William Ross State High School Enewsletter
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Mervyn Crossman Drive Email: [email protected] Annandale Qld 4814 Phone: 07 4726 7666 Subscribe: https://williamrossshs.schoolzineplus.com/subscribe Fax: 07 4726 7600 26 February 2020 FROM THE PRINCIPAL DATES TO REMEMBER 2020 has ‘kicked-off’ in a very positive way. To date we have enjoyed four weeks of very smooth running considering the many Friday 28 February Senior Drama Night Performance events and activities already completed this Mon 2 – Fri 6 March HPE Week year, with a special mention to our new incoming Year 7 students. These students Mon 2 – Fri 6 March Year 12 Exam Block are new to the secondary school system but have blended well into our school Tuesday 10 March P&C AGM community and are now fully engaged in the curriculum Thursday 12 March Instrumental Music and approach in a secondary setting. Languages Afternoon Tea This introduction has been well complemented by a very Friday 13 March Inter School Swimming Carnival successful “Meet-and-Greet” parent evening on Monday 10th February where many parents took the opportunity to discuss Saturday 14 March P&C Working Bee (9am – 12pm) their child’s progress with their classroom teachers. Many Monday 16 March Strings Afternoon Tea thanks to all parents who had the time available and attended this evening event, but a clear message to all parents, this is not Friday 20 March National Day Against Bullying the only opportunity to meet and discuss your child’s progress. Parents can contact the school and request a targeted meeting Mon 23 – Fri 27 March Year 11 Exam Block with their child’s classroom teacher throughout the entire year, Tues 24 – Sat 28 March STEM Girl Power Camp this provision is always available to ensure open and constant communication channels are continually being updated and Thursday 26 March Year 7 Immunisations that parents are well informed of their child’s achievement and Tuesday 31 March Year 7 & 9 Geography progress throughout the year. Competition There will be more such formal opportunities for teacher/parent Wednesday 1 April World’s Greatest Shave discussion over upcoming months and parents will be informed of these dates. STUDENT SUCCESS CONFERENCE William Ross and as with many secondary schools, are now engaging in Student Success Conferencing or also known as Student-led Conferences. This is a change from the historic Parent-Teacher Interview nights, this format is more structured and has a more important focus on school-home communication channels. Parents will be well advised of the FROM THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL (YRS dates of these conferences as there are different dates for each 9&10) year level. At such events, parents are invited to the school to participate WHAT IS RESTORATIVE in a conference, where the student, as the presenter, provides PRACTICES? and explanation of their academic progress to an audience, Restorative practices focuses on repairing parents and school. This approach has resulted in greater harm and restoring a sense of wellbeing by understanding of student self-awareness within their own focussing not just on the wrongdoer, but learning journey and stronger positive dialogue at home around the community defined by the incident. At school work. William Ross SHS we aim to promote This approach has complemented associated actions, for new resilience in both the person/people and beginning parents to our school. In 2020 the school’s harmed, and the person/people who caused the harm. It is structure around reporting is fundamentally different. Each about building personal responsibility and accountability, and semester every student will still receive their Semester 1 and learning from conflict situations. Restorative Practices helps later their Semester 2 Report Card – these will be mailed out to students learn from their mistakes and resolve conflicts to repair all parents. relationships. Our goal is to shift thinking about problem behaviours always requiring punitive punishments, to managing In our Reporting cycle, what has changed from past them with a restorative approach. However, it must be experiences is the teachers’ comment banks. At William Ross, acknowledged that these preventative measures may require the school has removed any teachers’ comment from the the use of interventions for more serious offences. It is not a Report Card and redirected these teachers’ comments to each new process, it has been around for decades and successfully student Learning Journal. implemented into school systems across the world. On back This has significant benefit to students and parents: cover of your child’s Learning Journal you will find a set of example questions used to help reflect, repair and reconnect. The Learning Journals have greater opportunity to provide more You could even try using these at home! comprehensive feedback to parents and provide a ‘living’ documented tracking of student progress. MOBILE PHONES POLICY The statements and feedback from teachers to students is I would like to take this opportunity to also remind our more detailed and focused on direct evidence at assessment community of the Mobile Phone Policy at Williams Ross SHS being undertaken also tracking within the Learning Journal has as located in the student Learning Journal on pg 18. Personal alignment with the student’s anticipated progress and support technology devices are banned from our school. Such devices statements based on current progress. can be handed into the school office in the morning for safe Feedback within the Learning Journal has been well received keeping and collected at the end of the day. Mobile phones are by parents, described as more ‘user friendly’ and assists with not to be used from Arrival to the last bell at 3:00pm. Phones understanding where their child is developing and what must be off and away and should not be visible during the assistance has been identified. above mentioned times. Ultimately the Student Learning Journal provides a more ASSESSMENT CALENDAR comprehensive evidence and detailed progress across the This week students received their Semester 1 assessment semesters and is recognised as the ‘active’ document when calendars and should have copied these dates into the learning discussing progress with parents, students and the school. journals. They should also have a hard copy of these dates PARKING to display at home but if it has been misplaced you can print another copy at home. Below are instructions on how you can In the interest of our students’ safety, parents are reminded access your Assessment Calendar at home on Oneschool. that the staff carparks and administration carpark inside the school grounds are NOT to be used as drop off and pick Adam Kehl up zones before or after school. The administration carpark is A/Deputy Principal only for visitors to the school and administration members. The [email protected] two staff carparks are only to be used by staff members of William Ross State High School. Parents and carers can use the FROM THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL (YRS 7&8) carparks situated at the front of the school for drop offs / pick ups, or utilise the netball and soccer carparks. Let’s ensure that We have had a fantastic start to 2020 in the we keep the safety of our students as our top priority. Junior School. Mr Nathan Hustler has Allan Evans welcomed his son and I have officially taken Principal over his role as Year 7 and 8 Deputy [email protected] Principal for Term 1. I have been very impressed with how the Junior School has settled in to the school routine. Every week I monitor school attendance, behaviour and 2 engagement and I am consistently impressed with how our contact with your students’ teacher or the HoD at young people model our school’s vision and values. I have [email protected]. congratulated students for this during school parades and NATIONAL YOUTH SCIENCE FORUM remind them that these are great skills to prepare them for success. Year 12 Student Adam Edwards reported on his experience at the 2020 National Youth Science Forum held in Canberra in ASSESSMENT CALENDARS January. This week all Year 7 and 8 students have received their On January 1st, I was fortunate enough to travel to Canberra to Personal Assessment Calendar. Please ask for this at home attend the 2020 National Youth Science Forum with five other and perhaps put it in the best spot for the family to be aware students from Townsville, one from Kirwan State High School, of upcoming assessment. If your student does not have set one from Pimlico State High School and three from Townsville homework, it is a good strategy to check the calendar because Grammar. This event selected science-enthused students from working on assessment may be the focus for that week. all around Australia through a vigorous selection process SWIMMING CARNIVAL comprising of emails, applications and a final interview held at Townsville Grammar School. The selection process took place A big thank you to all the staff and students that made our over 6 months from an online application in May to an in-person carnival an enjoyable day! It was wonderful to see the interview and the email confirming my selection in November. participation and excitement of the Junior School and the Through this amazing opportunity, I was able to meet over house pride. Sadly my dear Falcon Crocs were not victorious 200 others students from around Australia all of whom had a but certainly not through lack of house spirit! Congratulations genuine passion for science and some of the most creative to the Pelorus Indians who outswam the school on the day! minds I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. During my stay Best of luck to all students who will go on to participate in the at Canberra, I stayed at Australia National University, ANU on Inter-school event.