14 March 2018

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

It has been 8 weeks now since the beginning of the school year and with just over 2 weeks until the schools holidays it feels like Term 1 seems to have come and gone with a blink of an eye. I am pleased to report that our enrolment numbers have increased in 2018 which is testament to the hard work from the schools leadership and teaching teams in ensuring Miami High offers a quality education for every student.

We have had a number of school events during March and the dedication and commitment by both staff and students has been nothing but extraordinary. One of the events was our Year 7 2019 Enrolment Information Evening which was held on Thursday 1 March. The afternoon commenced at 4:30pm with tours of the school and presentations and demonstrations from each of our Departments followed by an information session in the Great Hall. The attendance by our community looking to Miami High School as their future High School of choice was overwhelming. A very big thank you to key staff who helped to coordinate this important event to showcase our school community as a quality Independent Public School.

Next week, on Tuesday 20 March our P & C will be holding their Annual General Meeting (AGM). During this meeting the election of officers/ the executive committee will take place. If you are interested in being a part of the committee or a member of the P & C we would love to see you. The meeting commences at 6:00pm in the Resource Centre located beside the Great Hall.

No doubt everyone has been able to see as they drive by the school the major works taking place in and around the school’s Administration building. This has been in the pipeline for many years and I am pleased to report that this is almost near completion. The end result will provide greater working spaces promoting team work and productivity, whilst the entrance which will be relocated to the southern end of the building will be much more inviting for guests. I would like to thank the parent community for their patience during the refurbishment (particularly the restriction of one incoming phone line) and encourage you to drop by for a look in Term 2.

As we come to an end of a term it is that time where we assess student progress in order to report to parents / carers on the progress of their child in each of their subjects. Parents should expect to receive interim reports at the beginning of Week 2, Term 2. Again reports will be sent electronically. This enables teachers to maximise teaching and learning time for the whole of term 1 with their students to ensure they have deep learning outcomes. Parent and teacher relationships are critical in a child’s education and I encourage everyone to make contact with their child’s teacher should they have any concerns.

The Easter break and Commonwealth Games will soon be upon us and I encourage you to refer to my recent correspondence in relation to school operations prior to and during the games, and access the following link below for all up to date information on GC2018.

I would like to wish all staff and student families and friends of our school community a very happy and safe Easter. I hope some of you are lucky enough to have tickets to the Commonwealth Games and be part of such an exciting experience and I look forward to working with everyone again when school resumes on Tuesday 17 April 2018 as Monday 16 April 2018 is a Student Free Day.

Mrs Sue Dalton
Principal

Dates to Remember

Sport’s Report

It has been a busy month of sport at Miami SHS. From the Swimming carnival in week 3 to a whole host of Oceanic sport trials and students who have made South Coast Teams to compete at State Titles.

Congratulations to the following students who have been named as the 2018 Miami High Swimming Age Champions:

From the school swimming carnival we had a team of students attend the Oceanic Trials. Congratulations to all students in the Miami SHS team who as a school came second overall at the meet, and also to Kaiden Hubbard who was named as the Oceanic 15 years boys Age Champion.

From here students went to the South Coast Trials and if chosen in this team are to compete at the Queensland championships. Congratulations to the following Miami SHS students who have been named in the South Coast Team to compete at the State Titles at the end of this this term: Davide Romei, Ben Hance, Tasmyn Askew, Kaiden Hubbard, Ruben Rees and Max Kennedy.

Many students at Miami have been attending Oceanic sports trials and the South Coast Trials. Congratulations to students who have made Oceanic Teams and the following students who have been named in South Coast Teams to compete at State Titles.

OCEANIC TRIAL INFORMATION

Oceanic trials are well underway for many sports and these are being advertised to students in daily notices and on the school Facebook page.

If your student is interested in trialling for an Oceanic team they need to see Miss Gardiner in D block staffroom for an Oceanic Permission Form.

This year South Coast School Sport have made the decision that all Permission and Details booklets must be completed electronically before being signed by parents and the Sports Coordinator before the trial dates.

The South Coast booklet can be found at the following address:

This document can be saved and reprinted as many times throughout the year if your student wishes to trial for multiple teams. If your student is selected in the Oceanic team then a $20 electronic payment directly to South Coast is required and further information about this is handed out at the trials.

