This was the first time for many of the Year 7’s in cooking sushi and they absolutely nailed it! 

Whilst many of the Year 9 students had created sushi in the past, the students newly discovered the joys of creating their very own onigiri. This is a simple triangular or round shaped ball of rice, wrapped in nori (dried seaweed), filled with flavours of your choice. The students chose from fillings of tuna, kewpie mayo, avocado, cucumbers, edamame, and even some wasabi!

Have a look at the beautiful creations by our Year 7 and 9 students of Japanese!

Online Video Session with a Chinese School

In week 8 and 9, our year 9 Chinese students enjoyed two exciting and informative online sessions with their peers in China. Students who participated in these sessions are from ZhenHe Foreign Language School and Hou Biao Ying Primary school in NanJing, which is the capital city of the highly academic province Jiangsu and is rich in literature and histories.

In the first session, the students in China showcased their beautiful and enriched school life and some highlights of the Nanjing City. Then, our students enthusiastically returned the favour by presenting them the Brisbane city, Cleveland High and popular songs and films in Australia. While we are amazed by the large variety of novel musical instruments they play, we also proudly demonstrated our ‘national dance’- the Nutbush. Last but not least, Godzilla, Marvel movies and Justin Bieber are the common interests of all students!

Overall, all students had fun exchanging culture and discovered many similarities and differences!

News from our Creative Arts Department

Thank you to all of our students and families who have supported our Creative Arts programs this year and very best wishes to all of you for a happy holiday season.  We look forward to more great Arts experiences in 2023!

Creative Arts Ambassadors

Announcing our Creative Arts Ambassadors for 2023!  From a talented pool of applicants, our Senior Ambassadors for 2023 are Caelan McCarthy and Francesca Summerville and our Junior Ambassadors are Zoe Bennett and Katie McDuff.  We were pleased to have our current Ambassadors present the badges to our new Ambassadors at our recent Arts Awards evening.  Thank you to our outgoing Ambassadors for your great work this year, and well done to our new Ambassadors – we are confident that you will follow in the footsteps of your predecessors as fabulous representatives of the Creative Arts program in 2023!

Jazz Under the Stars

In November our Jazz and Vocal Ensembles performed at our inaugural “Jazz under the Stars” concert at the Amphitheatre.  The skies were clear and the music was sweet at this outdoor performance enjoyed by a relaxed audience on picnic blankets and camp chairs.  Audiences were treated to jazz tunes performed by guest artists, The Redlands City Band, as well as our own premier ensembles.  Congratulations to all performers, staff and tech crew on another wonderful evening of music.

Arts Awards

The Creative Arts faculty were pleased to recognise the excellence and commitment of its many talented students at the recent Arts Awards.  We were also thrilled to welcome back some of our alumni award winners to assist with the presentations - thank you to Amanda Hesse, Will Higgins, Harold Bryson-Dean and Lachlan Forno for attending.  The night showcased a series of stunning performances from Music, Dance and Drama ensembles and also paid tribute to the graduating Year 12 students who have made such a valuable contribution to the Arts in their years at Cleveland District SHS.  We will miss you Year 12s – best wishes for your future endeavours and please stay in touch!

Year 11 Film and TV

In their last week, our year 11 Film, Television and New Media students had the opportunity to watch their short films on the biggest cinema screen in Queensland to celebrate their hard work this semester. After consuming enough popcorn to feed a village, and watching their friends and family star in Oscar winning potential performances, our year 11 FTNM students were taken for a tour through the projection room. This behind the scenes scoop allowed students to witness the inner workings of the technology and distribution practices of the cinema industry. 

Thank you, Cineplex Victoria Point, for giving these students this once in a lifetime experience. 

Year 9 Dance

This term Year 9 Dance have looked at music videos that feature dance. For assessment they came up with a concept for a music video and choreographed for this concept in any dance style of their choice. They then storyboarded their concept, considering the camera shots that would effectively and creatively capture the movement they had developed. Finally, the class worked together to bring these concepts to life on film! They did a fantastic job – well done students!!!

