Term 4 - Week 7 - November 2024

From The Principal

Dear Parent and Carers,

Year 12 Graduation

Congratulations to our Year 12 students who officially finished school today!  Thirteen years of education completed!  Thank you to the parents, carers and community who attended our Year 12 Graduation Ceremony on Wednesday. It was an outstanding success and a wonderful way to farewell our students.  All the very best for the next chapter in your life!

Academic Awards Evening

One of the highlights of the evening was the announcement of the Dux Awards. Congratulations to our Senior Dux, Ursula C, and Monica CS, our Junior Dux. It was very pleasing to see so many of our students receiving Academic and Subject Awards. A wide range of students are always celebrated through the granting of Special Awards, which acknowledge qualities and efforts that often go beyond academic achievement. Congratulations to those students. Please see below for the complete list.

Thank you to the parents, carers, students and staff who attended this event on Tuesday evening.

Sports Awards evening

Congratulations to all the Sports Award winners. Special congratulations go to our Sportspersons of the Year – Shaun Riley, the Junior Sportsperson, and Kaeyden Ketchell, who won the Senior Sportsperson accolade. Congratulations to Ellie Jenkins, our Sports Captain for 2024, who won the Contribution to Sport Award. 

Thank you to the parents, carers, students and staff who attended this event on Monday evening.

This edition of our newsletter features all of the wonderful events that occurred this week.

Thank you to our staff for the organisation of these events. 

End of Year Processes

Years 10 and 11 students will finish school for 2024 next Friday. Their reports will be emailed to parents/carers on 29 November. Enjoy your holidays.

Years 7 – 9 reports will be emailed to parents/carers on December 6. 

Year 6 into 7 Transition

Welcome to our 2025 Year 7 students!  We hope you enjoy the planned transition days. 

Yours in learning,
Ms Helen Carne
Principal

2024 AWARDS NIGHT

On Tuesday 12 November, our annual Speech Night took place in the Multi-Purpose Centre with huge numbers of students receiving awards. Subject Awards recognised the top student achiever in each subject across all year levels. Many students received Academic Merit and Excellence awards for their outstanding results in particular subjects.  At Tully SHS, we set high expectations: the criteria for merit and excellence are set at a very high standard, so congratulations must go to these successful students.

Many parents and members of the local community were on hand to witness students also receive Special Awards and Bursaries, generously donated by supporters of our school.  Our 2024/2025 School Captains, Mia Uitenweerde and William Dodd, did a brilliant job of presiding over the evening events. We saw the last Mooma Park Droughtmaster Stud Cattle Handler of The Year Award handed to Samantha Patch and the introduction of two new awards, The Sarah Frazer Chemistry Award and the Instrumental Music Outstanding Achievement in Band Award, both granted to Jarra.  

The night culminated in the exciting announcement of the winners of the prestigious Junior and Senior Dux awards. This year, Monica CS was awarded Junior Dux with her excellent results for Year 9, with Ursula C taking out Senior Dux.  Congratulations also go to Ellie Jenkins for being named Ampol Allrounder, and to Zoe Waters for earning the Trevor Anderson Most Outstanding Student.

Congratulations to all students receiving awards, and a huge thankyou to Mrs Stewart and the Concert Band for the entertainment during the evening.  Recognition must also go to the teachers and families of these students, as their success is also a product of your hard work and perseverance. 

Mrs Rebekah Bidois
Deputy Principal – Senior Secondary

Academic Awards Criteria

Academic Awards criteria vary with each year level, and denote Merit and Excellence.

 YEARS 10, 11 & 12

Academic Awards are calculated from the student’s best five subjects in Years 10, 11 & 12.

Academic Merit Awards are awarded to students who have achieved an A in three of their five subjects with nothing less than a B in their remaining two subjects.

To receive an Academic Excellence Award, students must be awarded an A in four of their five subjects with nothing less than a B in their remaining subject.

 YEAR 9

Academic Merit Awards are awarded to students who have achieved in their seven subjects, an A Level of Achievement in two subjects, a B Level of Achievement in four subjects, and nothing less than a C Level of Achievement in their remaining subject.

To receive an Academic Excellence Award, students need to have achieved in their seven subjects, an A Level of Achievement in four subjects, and nothing less than a B Level of Achievement in their remaining three subjects.

YEARS 7 & 8

To be awarded an Academic Merit Award in Years 7 & 8, students must achieve two As and three Bs in their five core subjects. 

Academic Excellence Awards are presented to Years 7 & 8 students who have achieved three As and two Bs in their five core subjects. 