Students need to continue listening to notices and checking Facebook posts to keep up to date with trials that are coming up.

Finally, the Girls AFL Umpiring Academy is in full swing. Thank you to AFL Queensland for offering such an opportunity to our Year 9-12 female students in term 1. The girls involved are developing their AFL umpiring skills and building confidence in their decisions in the process. Well done to all involved.

The Miami SHS Cross Country is fast approaching! On Friday 27th of April at Pizzey Park all students will take on a 3km Cross Country course. Students have the opportunity to competitively run the course with the hope of making the top 8 in their age group, as these are the students who will attend the Oceanic Trials as part of the Miami SHS team. Alternatively, students can use this as a fun run or a social walk with friends around the course enjoying the exercise and atmosphere of the day. The day is run as a half day event with students are allowed to dress up in their house colours from lunch time.

Ms Danielle Gardiner
Sports Coordinator/Oceanic District Sport Secretary

Change of Date for the 48th Miami Surf Competition

Unfortunately due to the Commonwealth Games and the anticipated congestion on the roads and beaches around the coast at the time, the decision has been made to change the date of the surfing competition. The new date will now be Friday the 20th of April (Week 1, Term 2). All other details will remain the same.

All of the due dates for payment remain the same and all nomination forms, shirt orders and money is to be paid to the school Finance office by next Thursday the 8th of March.

Any questions please contact Danielle Gardiner in D block staffroom.

Ms Danielle Gardiner
Sports Coordinator/Oceanic District Sport Secretary

Excellence Programs

The last 6 months has been very busy behind the scenes modifying and adapting our Excellence Programs for 2018 and beyond. Excellence Coordinators are working very hard to ensure the program they deliver provides students with unique and exciting learning experiences in their given fields. As a group we are committed to improving the following areas;

• Increased access to off campus activities and guest presenters
• Improved communication with students and parents
• Individual tracking of student performance
• Specific feedback on student performance
• Creating links with key community and industry organisations
• Building Senior School and Tertiary pathways for students within Excellence Programs
• Commitment to improving Leadership capabilities

I am extremely excited about keeping you up-to-date with all events throughout the year.

2019 Enrolment applications are NOW OPEN

It is with great pleasure that I announce the Excellence Program opportunities for 2019. Applications are currently open for all of our select entry courses and all relevant information regarding these opportunities can be found on the school website.

Academic

• Stellar Academic Excellence - New Structure & Curriculum

Cultural

• Contemporary Instrumental Music Excellence - New Structure & Curriculum
• Dance Excellence – Extension to Year 9 in 2019

Sporting

• Athlete Excellence - New Curriculum (replaces PEX program in 2019)
• Touch Excellence - Extension to Year 9 in 2019 plus 10-12 composite
• Tennis Excellence - New Program 2018 (Year 7-9, 10-12)
• Surfing Excellence - New Program 2019 (Years 7-9, 10-12)
• Girls Rugby 7’s Excellence - New Program 2019 (Years 7-9, 10-12)

Mr Rob Petersen
Dean of Enrichment

Need for Feed

The popular Diabetes Queensland school cooking program Need for Feed started this term. This after school program allows students to get hands on, cooking everything from stir-fry’s and curries to cakes and fruit bakes. Student’s master skills in food preparation, learn what to eat to stay healthy, and build up a repertoire of quick and easy recipes that taste delicious!

We have received some fantastic feedback from parents who now look forward to dinner being brought home for them every Tuesday. Parents are also thankful for the program encouraging their children to try new foods and giving them the skills and knowledge to prepare fresh and healthy food.

Ms Karen Purdy
Hospitality Teacher

Dance Excellence

The Year 7 Dance Excellence class has been immersed in learning about the elements of dance as part of their term 1 unit titled, The Dancer Prepares. The class is now currently working on their Bollywood performance task titled, Bring on Bollywood. This is a teacher-choreographed routine combining the study of ritual/social dance with jazz dance to create an artistic performance piece. The class will take the stage for the first time to perform this routine at our Harmony Day Assembly which will be held in Term 2.