Year 7 Creative Arts

The Year 7 students have been exploring music in Creative Arts this term, and have learnt how to play the ukulele!  Developing coordination on a new instrument is a challenging learning experience, engaging both fine motor and cognitive skills, and our students embraced this opportunity with determination.  Well done Year 7s!

Student Point of View: Kayla, Junior Creative Arts Ambassador

This term was a massive term for the Creative Arts Department. We started off with Music Showcase and Dance Fusion which featured our talented ensembles and dancers. This was an amazing start to the term and was super important for these featured ensembles. As a member of the Junior Choir, Musical Theatre Troupe, Junior C-Club, Wind Ensemble, and the Intermediate Dance Team, it was amazing to be part of both of these nights. For a school to have all these different ensembles is incredible.  We then enjoyed a night of “Jazz Under the Stars”. This music evening had guest ensembles and artists visit, as well as featuring our own Jazz bands and choirs.

To finish the term, we had our Awards nights. Here, multiple students were awarded with their very deserving awards. We had Arts Awards, Sports Awards, and Presentation Night. All three of these featured performances from the Performing Arts students. There were performances from the Junior Choir, Junior Concert Band, Year 12 Dance, Senior Strings, Senior Vocal Ensemble, Musical Theatre Troupe, Year 11 Drama, Jazz Collective and the Intermediate Dance Team at the Arts Awards (the largest number of performances throughout the week). Sports Awards and Presentation Night featured the Wind Ensemble, the Intermediate Dance Team, Senior Vocal Ensemble, Jazz Collective, Symphonic Band, and Jazz Orchestra. It was extraordinary to see all the students who got awards and the talent shown. The Year 10 Dance Team and Jazz Collective then got to perform at the Year 12 Graduation (congratulations Year 12s!) to create a fun and exciting atmosphere.

To be an Arts Ambassador at this time of the year was especially amazing as I got to MC the Music Showcase with my fellow Arts Ambassadors and introduce the Arts Awards with Sarah, the other Junior Arts Ambassador. It was amazing to see how much this school has to offer and is going to continue to offer after COVID. Being in the Arts has created a home and safe space for me where I can be myself. I love Performing Arts as it is a passion and being in the Arts and taking Music as a subject has meant that I get to work on my passion every day. Working in different ensembles at school has helped me find people who are like-minded and enjoy performing. 

This has all been made possible by our wonderful Creative Arts teachers and the team behind them! To the Creative Arts Department: Thank you so much for everything and all the opportunities! I look forward to next year to embark on another year of Creative Arts!

News from Our Uniform Shop

PARENTS / CAREGIVERS – January Appointments open as of Friday afternoon 09/12/22.  We are open for 2 weeks preceding school restarting from the 9^th January by APPOINTMENT ONLY, so please book.

FLEXISCHOOL ORDERS – Any orders placed during the school closure can be picked up when we come back from Jan 10^th, but you WILL need to book an apt for this.

LAYBY – Still available – 20% deposit.

SECOND-HAND CLOTHING – For the full policy, please see the pdf on the schools Uniform Shop webpage.  Please do not bring in stained clothing we cannot accept it.  Please NOTE: All items coming in now will only be purchased by us for $5 or $10 depending on condition as we have a lot of stock that is not moving.

GENERAL – A big thank you to all our lovely students, parents, and carers for your support during the year it is greatly appreciated.  We do hope everyone has a safe and joyous Christmas & New Year and we look forward to seeing everyone again in 2023!

Normal hours resume from Monday 30^th January and appointments will NO longer be required, you can just come in, shop hours during term are MON, TUE, and THURS 8am – 10.30am. 

From the Finance Desk

We have had a tremendously positive response to the new billing system for the 2023 Student Resource Scheme. We would like to acknowledge the families that have taken advantage of the early payment discount and thank all families for your ongoing support.

