Newsletter - Issue 5, 2024

From The Principal's Desk

The weeks are flying by and suddenly it is week 4.  There have been some wonderful outcomes in the weeks past and I am very proud to share them with you.  From a facilities perspective: 

1. We have now got access to our new senior outdoor facility which has seen a rejuvenation of the bitumen area between admin and H Block into an oasis of shaded areas, sandstone seating and artificial turf. This area is for the exclusive use of our senior students and provides a great area to relax and study.

2. We have had confirmation that our school tuck-shop will receive approximately $600,000 for refurbishment.  This is likely to happen later this year and we are currently exploring design possibilities.  Our year 10 design students have this as a key piece of work in their current assignment and I cannot wait to see the amazing things that get brought to the table. 

3. Sometimes contentious – but a sign of the times is that we have been approved for the provision of a “School black fence”.  Again, likely to be work carried towards the end of the year and requires some creativity to ensure access and security are maintained.  The estimated cost is approximately $1,100,000. 

4. Finally, we have been provided with a proposed start time for our INTAD facility extension and upgrade.  We should see contractors move on site in term 4 to commence the $12.3m work that sees the extension of and upgrade to a state-of-the-art facility that will be available for use from the start of 2026.  We are currently developing strategies to manage the learning in late 2024 and through most of 2025. 

All this work contributes to providing our students and staff with facilities that enhance our ability to perform the core work: 

• Teachers teaching and 
• Students learning. 

As we improve our students are the beneficiaries.  Our semester 1 2024 academic results show that we are well on track to surpass the state wide targets.  Below are our current results at the end of semester 1. 

I look forward to seeing how well our students continue to improve in the coming term. 

Jackson Dodd,
Principal

Year 7

We are amazing.

We are fine.

We are graduating in 2029

LWB 

This term, students were able to choose their own activity for P5 on Wednesday. Teachers offered a wide and varied range of activities, such as touch football, board games, computer coding, and even nutrition and cooking. The focus is on being Positive. It has been wonderful to see the students actively involved in their chosen activity.

Truancy

Education Queensland defines truancy as “out of class or out of school.”. It is really important for our students to attend every class on time. It supports their learning as well as their class peers. It also allows teachers to do the invaluable job of teaching or young ones. If students truant out of school, it poses a significant risk to them as well as the reputation of the school. Consequences for these behaviours revolve around out students taking time to reflect on their behaviours and the impacts it has on them and those around them. It might involve in school detentions or afterschool detentions. You will be contacted if your child is truanting.

Year 7 Kindness Group

Our wonderful Chappy, Alison Dodsworth is working with another group of Year 7 girls for one lesson every Friday to collaborate on projects, using the students’ ideas, to make Nash a kinder place. This week they started at the best place to start, cooking.

QParents

Please register for Q Parents to access report cards and camp permission forms. Please contact the office on 5480 6333 if you are having any problems.

Week 9

There are two activities for our Year 7’s in Term 3 Week 9, between Tuesday 3 and Thursday 5 September. Both activities are designed to develop a deeper understanding of our core values: Respect, Hardworking Positive and Resilient. 

1.     School Camp - It is being held at Mimburi, Belli Park. Applications for are now closed.

2.     School Activities – Students will be participating in alternate learning activities designed by our staff to be engaging, fun and reinforce our core values. It is expected that students will attend school during this time.

Year 8

Winter Uniform

Thank you to both parents and students for ensuring the majority of the school are in the correct winter uniform. It is pleasing to see students taking pride in their school and presenting correctly for class. Uniforms are available through the school canteen each weekday. If you are having trouble providing the correct uniform for your child, please contact the HOD of Student Services to assist. Remember, for the safety of all students, hoodies are not allowed at school. School jumpers are currently on special for $15.

2025 Enrolments

Year 6 into year 7 student enrolments for the 2025 school year were expected to be to the school office by the end of last term. If you know of a family who has a child in catchment and hasn’t submitted their enrolment application, please encourage them to have the form submitted as soon as possible. Mrs Ann Porter is currently visiting primary schools in the local area to speak to year 7 teachers about how to support students with the transition to James Nash. If we know which students are attending James Nash in 2025, these visits are much more productive.

Year 6 students who submitted an application for a program of excellence or the Go for Gold class, will receive letters through the post this week letting them know if they have been selected. Congratulations to students who have been successful in their program of choice as this will provide them with a positive experience to look forward to when they start secondary school in 2025.