The Year 8 Dance Excellence class has been busy in theory lessons demonstrating their knowledge and understanding of the elements of dance and an ability to identify these in a dance performance through writing a modern jazz feature article. In addition to the theoretical aspects of this unit, the students have also been thoroughly engaged in the development of their modern jazz technique through a challenging teacher choreographed performance task titled, Higher Ground. To assist students’ development of modern jazz technique and performance skills in this routine, a master class was conducted by their specialist dance teacher. This was very well attended by the Year 8 Dance Excellence students.

The Year 9 Dance students have ventured out of the dance studio to locations around the school where they have combined their dance skills with film to create their own video clips. It’s an exciting unit which focuses on the development of commercial jazz technique, which is highly sought after within the dance industry today.

Ms Miranda van’t Hof
Experienced Senior Teacher – Dance

Year 11 and 12 Drama in Practice

The Year 11/12 Drama in Practice students have engaged in a series of workshops focussing on the nine viewpoints of stage acting, linking theory with practice.

“In our most recent unit, our drama class has been studying physical theatre, and the use of viewpoints to convey elements of space and time in a performance. The experience has made me realise how small details can vastly change the effectiveness of a scene and how your performance may be interpreted by the audience. Whilst applying the written theory into practice was a challenge, it was a welcomed task met with upbeat enthusiasm from the class, whether it be creating a series of still, snapshot scenes to convey meaningful messages, painting the drama room floors with imaginary red paint or a good old-fashioned game of charades, we all had a lot of a fun with what we were doing.” – Tayla Buckland

Ms Miranda van’t Hof
11/12 DRP Teacher

Drama in Practice

Year 11 Hospitality Soup Kitchen

As part of the year 11 Hospitality Studies assessment, students are running a soup kitchen. The class choose a soup recipe, take orders from the staff at the school, make the required quantity and sell the soup along with some delicious herb bread. We have had a fantastic response with orders which has kept them busy in the kitchen and the students have received some lovely feedback on the soups so far. It certainly has been the weather for it too.

Ms Karen Purdy
Hospitality Teacher

International News

From the 20th to the 23rd of February we hosted a Chinese study group from Dongkang Middle School. Thank you to all the buddies who participated and helped make the students from DongKang Middle School feel welcome in our school!

Ms Belinda Bradshaw
International Homestay Coordinator

Ms Melissa Wilson
HOD International Studies

Maths News

Here we find ourselves at the business end of the term – assessment time!

Years 7, 8 and 9 have recently completed their term 1 exams and are eagerly awaiting results.

Years 10, 11 and 12 will begin shutdown exam block in week 9. As is always the case - effort in class and at home will get the rewards. I am very proud of student’s efforts in class during my room visits. We have a high expectations culture and students are rising to the challenge.

I would take this opportunity to remind all students that a calculator along with standard stationery (pens, pencil, ruler, eraser etc.) are required for exams. Phones may not be used and calculators may not be shared. For shutdown exams remember to arrive at the designated room with plenty of time to get organised.

This week was our most popular Maths Club so far this year. We had 57 students in attendance across 4 classrooms with many Maths Teachers present. We appreciate the commitment of students to our subject – spending an hour of their own time getting extra assistance with homework and exam preparation. Well done! Maths Club is held every Tuesday afternoon in D Block 3:00-4:00pm.

Enjoy the upcoming Commonwealth games – and keep your eyes open for plenty of numbers and their units – hopefully not minutes stuck in traffic!

Mr Todd Campbell
HOD Mathematics

Year 7 Happy Campers 2018

Student Stories

In week three of Term 1, the Year 7 cohort embarked on a three-day camp in Runaway Bay. The new students to our school community were accompanied by a group of dedicated teachers and staff. Most of the camp was organised by a group of Queensland Education staff from the Runaway Bay Sports Centre, who gave students the chance to participate in various activities which included, archery, paddle boarding, beach game, culminating in a disco on the last night. Students and teachers were challenged both physically and mentally while also being provided the opportunity to relax and have fun. Here are Mr. Mckillop’s and Mrs. Schnitzerling’s thoughts on how important they believe these camps are for our new students.

