Term 1 - Week 3 - February 2024

From The Principal

Dear Parent and Carers,

Welcome to Term 1, Week 3 Newsletter.  From this week, the newsletter will be published every second week – weeks 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 of the school term. 

Year 12 Investiture

Congratulations to our 2024 Year 12 School Leaders:

            School Captains: Grace O’Kane and Jamie Muriata

            Sports Captain: Elle Jenkins

            Student Leadership Team President: Zoe Walters           

                                       Vice-Presidents: Chantelle Topacio, Alanna Cooper                         

            House Captains: Kirrama – Bonnie Dore, Lachlan Raciti

                                        Walter Hill – Brooke and Hayley Johnson

                                        Tyson – Chloe Watt

                                         Mackay – Livinia Brauer, Alyssa Patch

Thank you to all the parents and family members who attended the ceremony to support your students.  Thank you to the Year 12 Coordinator, James Brennan, for the organisation. 

School Sport and Extra-Curricular Activities

Tully SHS fully supports and actively encourages all students to participate in sport and extracurricular activities.  These events create wonderful memories and connections for students across the Cluster, Region and State if selected.

For students to participate in these activities they must uphold the school values, wear the correct Tully SHS uniform, be in regular attendance at school, and be working towards payment of any outstanding school fees. 

Our community values sport and extracurricular events: if there are any issues with regards to these expectations, please ensure you make contact with the school. 

P&C Meeting

The first Parent and Citizens meeting for the year will be held next Thursday 3.15pm in the school library.  I encourage as many parents as possible to attend to have your say and provide the school with feedback on our systems and processes.  One hour a month is all that is required for P&C involvement at Tully SHS.  The Tuckshop is an amazing source of funding, therefore very little extra work is required from active P&C members.  I look forward to meeting as many parents and citizens at our meeting next week.

Year 7 Survivor Games

Today Year 7 students are participating in the Survivor Games. This annual event, headed by the members of the Student Leadership Team, is designed to support the transition of our Year 7 students to high school. Thank you to Bradley Dennis and Angela Bevan for the organisation. Photos will be published in the next newsletter.

Have an awesome fortnight! 

Yours in learning,

Ms Helen Carne

Principal

NAPLAN at Tully State High School

From March 13 to 21, Tully SHS Years 7 and 9 students will participate in NAPLAN (National Assessment Program, Literacy & Numeracy) testing, as will all other Years 7 and 9 students across Australia.

Across these days, our students will participate in a total of four tests: Numeracy, Writing, Reading and Conventions of Language (grammar, punctuation and spelling). Students will be completing NAPLAN online, that is, utilizing computers rather than paper tests. Beneficially, testing is tailored to each student, automatically adapting to the student’s test performance, giving questions easier or harder depending on the student’s answers at juncture points. In questions where reading is not being tested, such as in the Numeracy test, students also have the option of pressing a speaker button to have the questions read to them.

NAPLAN tests are constructed to give students an opportunity to demonstrate knowledge they have acquired throughout their curriculum journey across their years of schooling, and are treated as just another routine assessment in our school assessment calendar.

Our students are well prepared for NAPLAN through the intensive school focus on reading and writing; the teaching of language conventions; our focus on daily writing; and the explicit Maths lessons occurring daily in their classrooms.  

If you are interested in seeing the types of questions students encounter in NAPLAN, please visit https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site where you can view sample tests.

Prior to the testing period, Years 7 and 9 students will participate in a practice tests scenarios to ready our computers for the test period. This practice test is not scored or marked and students are encouraged to play with the functions and the other assistive options that will be available in the test period.

If you would like further up-to-date information regarding NAPLAN generally, please visit the ACARA (Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority) NAPLAN website at www.nap.edu.au . A parents and carers information brochure is available on this website at https://www.nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/naplan-information-brochure-for-parents-and-carers.pdf and information regarding the privacy of student data is available at https://nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/resources/naplan-privacy-notice.pdf

While participation by all students is expected, students may be withdrawn from the testing program by their parent or carer. This is a matter for consideration by individual parents or carers. Withdrawals are often intended to address issues such as religious beliefs and philosophical objections to testing.

Applications for student withdrawal by parents or carers from NAPLAN are to be discussed initially with the Year Level Head of Department:

• Junior School – Year 7s, Ms Bevan (abeva12@eq.edu.au)
• Middle School – Year 9s, Mrs Paton (rpato17@eq.edu.au)
• or the Head of Inclusion, Ms Lauren Jarvis (ljarv26@eq.edu.au) no later than Friday March 8.