Technology Violations

Phones, headphones, and ear buds are banned during school hours. If a student is caught with one of these items, the student will be required to hand the item into Student Services for the day. Whether the student can collect the item at the end of the day will depend upon the number of times the student has been in breach of the policy. Below is a table outlining the possible consequence for each violation.

Greg Cooper,                                                                                Deputy Principal Year 7 & 8

Year 9

Attendance

During Year 9 Parades this term, the focus has been on continuing to improve attendance with a reminder that “Every Day Counts”.  If your child is away due to illness or for other reasons, can you please let the school know on 5480 6333, option 1.

White Card

There is a White Card course commencing Week 4 of this term.  Can parents/carers of those students attending the course please support your child to have a USI number?  All students must also be fully financial at James Nash in order to undertake this course.  A further White Card course will be held in Week 8. If students are interested in completing a White Card, please submit your name to Ms Haines – HOD Student Services Year 9.

Careers Expo

Year 9 students attended a Careers Expo in Week 1, 10 July 2024.  All students enjoyed the opportunity to explore future employment options and opportunities.

Electives

Students have chosen new electives this term and these will run for the Semester. This opportunity to engage with a number of electives for the whole of Year 9 supports students to make informed decisions for Year 10.

Becki Haines                                                                                                          Shelley Gauld HOD Student Services Year 9                                                                                  Deputy Principal Year 9       

Year 10

Year 10 Students are Up and Running!

At the end of Term 2, the Year 10 Up and Running Awards were presented to three very deserving Year 10 students.  These awards acknowledge students who consistently work hard on their learning and who embody the James Nash SHS values of positivity, respect, resilience and hard work.

76 students were nominated by their teachers from a range of curriculum areas, with many being nominated by more than one teacher.  Mrs Fox, (HOD Student Services Year 10) commented that “It’s important to us that we acknowledge the excellent efforts of our students and build a positive culture which celebrates success.”

Of the many students nominated, three students were selected as winners of the ‘Up and Running Awards’ – Chetan Lonsdale, Chloe Bond and Isaac Dodds.   These students were nominated by three of their classroom teachers and were described as hard-working, respectful, dedicated students, who go above and beyond in their learning.  We are proud to acknowledge the efforts of our winners and enjoyed speaking with parents about the positive contribution these students make to our school.

The families of all nominated students received a personal letter of congratulations in the mail.  We look forward to continuing to acknowledge the excellent efforts of Year 10 students in Term 3.

Year 10 SET Planning

Over the past few weeks our Year 10 students have been working with their Care teachers to select subjects for Year 11.  These are preliminary selections only and these will be confirmed at the SET Planning interviews with families in a few weeks. 

If your student has been absent from school across the past week, please check with them to ensure that they have completed these preliminary selections.  Feel free to contact Mrs Fox or Mr Knight at the school if you have any further questions

Date Claimers:

• SET PLAN MEETINGS with Student & Parent – Week 7, Term 3 Monday 19 & Tuesday 20 August

 Shannon Fox,                                                                                 HOD Student Services, Year 10

Senior School

Formal

Preparation for the 2024 Year 12 Formal is well underway.  Tickets for additional guests are now available for purchase.  Students will receive their armbands for all their guests during their Learning & Wellbeing Lesson on Wednesday 28 August and guests will need to show their armbands as tickets to the event.  Attendance at school on day of formal is not required, students who do attend will sign-in at Student Services in the morning and be allocated to a study area for the day.

Arrivals will commence at 5:00 pm and conclude around 6:00 pm with the formal part of the evening getting underway at 6:30 pm.  Students will be seated at tables and chairs will set-up in the middle of the Pavilion for guests.  The formal part of the evening will conclude around 7:15 pm, after this time students and guests will be asked to vacate the main floor of the Pavilion so it can be set-up for dancing.  Canapes will be served as students, staff and guest mingle until approximately 7:50 pm when guests will be asked to leave.

The Pavilion has provided us with guidelines for arrivals and these were published on the letter previously emailed to students and parents/carers.  This venue has a number of parties as owners ie Gympie Regional Council, Gympie Show Society and Gympie Turf Club and we are required to abide by their rules of usage, so we ask drivers of arrival vehicles etc to please respect these and drive accordingly, eg very low speed when arriving and departing, minimal vehicle noise and follow directions as directed by Security and staff.

Exam Timetable, Assessment Calendar & Report Cards

Exam Timetable, Semester I Report Card and Assessment Calendars were recently published.  Report Cards are available through QParents, please contact the office if you are unable to set up QParents. 

The Year 12s studying GENERAL Subjects will be completing practice exams (previous years’ external exams) in the last two weeks of this term in preparation for their External Exams which commence Week 4 of Term 4.  Results in these practice exams will provide information to both students and teachers about focus areas for revision leading up to the final exams. 