“I think these camps are super important for new students as they get time away with their mates,” said Mr. Mckillop. “The kids get to learn new things and meet new people. A highlight of the camp for me, was getting to meet new students as I only teach one year seven class. It would be great if all year seven students could attend the camp,” he continued.

“Camps are a very good tool we use in schools for kids to get to know each other and staff. It builds relationships and activities are focused on using teamwork. My highlight of the camp was seeing one of the students with a broken arm in a cast participate in the paddle boarding,” said Mrs. Schnitzerling, Dean of Year 7 and 8 students. “It was good to see how well the camp was organised by the staff running it.”

Here is some advice provided by these two teachers for any Year 7s struggling with the transition from primary school to high school.

“Make sure you get to know your teachers and fellow students.”

“Involve yourself in various activities such as Tournament of Minds, Chess Club, GIPSA and Rec Sport as those activities will help you meet many new people.”

Narii Hamill Salmon
Year 9 – Student

The 2018 year 7 camp was an exciting, action-packed three days of fun. We participated in activities both at the beach and at the Runaway Bay Sports Super Centre. Some of the activities at the beach included: raft building, relays and stand up paddle boarding. Back at the sports centre we did team building activities like the photo scavenger hunt, volleyball and archery. On our first night, there was a disco in the champions room, which was very loud and everyone had a blast. The second night, though, had a much calmer, less crazy atmosphere when we watched the hilarious comedy, Drop Dead Fred. Overall, I think that the camp gave us a great opportunity to meet and get to know our year 7 cohort and have some fun outdoors.

Maiya Stevens
Year 7 – Student/ Journalism Club Member

Attendance Matters at Miami High

Our high expectations at Miami High include our attendance. In year 7 & 8 we have introduced the Golden Pineapple. This award is given out to the Vibes class who have the highest attendance rate each week. Every week the year 7 & 8 students are shown their vibes classes’ attendance percentage for the previous week. We are aiming for 95% attendance from everyone. Week 6 saw three Vibes classes excelling at 98% attendance (7C, 7I and 8F). At the end of this term there will be a pool party rewarded to two vibes classes: one group that has kept their attendance high all term and the other to the group who have improved their attendance the most after week 5.

Mrs Schnitzerling
Dean – Year 7 and 8

Film and Television

On Tuesday 20th February, the year 12 Film, Television and New Media class visited the New York Film Academy's Southport campus for a day of film production workshops. Students engaged in various workshops from lighting and composition to on-set protocols where they were required to take on different roles from 1st AD through to boom operator. Our budding cinematographers were lucky enough to have a play with a Red Dragon Scarlet 5K camera, while the actors of the group had to opportunity to improvise various narrative scenarios. Not only did the year 12s enjoy the experience of using industry quality technology, they gained the opportunity to develop valuable relationships with industry and tertiary professionals.

Stay tuned to hear more about the year 11 Film, Television and New Media excursion to Bond University for the Future Filmmakers seminar day.

Ms Lucy Carr
Teacher – Film and Television

Film and Television

Shooter’s Video Club News

Lip Sync Battle is here again! Any student wishing to perform a song at this year's event, please see Mrs Carr in K04 before the end of Term 1.

Keep an eye out for more Lip Sync Battle related news!

Ms Lucy Carr
Teacher – Film and Television

Digital Technology

On Friday, 2nd March, parents of Year 7J Technology students were invited to visit our classroom and view their creations and hard work. Over the past six weeks, students have been working in small groups to design and implement algorithms to complete multiple challenges.

Our first challenge was Grab the Box and Go’ where students lined their robots up approximately a metre away from a lego box. Their robots then had to roll over, put their arm over the box and drag it back beyond the starting line to win. Our second challenge was a ‘Dance-off’ where students picked a song and made their robot dance to the beat for approximately 20 seconds.

It was a fun afternoon where students enjoyed discussing their robots and demonstrating their skills to our special guests.

Digital Technology

MSHS Early Departure Policy

We, at Miami State High School, value the education of your students and believe that every lesson is crucial to the academic success of our students. As a result, we wish to remind parents and students of our Early Departure Policy as outlined on page 6 of our Student Planner (see below).