SLT News

The Team has been very active since its reformulation following the departure of the Year 12 leaders. In Week 5, the Student Leadership Team operated a free BBQ for all students, a popular feel-good measure to launch Mental Health Week. Almost 600 sizzling sausages found their way on a slice of fresh bread to the outstretched hands of appreciative students during Break 1, a feat of organizational expertise by members of the team. A core group began the cook-up during Period 1, joined by an assembly line of bread’n’napkin providers, sauce squeezers and overseers later in Period 2. No child was left with hunger pangs.

At the Assembly that morning, the three Tuckshop heroes – Convenor Tania and her assistants Maria and Janice – were celebrated and their wonderful work acknowledged by President Jarrod and Vice-President Lacey with gifts and a giant card inscribed with thank-you messages from numerous grateful students. In many ways, the Tuckshop is the beating heart of the school - lifting spirits, satisfying hunger, and adding to resources funding.

Early in Week 6 we celebrated Melbourne Cup with a wonderful photo booth created by Tania, the Tuckshop Convenor, for those with fascinating hats and winning smiles. Interestingly, it was very popular with our male students! Then we boosted Breast Cancer funds with themed cupcake sale on the Friday, along with a Pink Free Dress option for a gold coin donation. The response was so heart-warming, with many people contributing -staff as well as students. In total, we raised over $1,300, an impressive amount just from our school community.

 Already we have great ideas for 2025, which we will discuss further during our Induction and Planning

Thierrine Bromley

Sports News

SPORTS AWARDS

The Southern Zone Cassowary Coast District Sport region celebrated a year of achievements at their annual Sports Award Night on Monday 11 November.  Over 200 students from Tully SHS, and Cluster Primary Schools (St Clare’s, Tully, Mission Beach, Feluga & Cardwell) were acknowledged at the awards for selection in 10-12 Years and 13-19 Years District, Peninsula and Queensland teams.

This year saw many talented athletes from across the Cluster represent at Peninsula level with 25 students in 10-12 years sports, and 45 students in the 13-19 years sports.   The evenings special awards celebrated both Junior and Senior Sportspersons of the Year.  Shaun Riley won the Ben La Spina Memorial Trophy for 10-12 Years Junior Sports Person.  This is the third win in a row for Shaun.  Kaedyn Ketchell won the 13-19 Years Sportsperson.  Both students gained Queensland team selection this year: Shaun for Track & Field and Kaedyn for Rugby League.

Congratulations also to Ellie Jenkins, awarded Contribution to Sport Award, and to Tyson house, the recipient of the House Spirit Award.  

Special guest, Brayden Marzona (2018 TSHS graduate), spoke about his journey to professional boxing, Muay Thai and MMA fighting. Brayden acknowledged the hard work required to achieve goals both on and off the sporting field. He also spoke of never losing sight of your dreams and the importance of leaving no stone unturned in the challenge of overcoming setbacks.

Finally, congratulations to the 114 TSHS students who represented the Cassowary Coast District in sports this year.  We look forward to another year of sporting success in 2025. 

Alcohol and Young People

Alcohol use is common among young people, with one-third of Australians between the age of 12 and 17 reporting recent drinking and about 4% regularly engaging in risky drinking behaviour. Parents are often the main supplier of alcohol to children under 18.

Young people and binge drinking

When speaking about alcohol drinking in young people, the term ‘binge drinking’ comes up frequently, however there is no clear definition of this term. Generally, binge drinking occurs when a person drinks heavily over a short period of time resulting in rapid and severe intoxication. Binge drinking is sometimes defined as ‘drinking to get drunk’ and high alcohol volume drinks are common in these settings.

Almost half (46%) of 12-17 year old school students have consumed alcohol in the past year, a quarter (27%) have done so in the past month, and 15% have done so in the past week. Approximately one third (34%) of Australian school students aged 12-17 years have never consumed alcohol.

The likelihood of Australian school students aged 12-17 years consuming alcohol increases with age. Those who are younger are more likely to have never consumed alcohol. Older students are more likely to have consumed alcohol in the past year, past month and past week compared to younger students.

• Among Australian students aged 12-17 who drank alcohol in the past week, the average number of drinks consumed was 6.2.
• Boys consumed more on average than girls, with boys drinking 7.6 drinks and girls drinking 5.0.
• The average number of drinks consumed increased with age: students aged 12-15 drank an average of 5.0 drinks, while those aged 16-17 drank 7.0.
• In 2017, 44% of students aged 12-17 had ever consumed alcohol at levels posing a short-term risk of alcohol-related injury. Sixteen percent drank at risky levels in the past two weeks, 23% in the past month, and 41% in the past year.
• For those who drank in the past week, the most common choice was premixed spirits (37%), followed by beer (22%) and spirits (19%).
• Girls primarily drank premixed spirits (47%) and spirits (24%), while boys most commonly drank beer (34%) and premixed spirits (29%).
• Among students who drank in the past week, 35% had their last drink at home, 31at a party, and 15% at a friend’s house.

