Woree Highlights

NAPLAN:  The National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy is running in 2021 after being cancelled in 2020 due to COVID.  The test is run throughout Australia from 11 - 21 May for all students in Years 7 and 9.  The tests are skills based so cannot be studied for, the best preparation is active involvement in classes at school and ensuring students are calm and well rested.  The program should not be stressful for students and the online tests adapt to different student ability levels as students answer questions. 

Woree State High School students in Years 7 and 9 completed a practice test on Thursday 25 March to help them get familiar with the online test environment.  They have also had brief sessions in their English and Mathematics classes to show them the types of questions they will have to answer and to understand the online tools.  Parents and Carers who want to explore what the online tests are like can use the Public Demonstration Site here: https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site to look at example tests.  We wish our students all the best with these assessments.

Senior Assessment: Students in Years 11 and 12 must follow the school and QCAA requirements for assessment.  All assessment is due before 4:00pm on the due date for all subjects and students in Senior.  Students with illness or other issues affecting their ability to submit assessment on time must have completed an AARA (Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustment) application.  These can be submitted to the Guidance Officer or Head of Department Senior Schooling (Mr Brad Wright), and must be accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation, such as a medical certificate.  Academic results for Year 12 assessments are given to students by their teachers but these results are provisional until confirmed by the QCAA.  Confirmed results for Year 12 students will be available in May and will be reported on in the Semester 1 Academic Reporting Period at the end of Term 2.

Teaching and Learning: Teachers have been working hard in 2021 on a project called ‘Moderation’.  This has involved teaching teams working collaboratively to review assessment, unit plans and teaching strategies in order to make lessons and assessment more engaging for students.  The overall aim is to improve student academic outcomes and enjoyment of schooling.  Teachers have put much time and effort into this process to develop units of work and continually review and improve them.  They are also spending time meeting to cross check marking to ensure all students are receiving appropriate standards in their assessment tasks.  Well done on your efforts with this project teachers – I’m sure the students are appreciating the revised learning experiences and assessments.

Mr T Toohey

Curriculum Teaching and Learning

Nominations are open for the myQCE Student Reference Group

The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) is calling for students to nominate for the new myQCE Student Reference Group.

The group gives students the chance to have their say about the QCE system processes and senior schooling.

All Queensland students in Years 10, 11 and 12 are eligible to apply.

The group will meet up to six times per year and membership will be ongoing until students graduate from Year 12.

Nominations are open until Monday 19 April, and all students who enter will go in the draw to win a $100 JB Hi-Fi voucher.

For more information and to nominate, visit the myQCE website at https://myqce.qcaa.qld.edu.au/get-involved.html

General Links

• Woree High Online Research Portal http://woreeshs. cmeweb.libcode.com.au/

Useful Links - COVID-19

• www.health.qld.gov.au

• www.facebook.com/

• QueenslandDepartmentofEducation

• www.facebook.com/QLDHealth

• qed.qld.gov.au

Cairns Support Services & 24 hour help lines personal support

• Anglicare -Youth Support Program 4080 5800

Anglicare Food Bank - St. John’s Church Hall, Cnr Lake and Minnie Streets

A Centrelink Concession Card is required to get free bread, cakes and purchase from the low cost shop. Free 2-course meals every Wednesday from 5pm. No concession card needed. Open 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.

• Cairns Hospital 4226 0000

• ICAN Financial Counselling 1300 369 878

• Lives Lived Well – Cairns Alcohol & Other Drugs Support Centre 4220 9881

• Queensland Health Mental Health Emergency – Acute Care Team 1300 642 255

• RAATSICC Family Support and Information (Cape and Torres) 1300 663 411

• Standby – Support after Suicide – FNQ 0407 490 005

• Wuchopperen Health Service (Indigenous Health) 6 Moignard Street 4080 1000

• YETI – Youth support and information 4051 4927

• Youthlink – Youth support and information 4031 6179

Tenancy Support and Advice

• Anglicare Homestay – Support for at risk tenancies 0417 639 103

• Cairns Homelessness Services Hub 149 Bunda Street 4046 8050

• Lyons St Diversionary Centre 53 – 59 Lyons Street 4046 8082

• Ozcare Homeless Hostel (Men) 197 Draper Street 1800 692 273

• Ozcare Homestay – Support for at risk tenancies 1800 692 273

• QSTARS – Advice and referral service for all renters 1300 744 263

• Quigley Street Night Shelter 6 – 8 Quigley Street 4046 8092

• Salvation Army Centennial Lodge 281 – 289 Sheridan Street 4031 4432 

Phone Advice

• 13HEALTH (Confidential Health Advice 24/7 13 43 25

• Beyond Blue 1300 224 636

• Domestic Violence Hotline (DV Connect) 1800 811 811

• Gambling Helpline 1800 858 858

• Kid’s Help Line 1800 551 800

• Lifeline Telephone Counselling 13 11 14

• Mensline Australia 1300 789 978

• Mensline DV Connect Queensland 1800 600 636

• Parentline 1300 301 300

• Relationships Australia Support and Information 1300 364 277

Yr 7 SSSO Mr Matthew Coxon

It just seems like yesterday that our Year 7 students nervously walked through the gates of Woree State High School for Day 1 of High School, and now as quick as a flash, we are almost a quarter through the year.