If a student requires an early departure from school, they must:

• Present a note from their parent/carer requesting permission to leave school to their Dean of Students for approval prior to 8:45am
• Once the note is signed, the student takes it to the Student Services office to collect a leave pass
• Please be aware that any other early departure from school needs to be approved by a Deputy Principal

Miami Valued Partners Program 2018

The Miami Valued Partners (MVP) Program is a school initiative that was founded in 2017 to make use of partnerships with local businesses and community organisations. Our school has a proud history of providing students with every opportunity to reach their full potential and we recognise the important contribution that community-minded businesses and individuals can play in supporting our efforts in this regard.

As the MVP program enters its second year we would like to say a big thank you to all those who have been involved. The level of support that the program has received is a testament to the strength of our community.

2018 is going to be a very exciting year for the program and we look forward to both continuing our existing partnerships and fostering new partnerships.

Are you interested being a part of this exciting program?

Miami State High School would like to invite our families and school community to be a part of our Miami Valued Partners (MVP) Program. We are seeking community-minded businesses and individuals to collaborate with our school to:

• Enrich our Junior and Senior curriculums through community business support
• Attract traineeship, apprenticeship and work experience opportunities for our students
• Access intellectual, physical and / or other resources not available within the school
• Create promotional and networking opportunities for community-minded businesses

We would like to invite our school families and community to partner with us as a ‘member’ in this venture by joining the business directory for $50 per calendar year to promote your business. Alternatively you can become a ‘supporter’ for $100 which also includes an invitation to the MVP quarterly events.

In addition to the business directory, there are four other partnership levels available for community-minded businesses to support the school with various return-on-investment opportunities. These can be discussed and negotiated with Mr Jason Cross (Deputy Principal – Senior Secondary).

For more information on partnership levels and our tailored marketing packages please visit the link below.

Catherine Crowe
Public Relations & Events Officer

Wellbeing Update

This term the year 10, 11 and 12 students have successfully participated in their wellbeing days. The year 10 students were involved in the Love Bites program which is a domestic violence program run by the police and other community members. This is a hard hitting presentation highlighting the importance of healthy and safe relationships. This was followed by art activities and hip hop, all following the theme of wellbeing.

The year 11 and 12 students had a combined wellbeing day where the students were able to choose their own workshops. The presentations included; Managing Your Finances – Yellow Brick Road, Travel Safe- Helloworld Travel, Tips on Renting – Miami Burleigh Real Estate, managing Stress – Chappy Shane, Body Image and Mindfulness – Nicole joy, Alcohol – Nikki Satosha, Healthy Relationships and Sexual health, Car Maintenance – Rob Thomas, Life Skills – Shelley Spence, and many more.

The students enjoyed choosing the topics that they found relevant to them. The feedback was very positive from the guest speakers and the teachers. These days provide valuable information to students for now and the future. A big thank you to everyone that made this events possible. The junior school will participate in their Wellbeing days in terms two and three.

National Bullying No Way Day

Friday 16th March is the National Bullying No Way Day. This day is very important in making a stand against bullying. There is zero tolerance to bullying here at Miami State High school and any time a student feels that they need support they can report any incidents to their year level Deans, Chaplain Shane, Nurse Wendy or any other teacher.

Please support this day by having conversations with your family about the importance of respecting and tolerating other people’s differences. Building resilience plays a major role in being strong when facing unwanted situations.

Wellbeing Tip

Even though autumn is now here the weather is still very hot and humid. Keeping hydrated is important to ensure our bodies can function at full capacity.

Ms Tiffany Grant
Well Being Coordinator/ Student Support

Borneo Expedition 2019

This year we will be offering our students a life-changing opportunity to travel to Borneo with Camps International in 2019.

Students will be working on a range of sustainable and meaningful community and conservation projects before taking on the challenge to complete the adventure element... a trek through the jungle!

We are so excited to have our Queensland representative, Shareece, from Camps International at our assembly in Term 2 to present this amazing opportunity.

Stay tuned for more information.