Year 11s studying GENERAL Subjects will be completing the final assessment for UNIT 2 also in Weeks 9 & 10.  Achieving a ‘C’ or better for UNIT 2 will bank 1 point towards the 20 they need for QCE from each subject where they meet this achievement standard.

First Nations News

QATSIF

Congratulations to those Year 12 students who have achieved a 2024 QATSIF Scholarship Graduation Certificate.  QATSIF is proud to have supported the students’ educational journey.  Certificates will be presented at Awards evening this Term.  A graduation ceremony will be held for students and parents on 15 August at University of the Sunshine Coast.

Round 16 QATSIF scholarship applications – Year 10 and Year 11 students

        Student Eligibility Criteria

An eligible QATSIF Scholarship Applicant:

• is a person of Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander descent who identifies as an Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander person, is accepted as such by the community in which they live and reported as such in the school’s Federal and State Government Census Data
• is an Australian citizen and resident of Queensland
• is enrolled at this school as an Aboriginal or / and Torres Strait Islander student. Students who have identified following their initial enrolment at the school may be asked to provide a Confirmation of Aboriginality to QATSIF with this application. 
• intends to undertake and complete their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) or Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement* (QCIA) during the school years 2025-2026 and has the ability and the school's confidence of fully completing their QCE or QCIA* by Year 12 Graduation.
• has current school attendance of 85% or more.
• is under the age of 35.
• is currently achieving A-C in English and a C or higher in every current grade subject.
• demonstrates effort and behaviour of a C or above.
• participates in school activities which enhance their Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural identity.
• demonstrates willingness to fully participate in the life of the school and be a worthy role model of behaviour for other students.

Parents and students will be contacted by Week 4 if students have met the eligibility criteria.  If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact the school or visit the QATSIF website.

Closing date is Monday 19 August 2024.

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students receiving either academically, medical and/or social-emotional support. The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students.

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:

• year of schooling
• category of support: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
• level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.

This information assists schools to:

• formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students in schools
• consider how they can strengthen the support of students in schools
• develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students.

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students.

The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy (https://www.education.gov.au/privacy-policy).

Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal (https://www.nccd.edu.au).

School Opinion Survey

Thank you to all of those who have already completed the Parent/Caregiver Survey. If you have not had a chance to complete the survey yet, please note that the online surveys will remain open until Friday, 16 August 2024. This is your opportunity to provide feedback about what our school does well and how we can improve.

To have your say, check your email for an invitation from the Department of Education titled School Opinion Survey for parents and caregivers, 2024.

Can’t find your invitation? If your family has more than one parent/caregiver, check that they haven’t received the invitation and/or check your junk email folder.

Science

Immediately following the holidays on July 8, Senior Biology students travelled to Brisbane for the day.  Grade 11 students experienced ‘A Day in the Life of a Scientist” focussing on antimicrobials and disease, at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR). The itinerary included hands on activities in the QIMR laboratory, followed by a tour of the Integrated Pathology Learning Centre (IPLC) to view pathological specimens.

The grade 12 Biology students visited the University of Queensland St Lucia Campus to participate in their Experience Genetics Workshop.  Students practiced a number of techniques in biotechnology using state of the art equipment, under the guidance of university professors and tutors.

Grade 12 Science in Practice students have recently been learning about road safety. The local police are supporting student learning by visiting class to explain the law and answer student questions.

On the 2^nd of August, grade 11 Science in Practice Students will be travelling to two local Mary River sites in order to collect water samples and other data to complete their Unit 2 Assessment task.  They will collect samples from Lake Alford Duck Ponds and Mary River, before returning to school to run further experiments on the water and process the data.

As part of their problem-based learning tasks, grades 7 and 8 Go for Gold students will be travelling to Aussie World on the 9^th of August to conduct research and collect data.  The Grade 8 students have an opportunity to investigate the forces involved in various rides, and will be using wearable vests to measure G forces, centrifugal force and acceleration.  The Grade 7 students will be investigating forces, motion and the effects of gravity, as well as practicing budgeting for a day out.

National Science Week is almost here!  Celebrations and activities at James Nash SHS will begin on Thursday August 8.  Students are invited to participate in a range of activities such as a physics guest speaker, Lego technic builds, genetic studies of pets, and fun with fungi.  Students can register for activities in the foyer of the Science (D) block.  Keep an eye on social media for more information.  All students are encouraged to get involved and enjoy the celebration of science! 

The Arts

Year 10 Drama Shines in Queensland Theatre's The Scene Project.