If you have any queries regarding NAPLAN at Tully State High School, please contact me via the school office.

Kind regards,

Mark McLoughlin

Deputy Principal – Junior School

Mighty Donation!

Tully SHS takes pride in its close links with the local community; indeed, we are a crucial link between the families who comprise the community and other institutions and businesses that we rely on.

We often ask local business to help us with donations or opportunities for our students to experience, but this week we received a surprise gift from Mitre 10 - golf umbrellas for our outdoor sports events!

There are quite a number of these occasions throughout the year, so students and staff will be grateful for the extra shade. A big thankyou to Mitre 10 for their thoughtfulness and generosity!

TSHS Sports News

Congratulations and Good Luck!

Good luck to the students attending trials in Week 3 & 4 - Basketball (16s), Netball (15s & 19s), Rugby League (15s & 18s) & Football/Soccer (16s & 19s boys, 15s & 19s girls).Venues & times will be communicated in trial information letters. 

Congratulations to Kaiden Roberts who competed for Peninsula at the State Triathlon Championships in Hervey Bay. 

Sports Messages

• Sign up to nominate for Term 1 Sports was held during Week 1. Students who missed doing this must see Mrs Parkes in the HPE staffroom.  As trials approach, notes and trial paperwork will be distributed to students on the lists.  Students must ensure they are checking their emails regularly, and listening to Student Notices so they do not miss any important information about trials. 
• Students wishing to officiate as referees / umpires at the 10-12 Rugby League / Netball Gala Day on Friday 23/02 (Week 5) at Tully SS, please see Mrs Parkes in the HPE staffroom this week. Rugby League referees must have a qualification. 
• 12 Years Sport (born 2012): Year 7 students who were born in 2012 will compete in the 10-12 years sport activities. The first Southern Zone trials for the year are Touch Football, Netball, Rugby League, Basketball, AFL, Golf and Tennis.  Netball, Rugby League and Touch Football trials will be held at gala days in Term 1.
• 12 Years Sport (born 2012): Students who nominated for Rugby League and Netball will need to attend a training/trial session during Weeks 3 & 4. Students must ensure they listen to Student Notices each morning for further information. 
• House Sports – Each Monday in the MPC at First Break, students compete in various games for their Houses. Student attendance is recorded by House Captains. Participation points will go towards the House Spirit Trophy, presented at the annual Sports Awards Night.
• Sport Trial Dates: The Cassowary Coast trial dates are included in this newsletter (below). A full list of Peninsula dates can be found on the Peninsula website.
• Students must remember to listen carefully to daily Student Notices and assemblies to find out more information about upcoming sports events, nominations and meetings.

Carnivals: Our first sports carnival for 2023 is the Annual Swimming Carnival, scheduled for Thursday 28 March - Week 10.  Permission notes will be available closer to the date.

Upcoming Events:  District Sport Trials - Term 1, 2024

Venues & times will be communicated in trial information letters. 

Welcome to Tully State High

My name is Kayla Munson, and I teach HPE and English. I grew up in Hervey Bay but I have lived in the Sunshine Coast for the last six years, where I also attended university.

I love my sport, particularly Rugby Union, which I played for six years with the USC Barbarians! I also love my NRL and my team is the Brisbane Broncos! I love anything in the outdoors, hiking, fishing and camping!

My name is Lily Kars. I’m a returning local, having spent a few years studying in Brisbane where I recently completed my Masters of Education. My partner and I are loving being back in the area, living by the beach and looking forward to getting back into the community!

My name is Courtney Anderson, and I have moved up from the Sunshine Coast with my partner and our Border Collie. Before that, home was  the Tweed Coast in Northern NSW. I have a previous Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations, and a current Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education/Arts. My partner and I love living up here spending our weekends exploring the reef and the rainforest. 

Tully State High School Support Staff

Hi, I am Cathy, the Wellbeing and Engagement Social Worker for Tully State High School.

I work Monday, Tuesday and every second Friday through the school term.

What is a Social Worker?

A Social Worker (SW) is an accredited allied health practitioner who provides professional information and support to their client and family regarding mental health, social, emotional and behavioural presentation.

Social Worker Services in State Schools:

Social Worker services in Queensland State Schools support students, parents, carers and school communities to promote connectedness and engagement of young people who are referred through the school support system to maximise their education outcomes, emotional wellbeing and equity of service provision.

Social Workers can help students with:

• engagement and attendance
• address the personal and academic impacts of suspension and exclusion
• navigate the welfare system and relevant supports
• complex home relationships
• life transitions and family change
• discrimination and social inequity
• juvenile justice and out-of-home care

Who is eligible for Social Worker services?