Important Dates:

Camps International Student Launch Assembly – Term 2, Week 4

Whole School Assembly
Date: Friday 11th May 2018
Time: 8.45am-10.05
Location: Miami Great Hall (at school)

Camps International Parents Presentation

Date: Wednesday 16th May 2018
6:00pm – 7:00pm
Location: Library

Camps International Fundraising & Sign Up Meeting for Students

Date: Wednesday 23rd May 2018
Time: (Second Lunch Break) - 12.55pm-1.40pm
Location: Library

Check out a blog post from a teacher who recently travelled to Borneo to experience what Camps was all about below

Sheriece Kamp
Expedition Coordinator – Queensland
Camps International Group

Student Absentee Line

For all student absences please call our direct number on 5554 0334 or email absences@miamishs.eq.edu.au.

Leaving Forms

Parents, please note: If you are planning on leaving the school at the end of the year, please contact Christine Nowicki at Student Services on email cnowi1@eq.edu.au or 5554-0333 for the leaving form before the close of term.

Finance Office Trading Hours and Payment Options

Opening Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 8.00am to 12.00pm (closed Friday).

Student Payment Times: Before school or during first break

Receipts will always be given for payments made over the counter and will always be available on request for payments made by Internet Banking or Credit Card over the phone

Kellie Johnston
Business Services Manager

Important Information from TransLink

Translink suggests using TransLink’s online journey planner to find the best travel options for your child to travel to and from school. Our helpful tips for journey planning for school services makes planning your child’s school journey even easier.

Alternatively, you can also use the school timetables search if you already know your bus route number.

Travel to school with go card

When your child travels to and from school on public transport with go card, they can save at least 30% compared to the cost of a single paper ticket. That’s in addition to the 50% discount that school students pay compared to adults. These savings quickly add up!

Grab a go card for your child online or at selected retailers today.

Visit the TransLink website for full details on school transport, tickets and fares.

Is your child eligible for STAS?

The Queensland Government provides eligible school students travelling to and from primary and secondary schools with assistance via the School Transport Assistance Scheme (STAS).

Find out if your child is eligible and beat the rush – apply now and pick up your child’s travel pass from your local operator today!

Kind regards
TransLink Customer Relations

Update your Contact Details

ARE YOUR CONTACT DETAILS UP TO DATE – INCLUDING EMERGENCY CONTACTS?

We have been experiencing a number of students presenting to sick bay with serious illnesses/injuries to warrant the school needing to urgently contact a parent/guardian or an emergency contact but with no success. Could you please make sure that your contact details are up to date and ensure your emergency contacts are available if you’re not able to be contacted. This is especially important for when parents are travelling away during the school term and leaving students with guardians. Please feel free to contact the school either by email admin@miamishs.eq.edu.au or telephoning 5554 0333 to confirm your current details.

Parent Contact

NOTE TO PARENTS/CARERS

The school database program can only allocate ONE address per student. If a student is residing equally between two addresses, the parents/carers must decide which address will be allocated as the main address for the student. The second address can be noted on the student’s hardcopy personal file.

If a second report is required to be emailed, please contact the school in order for us to record this.

Kellie Johnston
Business Manager

RTC SMS Text – Home Communication

To improve the communication between parents and the school, Responsible Thinking Classroom (RTC) SMS text messages will be sent daily for all students referred to the RTC. This will provide immediate feedback for parents allowing them to discuss issues with their student, and if they have any concerns, contact the school for clarification. The following texts will be used:

SMS text for daily RTC referral.

Dear parent, please be advised your student was referred to RTC today. Please discuss with your student and contact Miami SHS 55540333 if concerned.

SMS text for student reaching RTC Level 3.

Dear parent, your student has reached Level 3 on RTC. Please support by discussing this with your student. Thank you from Miami SHS.

SMS text for student reaching RTC Level 5.

Dear parent, your student has reached Level 5 on RTC. Please contact Miami SHS on 5554 0333 to arrange an intervention meeting time asap. Thank you.

SMS text for student reaching RTC Level 7.

Dear parent, your student has reached Level 7 on RTC. One more referral may result in suspension. Your urgent support is appreciated. Thanks Miami SHS 5554 0333.

Please take the opportunity to discuss this with your student, should you receive a text message regarding RTC. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Heath Fox
Head of Student Engagement