A reminder that an additional $30 will be invoiced as the balance of the 2023 SRS for those that have not taken advantage of the early payment discount.

Please ensure a minimum deposit of $30 is paid on 2023 SRS at the commencement of the 2023 school year.

The finance office will be re-open Tuesday 17/01/2022

Thank you and have a safe festive season

BeaConz Group

This term, our BeaConZ group organised a campaign called, Videos for Change Competition whereby Year 7, 8 and 9 students were invited to create a 1 minute video about a social issue that they are passionate about and through which they can raise awareness.  Congratulations to our winners, Year 9 students, Maya Hepburn, Gabrielle Mol, Isabella Hay, Tobias Cramb and Ben Eckersley.

A second activity that was facilitated by this BeaConZ group, was the conduct of a Food Waste Audit with some of our Year 7 ICARE classes.  Student engagement was high with ideas and strategies forthcoming on ways of improving our waste collection and disposal within the school. Students learnt about our school’s organic waste program with the installation of sub-pods this year and how they can continue to contribute to the development of our program.  Thank you to our teachers and students involved in this valuable program.

International Student Program 2022 Round-up

Cleveland District State High School’s International Student Program (ISP) has hosted students for over twenty years. The program has grown from just one or two visiting students per year to over sixty students some years from countries including; Belgium, India, Papua New Guinea, China, Japan, France, Italy, Vietnam, Norway, Switzerland and Germany. Whilst some students come for the social and cultural experience of Australia (Study Aboard), others come to participate in our academic program (Graduate Program) with the further goal of completing tertiary study at an Australian university.

In 2022, the elimination of Covid-19 border restrictions meant we welcomed our first students to the CDSHS International Program in just over two years. It is worth mentioning that our first (and only) student to arrive in term one was required to; fly into Sydney (Queensland was closed), quarantine for two weeks, cross the border in Queensland and repeat the quarantine experience. Such an effort speaks highly to the value of a CDSHS education! Whilst other confirmed inbound students were expected, slow visa processing played havoc, significantly disrupting/delaying arrivals, commencement dates and prompting homestay family adjustments. Term two saw the arrival of three more Graduate students however, the big program shift occurred in term three when the Study Abroad program restarted and, we welcomed twelve new students to our campus. Into term four, a further seven inbounds arrived bringing the 2022 total to thirty-six Study Abroad and Graduate Program international students. 

Semester two also saw the return of Education Queensland International study tours. CDSHS ISP successfully hosted three study tours from Japan; the only country to participate in the study tour program in 2023. Of particular note, we welcomed sixteen girls from Salesian International School, nine of whom enjoyed such a positive experience with our school community they have elected to return as long-term Study Abroad students for 2023; a true measure of our successful program. Looking forward to 2023, we are expecting to host approx. ten study tours; welcoming students from all across Asia. 

The ISP acknowledges the real stars of 2022; our homestay families who continued to go ‘above and beyond’ to provide exemplary pastoral care of our international students in an unpredictable social climate. The role of our homestay families is critical, underlining the blanket of pastoral care CDSHS weaves to support our international students. Both our short-term and long-term homestay families are equally valued and, without their extraordinary support, our CDSHS International Program would cease to exist. In particular, we would like to make mention of Jenny and Peter, homestay parents to Owen (from China). Owen is our last remaining ‘Covid-19’ student who has been onshore in Australia for three years without the possibility of returning home to see his natural family.  We congratulate Owen on his resilience and wish him well as he concludes his Year 12 studies and makes his way home for the Christmas break. To add to this good news story, Owen will return to Australia in 2023 to study Science at the University of Queensland. Jenny and Peter, the fact that Owen refers to you as being, ‘just like his real mum and dad’, is testament to your special care and support of his welfare over the past three year. Thank you.