In Australia, alcohol is the second leading cause of drug-related death and hospital admissions after tobacco. Over one in every 10 deaths (13%) of Australians aged between 14 and 17 is alcohol-related, and each week around five Australians aged 15-24 years die and another 200 end up in hospital due to alcohol-related causes.

Major risks associated with alcohol:  Increased risk of experiencing an accident or injury, for example through road traffic accidents, falls, fires and drowning. This risk is especially high among young people, increased risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or unintended pregnancy, Increased chance of experiencing violence, for example getting into fights or being assaulted.

Longer-term problems include alcohol dependence, brain damage and problems with brain development, malnutrition, cardiovascular (heart) problems, cancer – alcohol has been linked to a range of cancers, including mouth, oesophagus, liver and breast cancers, liver problems, increased risk of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression and may also increase problems with diabetes and obesity.

For further information, follow the links. https://nadk.flinders.edu.au/kb/alcohol/alcohol-young-people#:~:text=more%20each%20week%3F-,Among%20Australian%20school%20students%20aged%2012%2D17%20years%20who%20consumed,5.0%20drinks%2C%20respectively). https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ndarc/resources/NDA073%20Fact%20Sheet%20Alcohol%20and%20Young%20People_0.pdf

General Labourer in Australia

What skills do I need to become a general labourer?

Because manual labour is usually involved in some way. Some general requirements you will need to meet before applying include: 

What is a general labourer?

A general labourer or unskilled labourer does not need specific skills or higher education to work in construction, as on-the-job training is usually provided. Being a general labourer often involves manual labour or tasks that require physical strength and perseverance rather than technical knowledge. These are the labourers commonly associated with the term ‘Tradies’.  

What is it like to be a general labourer?

General labourers form the majority of the workforce on a construction site. They complete the more general tasks and assist skilled labourers — often following the direction of skilled labourers and supervisors.  

Task and duties

These are some of the tasks you can expect to do as a general labourer: 

• Loading and unloading materials; 
• Setting up scaffolding on the worksites; 
• Cleaning your tools and machinery; 
• Preparing sites for construction; 
• Digging trenches; 
• Mixing cement and asphalt. 

What skills do I need to become a general labourer?

Because manual labour is usually involved in some way. Some general requirements you will need to meet before applying include: 

• Being physically strong (such as being able to lift at least 10kg); 
• Be willing to conduct work outdoors; 
• Be willing to do shift work; 
• Work as a part of a team. 

What do I need to become a general labourer?

For an entry-level construction or general labouring role, the certification you will need before starting a job as a labourer would be a ‘white card’. 

What is the white card?

The white card ensures that all construction workers are familiar with the safety equipment, as well as health and security policies on a construction site — it is an essential card for working in construction in Australia, and is recognised throughout the country. 

How to get a white card? 

To get a white card, you can complete a course either online or in the classroom from an approved Registered Training Organisation. This can take several hours. If you choose to do the course in class, you will need a full day. The course can cost between $30 and $200 depending on the organisation.  

Note that before you apply to get a ‘white card’ you will need to create an USI (Unique Student Identifier). The process is free and will only take you 5–10 minutes. To apply, simply go to the specialised USI site of the Australian government.  

Some other licenses/permits/tickets you may need depending on the job, may include but are not limited to: 

• Driver’s licence; 
• Forklift licence; 
• Scaffolding permit; 
• Traffic Controller licence; 
• Materials platform hoist licence; 
• Ability to pass a pre-employment drug and alcohol test. 

From the P & C.

This year, the Tully State High School P&C and local primary schools have the opportunity to cater for the 2024 Tully Bull and Bike Ride on Saturday the 23November.  If you are available to help in the kitchen for any length of time between 3 and 9 pm, please contact me on 0427769181. 

Please note that the next and final meeting for 2024 will be held at the Mt Tyson Hotel in Butler Street on 20 November at 5.30 pm. All parents are welcome.

Katie McLaughlin

2024 Tully State High School
Parents & Citizens President

Aust Government Mobile Service Centre

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Have Your Say

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School Age Community Disco

2025 Scholarships

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Uniforms Wanted!