Students with a clinical diagnosis of mild to moderate mental health concern or students suspected or at risk of a mental health concern and who are enrolled in any Queensland State School.

How is the service delivered?

Social Workers work within education teams to support the wellbeing needs of the referred student. Assessment and/or support is offered to the student when informed consent is provided. The service may include direct, indirect and whole school with a focus on student connection, engagement and support to maximise education outcomes.

If you feel your child meets the eligibility and would benefit from seeing a Social Worker, or if you would like to have a discussion around whether your child is eligible, please call the office on 40 684 555.

Thank you,

Cathy Cavallaro

Tully State High School P&C

Welcome, parents and carers, to a brand-new year at Tully State High School.

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself: my name is Wendy Finlayson, the President of our school’s P&C.

 I wish to extend an open invitation to all parents, carers and friends of our 2024 cohort of students to join and participate in the TSHS P&C. I appreciate that many of you may have been active in your child’s primary school P&C and I fully understand the demands that it took to be involved.  Your Tully State High School P&C is very different, and only requires you to attend one meeting per month during the school term, either in person or via a phone hook-up.  We run two profitable businesses, the uniform shop and tuckshop, so there is no need to help fundraise or give up too much of your time.

What are the benefits with being part of Tully State High School P&C?

• We learn the ‘ins and outs’ of the school and what it takes to have a safe and vibrant community for our kids.
• We have a direct line of communication with our principal.
• We are part of the leadership of the school, participating in Awards Night and review process of future student leaders of the school.
• We are involved in decisions about where funding generated from our businesses is spent. Our profits directly contribute to areas of the school that need assistance and are deemed important.
• Our tuckshop consistently provides fresh, healthy, tasty and affordable food for our students, and we also ensure uniforms are well-priced. Despite our small profit margins, we no longer need to rely on volunteers; we employ people to keep these businesses functioning efficiently while ensuring prices are affordable for our families.

Succession planning is currently our main issue within our P&C, with three of the four executives no longer having children attending. Trish (secretary) and Tammy (treasurer) both had their kids leave this school over three years ago, while I saw my youngest graduate last year.

Fortunate as we are that the current executive continues to serve, it would be fantastic to see some new parents/carers at meetings to contribute towards the decisions made. This is your school, and our path to the future should reflect the current cohort. My personal experience has been a very pleasant one, and I have enjoyed giving back to the school via my involvement with the P&C.

Without a P&C, the Tuckshop and Uniform Shop may have to be outsourced, and profit made would not be cycled back to our school.

We have a very large and exciting project in the pipeline.  So, if you are interested to know more about your school P&C, please come along and participate. Help be a part of your child’s education into young adult hood.

The next meeting is on February 15at 3.30pm at the MillSide Café (behind the MPC). I look forward to seeing you there.

Wendy Finlayson

TSHS P&C President

English Faculty

English classes have started the year well. 

Year 8 classes are being taught explicit reading strategies such as visualising, finding the main idea and looking for supporting facts and details. Their assessment this term is a small group discussion so we are busy learning how to add to ideas, disagree politely, interrupt politely, paraphrase, and keep a conversation going. Year 10 students are getting into current affairs – analysing political cartoons and news articles to see how writers use particular techniques to position readers. 

Year 12 Essentials students are creating a TED talk on a local, national or global issue important to them. Year 12 General students are currently studying Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and Geraldine Brooks’ March with a view to exploring how literature can shed light on contemporary issues.

Essential English is a great course for teens as it is very much about finding your place in the world.  Kyrra Weston, one of the Essentials teachers will be travelling to Brisbane this month to present a workshop to the State Conference, Charting a course for success in Essential English. Her workshop is entitled, Navigating the vastness of English:  Rural and Remote Essential English. We wish her well.  Also this month, Nancy Grainger and I will be attending a Saturday course with Dr Claire Hansen of the Australian National University on teaching Othello.

The two keys to success in English are continued daily reading, and keeping up with current events in the world.

Kathleen Macdonald

HOD English

Parent and Community Code of Conduct

Queensland Health School Immunisation Program (SIP)

Tully State High School participates in the Queensland Health School Immunisation Program (SIP).

The 2024 SIP consists of the following:

Year 7 - Boostrix (Diptheria, Tetanus & Whooping Cough booster)

    -  Gardasil 9 (HPV)

Year 10 - Meningococcal ACWY & Meningococcal B (2 doses)

Catch up sessions for other year groups are conducted where required.