We also acknowledge the outstanding work of Mrs Mandy Myler, our new CDSHS Homestay Coordinator. In semester two, Mandy was tasked with the enormous challenge of rebuilding our homestay pool after the three-year homestay (Covid-19) hiatus. The skill required to liaise, meet and connect with so many different families across the local area is significant. On behalf of the extended International Student Program family, we congratulate Mandy on a job (very) well done. Acknowledgement too, goes to Mrs Sharon Hendy-Moman who doubled as International Student Program and Homestay Coordinator in semester one and; in partnerships with Mr Grant Mitchell Deputy Principal, conducted a total of 22 homestay visits to re-accredit previously established homestay families. Overall, the 2022 recruitment and certification of quality homestay families to host incoming students was a significant endeavour for the International Student Department. 

Once again in 2022, our team of staff and students featured heavily in two virtual global recruiting conferences for Education Queensland International. This was a major logistical endeavour, with nearly two hundred agents from across the world logging in to the live sessions. CDSHS received excellent feedback from both the agents and EQI staff. The virtual exchange resulted in two onshore professional visits to our school from prestigious Japanese schools. As well, Mrs Sharon Hendy-Moman participated as a panel speaker at the Educaiton Queensland International conference.  Our department also hosted two virtual professional learning sessions for; ATAR curriculum (Volleyball) to Taiwanese and, International Baccalaureate (English and Japanese) to Japanese educators. The International Student Program would like to acknowledge the expert support from the CDSHS IT department in facilitating access to new digital platforms that allowed us to communicate with different countries required comply with heavily stringent ICT protocols. Also, we acknowledge the professional time of our CDSHS educators who provided world class inservce, support and collegiality to international teachers across the globe.

As a 2022 initiative to promote CDSHS and the International Student Program, we launched the Cdshs_and_isp Instagram account to showcase and promote our school as an educational destination of choice for international students. To date, we have over 350 followers (many from across the globe) and the numbers continue to grow with each new post. Our CDSHS international page received an update and, we were commended by EQI for our marketing strategy. We take this opportunity to follow our account to track the experiences of international students at CDSHS via these digital platforms. 

The CDSHS International Student Program continued to build a very special relationship with the Rotary Club of Cleveland. Covid-19 restrictions meant the club was unable to host its annual student through the Rotary International Student Exchange Program. Together, our programs realised the opportunity to sponsor Vanessa Feng, CDSHS Graduate Program student from China. The strategic partnership resulted in generous opportunities for Vanessa to continue to pursue her dreams to be a world class mathematician/scientist. The International Student Program looks forward to identifying further opportunities to support our international students through our valued Rotary partnership.

As an academic high point this year, 2021 CDSHS International Student Alumni, Richard Qin and Kim Tran were winners at the inaugural Education Queensland Awards for Student Excellence. Collecting two out of the three major awards, Richard won the Academic Achievement category and Kim, the Outstanding Contribution Award. Each received a trophy, framed certificate and a $500 gift voucher. Also, we congratulate Vanessa Feng and Juan Michelon Marcondes for being selected as CDSHS School Captain and International Student Liaison officer respectively, for 2023. Congratulations to all. 

Today, we acknowledge the outstanding achievements of our international students who are receiving awards. Your dedication to your studies never goes unnoticed. That you achieve so highly in your second (or even third language) is commendable. Congratulations on your achievements in 2022. The CDSHS community is proud of your exceptional resilience and determination to succeed no matter the circumstances. 

The projected intake of international students for 2023 continues to build and shift daily. At the time of writing this report, we are expecting 58 international students to enrol in our school program for semester one. Term three will also see numbers grow significantly as new applications are accepted for European Study Abroad students in line with the northern hemisphere school calendar year and Summer break. The future of the International Student Program is looking bright. Despite the pandemic, the Cleveland District State High School International Student Program remains steadfast as an unrivalled initiative for the sharing and strengthening of understanding between cultures across the globe.