Over Terms 2 and 3, 41 enthusiastic Year 10 Drama students took part in Queensland Theatre's The Scene Project. As part of the Year 10 Drama curriculum, The Scene Project provided a unique opportunity for our students to engage deeply with the Arts community, devise their own scenes, and develop collaborative whole-class performances.

On July 30^th, The Scene Project culminated in a dynamic Outcomes Day at the Brolga Theatre in Maryborough, where our students joined peers from three other schools to showcase their creative efforts. This event not only highlighted the incredible talent and dedication of our Year 10s, but also underscored the importance of arts education and collaboration in fostering creativity, communication, and teamwork. Extra bonus: watching Queensland Theatre perform the play Flowers in Antarctica by Wendy Mocke.

Throughout the project, students learned the value of working together, combining their individual ideas and skills to create cohesive and compelling performances. This collaborative process is at the heart of drama education, teaching students essential life skills such as empathy, problem-solving, and adaptability.

We are incredibly proud of our Year 10 Drama students for their hard work and dedication. Their participation in The Scene Project has enriched their educational journey and provided them with unforgettable experiences and valuable skills for the future.

Gympie Eisteddfod

Congratulations to all our JNSHS ensembles for their outstanding performances at the Gympie Eisteddfod this week! Our Concert Band, Stage Band, Lark Strings Ensemble and Woodwind Ensemble all took out 1st places and our String Ensemble received a Highly Commended. Well done everyone.

We are incredibly proud of all our students for their beautiful performances.

A massive thanks to our Academy of Instrumental Music teachers, parents and Arts Faculty Support for their preparation and support throughout this event.

Gympie Trade Training Centre

GTTC Students Innovate with Self-Watering Garden Beds for Rural Schools - A Sustainable Solution for Schools Lacking Town Water Access

Students at the Gympie Trade Training Centre have embarked on an exciting and impactful project: designing and building a self-watering garden bed specifically for schools in rural areas that lack access to town water. This innovative project is a collaboration with the Pick of the Crop program, aimed at promoting sustainable practices and improving access to fresh produce.

Using their skills in construction, furnishing, and engineering, the students designed a garden bed featuring traditional mortice and tenon joints. This choice of construction not only ensures the durability and stability of the garden beds but also showcases the students' impressive craftsmanship and attention to detail.

The students have successfully completed a prototype of the self-watering garden bed, which will be showcased to surrounding schools. This prototype serves as a practical demonstration of how schools can implement similar systems to grow their own gardens with minimal water usage.

Humanities & Languages

Term 3 has been a busy term for the Humanities and Languages Faculty. On Monday the 22nd of July the Year 7 Go For Gold Humanities held the screening of their documentary showcasing the culmination of weeks of inquiry into the Mary River and the recent flood events. The feature length screening was shown to a packed-out evening crowd.

The following day on the 23^rd of July the Japanese faculty welcomed 20 Japanese exchange students to the school. The students arrived from Japan on Tuesday evening, starting school with a Welcoming Ceremony and activities Wednesday morning. They will stay with us until Friday 2^nd of July studying English and cultural immersion. They have enjoyed their time with us, and it has been a pleasure to host them at our school.

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The Archaeological Dig Pit has seen some more action with year 7 students conducting an archaeological excavation of a burial site. They are yet to process their finds and draw their conclusions on what mysteries the site can reveal.

2025 Scholarships

We're excited to announce that scholarship applications for Year 7 in 2025 are now open! 

Application forms are available for download from our website, or you can collect one in person from the school office.  

Applications close on 2 September 2024.

QParents

Parents, student academic reports for Semester 1 are available now! QParents users will be able to view and download report cards online as soon as they are published. It’s not too late to register for QParents – just contact the school administration to request an invitation.

Queensland Child Oral Health Study

The QCOHS team would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to the school, parents and students who participated in The Queensland Child Oral Health Study (QCOHS). Your contribution in the form of an oral examination and completion of a study questionnaire has been invaluable and will help us gain a better understanding of the oral health of children in Queensland. Your family’s involvement will make a substantial contribution that will continue to benefit Queensland and Australian children for many years.

From QCOHS Research team

Eat Up at Our School

We're fortunate to have the support of Eat Up Australia, providing sandwiches to students in need. Eat Up tirelessly fundraises to make this possible. If you, your workplace, or anyone you know can contribute to Eat Up, please reach out to us at community@eatup.org.au. Eat Up is currently seeking donations of bread, cheese, fruit, and snacks. Perhaps you know a local business that could organize a Snack Drive.

Community Notices