Dates

Monday 11 March 2024 – Year 7 Gardasil 9 (hpv) & Boostrix  & Year 10  Men ACWY & Men B Dose 1  

Monday 22 July 2024 – Year 10 Men B Dose 2 & catchup’s  with 3 vaccinators

Immunisation Consent forms are available from the school, and will be handed to year 7 and 10 students over the first couple of weeks of term 1.

Consent forms are to be returned to Tully High School as soon as possible after being received or when remembered – with reply either “yes” or “no”. Immunisation sessions are conducted at your school by Q Health staff. Catch up immunisation sessions are conducted regularly by Q Health staff.

Arrangements can be made for immunisations to be given at the local Community Health Clinic should this be requested by the family please call Jane 0429645666.

For all of your Immunisation questions please contact your local School Immunisation Program Co-Ordinator:

Jane Nolan
School Immunisation Program Co-Ordinator

Cassowary Area Community Health
Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service

jane.nolan@health.qld.gov.au
M:   0429645666

Frequently asked questions for parent, legal guardian or authorised person

 What is the School Immunisation Program?

 The Queensland School Immunisation Program offers Year 7 and Year 10 students in all Queensland

secondary schools free nationally recommended immunisations to protect against vaccine

preventable diseases. Year 7 students are offered vaccination against human papillomavirus and

diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (whooping cough). Year 10 students are offered vaccination against

meningococcal disease.

How does it operate?

 The School Immunisation Program commenced as a statewide program in Queensland in 2007

as the most efficient and effective way to immunise adolescents. Queensland Health authorises

school immunisation providers to visit schools and immunise students. To be immunised in the

School Immunisation Program, students must return a consent card signed by their parent, legal

guardian or authorised person. If a consent card is not returned, the student is not vaccinated.

 What is the legislation relating to student and parent, legal guardian or authorised person information?

 The Public Health Act 2005 requires the school Principal to provide information to approved school

immunisation providers for the purposes of following up the parent, legal guardian or authorised

person of students who have not returned a consent card. This includes:

• the name and date of birth of a student
• the name, telephone number, email address and postal address of a parent, legal guardian or

 authorised person of a student, and

• any other information prescribed by regulation about a student. This may include whether the

 student is male or female, which class or group they are attached to, the languages spoken at

 the student’s home and the student’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status.

 How does disclosing student and parent, legal guardian or authorised person information benefit the school immunisation program?

 In some schools a large number of immunisation consent cards don’t get returned to school. This

means parents, legal guardians or authorised persons may not be receiving information about the

program and given the opportunity for their child to be immunised.

 Disclosing student and parent, legal guardian or authorised person information means that the

school immunisation providers will be able to determine those who have and have not consented,

and directly follow-up with the parents, legal guardians or authorised persons of students who

have not returned a consent card. This direct follow-up ensures all parents, legal guardians or

authorised persons are offered the opportunity for their child to participate in this important

school health program and protect their child against vaccine preventable diseases. It may also

assist in making decisions about their child’s immunisation needs.

If my child returns a consent card to school, will I be contacted?

 No. If your child returns a consent card to school, you will not be contacted. However, you may be

contacted if the information you provided on the consent card is not clear or incomplete.

 Can I decline consent for my child to participate in the school immunisation program?

 Yes. You will need to complete the consent card to record your refusal in the ‘No to vaccination’

section and return the consent card to your child’s school. This will ensure you are not contacted by

the school immunisation provider.

 Is the Principal required to pass on student and parent, legal guardian or authorised person information to a school immunisation provider?

 Yes, unless the Principal determines it is not in the best interest of the student to pass on the

information. An example of this may be a child under a protection order.

 How will the information be protected?

 All school immunisation providers are bound to comply with the Queensland Information Privacy

Act 2009. This Act stipulates the requirements for the secure collection, use, storage and disposal

of personal information to be followed by school health program providers.

 How will information be transferred, used and stored?

 Student and parent, legal guardian or authorised person information will be given to the school

immunisation provider in a secure format agreed to by the Principal and the school immunisation

provider early in the school year. The information will be securely stored and only accessed by

authorised staff. School immunisation providers must store and dispose of disclosed student

information in accordance with the Queensland State Archives guidelines.

 Where can I get more information?

• Call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84)
• Visit Queensland Health’s Immunisation website:

 https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/immunisation/ adolescent.

TSHS Uniform Dress Standard

TSHS Uniform Shop

P & C Meetings

TSHS Tuckshop - Banny Bites Menu

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BreastScreen Queensland

Junior Netball

Play Netball 2024

BreastScreen Queensland

Tully Touch - Season 1

Casual Cleaners Wanted

Uniforms Wanted!

Tully Multipurpose Centre