Year 7 and Year 8 Music Extension Showcase

In Week 9 of this term our Year 7 & 8 Music Extension - Creative Arts students presented a showcase of some of their class work at a concert for family and friends.  The students presented repertoire from their Class Orchestras, as well as small ensemble work from singers, string quartets, pianists, choreographed dance works, compositions, visual art works and stop-motions.  The quality and variety of work on display was wonderful and audiences were impressed by the incredible standard of work being produced by our Year 7 and 8 students.  Well done students – we look forward to more great creative experiences with you in 2023! 

2023 Next Step Year 12 Completers Survey

A reminder that our Year 12 students will be invited to participate in the Next Step Year 12 Completers survey starting in March 2023. The short confidential survey will ask questions about graduates’ activities since finishing school, like study and work.

Graduates can expect to be invited to the survey via a letter from the Minister for Education or an email or phone call from the Queensland Government Statistician’s Office on behalf of the department. Please check your contact details are correct with your school and your learning account by logging into the student portal at https://myqce.qcaa.qld.edu.au/

We appreciate your participation in this important survey as it helps our school improve our senior services for future students. For more info visit www.qld.gov.au/nextstep.

A safety message from the Australian Federal Police

The Australian Federal Police through the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation is seeing a concerning global trend of teenage males being targeted to send explicit images of themselves and then blackmailed. This is called sexual extortion, or sextortion.

The AFP is urging families to have important safety conversations ahead of the school holidays to prevent young people from becoming victim. This crime can have serious wellbeing and psychological impacts.

How does sextortion start?

• Unsolicited friend and follow requests on social media
• Direct messages on one app and then being asked to keep chatting on a secondary app
• Conversations suddenly and quickly becoming sexualised
• Requests for sexualised images or content.

What can families do?

• Have open and regular conversations about your child’s online activities and interactions
• Know what platforms, apps and games they are using and who they are interacting with
• Remain open and approachable, victims will be reluctant to come forward if they feel they will be punished or blamed
• Ensure your child knows that it is okay to leave conversations if they feel uncomfortable or unsafe
• Support your child and know how to respond. The Online blackmail and sexual extortion response kit has been created to recognise sextortion and get help.

The Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation is here to keep young people safe from online sexual exploitation and abuse.

You can make a report via accce.gov.au/report

For further information, resources and advice visit thinkuknow.org.au

Little Friends Scholarship

Back to school time is an exciting time for many children but for some families it can be incredibly stressful trying to find the funds to provide their children with everything they need for school. Book lists, school stationary, uniforms and school fees – it all adds up. Our Little Friends Scholarship has been established to ensure all children have the ability to either further their education and/or be able to participate in extra-curricular activities that they may not be able to pursue due to the financial impact of Domestic and Family Violence within their family environment.

Applications for Round 12 of our Little Friends Scholarship open on Monday 23^rd January 2023

Applications close 4pm (QLD Time) Friday 24^th February 2023

Since the commencement of our Little Friends Scholarship Program we have awarded 656 scholarships at a total value of $285,445

These funds have assisted children by paying school fees, funding the purchase of laptops and tablets, funding swimming lessons, enabling children to attend school camps with their peers, buying new school uniforms for children who have moved time and time again fleeing from their perpetrator, enabling kids to pursue their passion in music, dance, drama and sport.

For more information about the Little Friends Scholarship: Phone: 1300 512 393

Email: scholarship@friendswithdignity.org.au

Jaqui Brosnan, National Little Friends Scholarship Manager

Transdev Change to School Bus 5053AM

Transdev, as a delivery partner for Translink, Transdev will be making changes to the 5058PM & 5053AM service commencing Term 1 2023.

5058PM – 5 minutes added to the trip duration due to consistent late running.

5053AM – 5 minutes added to the trip duration due to consistent late running.

Please check Translink’s Journey Planner to confirm updated arrival times for any given stop/location along this route.

If you have any questions regarding these changes, please contact Transdev on 32486100.

Transdev Change to School Bus 5058PM

Crime Prevention Corner: MOVE OVER AND SLOW DOWN

'Tis the Season - To Look Out for Each Other