Our Year 7 students have quickly become part of the school community and have already been involved in many great events and activities including: Student Council Meetings, Year 7 Meet and Greet BBQ, Swimming Carnival and the Junior Leaders Forum. Our Year 7 students have also had many opportunities to join sport teams and other clubs including the Chess Club, Dungeon and Dragons Club and the Live Production Crew, as well as attending lunch time sessions in the Virtual Reality Room in the Library. To finish off the term, the students that have demonstrated commitment to the Woree 4 and attended school regularly will be able to participate in our first Rewards Day, which will be a mini disco in the school’s theatre on the last day of term. To finish my report, I have two articles written by two of our Year 7 students detailing the Year 7 Meet and Greet BBQ and Junior Leaders Workshop.

Mr Matthew Coxon

Year 7, Student Support Services Officer

Yr. 7 Meet and Greet BBQ

In Week 3, on Wednesday February 10, the Year 7 students and families had a Meet and Greet BBQ with the teachers of Woree State High School in the shelter. A free sausage sizzle and burgers were cooked by the Hospitality students. The Student Council organised drinks for $2.00, which was the Student Councils first fundraiser of the year. Xander W (7B) started the evening with the acknowledgement to country, which he delivered with great confidence. It was a great evening for our school community to come together and for Year 7 parents to meet their child’s teachers.

Samantha S (7C)

Junior Leaders Workshop

In Week 6, on Friday March 5, Year 7 – 9 Student Council members - 2021, were invited to attend a special Junior Leaders Workshop, where many fun and exciting activities were planned to help with our journey this year into leadership. We focused a lot on our speaking skills and public speaking confidence. We learned a few tips which my fellow student councillors and I use to speak clearly and confidently on our school year level parades every Wednesday. We were also encouraged to participate in a range of team building games and activities with our fellow student council members.

Ricki G (7A)

Construction Skills Queensland - Try a Trade

Say “Hi” to the next generation of First Nations tradies!

Dianna, Denisha and Katherine were among the 25 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who spent some time trying trades at the Cairns Convention Centre.

Together with WorldSkills and TAFE Queensland, CSQ’s Try’a Trade program delivered an interactive setting that allowed students to try their hand at various skill and trade areas.

Students from Woree State High School, Bentley Park College and Djarragun College, had hands-on experience with TAFE Queensland teachers in the trades of carpentry, block laying, and electrical through the event organised by Construction Skills Queensland.

The $176 million refurbishment and expansion of the Cairns Convention Centre is now well underway, it currently has 11% target for workers who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander involvement, above the target of 6.6%.

It’s great to see diversity in action, in Cairns and right across Queensland!

Tracey Quinteri

VET Officer

Cairns Hospital School

Question:  There is a Hospital School in Cairns?

Answer:  Yes. The Cairns Hospital Class operates from the Children’s Ward in the Cairns Hospital.  Woree State High School and Queensland Children’s Hospital dually administer it.

Question:  Who can attend the Hospital Class?

Answer:  Any school-aged student from Prep to Year 12 whilst they are in hospital.  The Cairns Hospital class services hospitalised children from all over Far North Queensland including Torres Strait and the Cape and facilitates the continuity of educational programs offered by their base schools.

Question: Who teaches the hospitalised students?

Answer: Two hospital class teachers, teacher aide and a Guidance Officer, respond to information from hospital teams, parents, home schools and other agencies to facilitate the continuing education of students and their re-entry into their regular schools.

Question:  What have the students been learning?

Answer:  In Term 1, students have been completing a variety of numeracy and literacy based activities around the theme of ‘Australiana’ including cinquain poems, persuasive articles, Australian landmark treasure hunts, and interactive quizzes. All activities are Australian curriculum linked with the aim of enhancing students’ learning outcomes and emotional and social wellbeing.

Kym Grundy & Kirsty Patterson

Hospital School Teachers

Term 1 in the library

The library has been a busy place this term as we hand out the 2021 textbooks, run the stationary shop and have had Year 7 library lessons.

Textbooks: Please check your student has collected their 2021 textbooks. It is a requirement that ALL books loaned from the library are kept in snap lock bags to protect them from water damage (and lunch damage!). These bags are available from the library for 20c or 1 reward ticket.

The stationary shop has proven to be a very popular with guitar picks and tuckshop vouchers being some of the most popular items.

Year 7 classes all came to the library one lesson a week for the first 5 weeks of term to learn about our online resources and the fiction and non-fiction section, and of course learn how to borrow out a book (which gets one reward ticket).

Larraine Moseley

Teacher/Librarian

Harmony Day

Woree State High School is proud to celebrate a community of over forty nationalities and cultures.

Across the county, Harmony Week celebrates Australia’s cultural diversity. It’s about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.

Last week, we learnt some stories from students and teachers about where they have come from, traditions passed down to them, and what culture and harmony means today and into the future. As students walk throughout the school, they can read some of these posters about teachers and students from our school.

At lunch time on Friday 19 March, students and teachers were invited to participate in some chalk art with their friends. An initiative of the student council, the aim was to fill the walkway between the tuckshop and library with positive messages, drawings and sayings that are important to individuals.

Brooke Byars

Humanities/Business/Tourism Teacher

Fun and Competition at the Pool

Friday 19 February. Grey stormy clouds could not dampen the enthusiasm of those students and staff attending this year’s swimming carnival. Boisterous chanting’s and flag waving, led by the House Captains, stirred the students into a spirited competition mode.

The usual swimming events began with gusto, and great effort by all competitors continued throughout the day.

Highlights included the ever popular novelty events, motivating dance music provided by The Arts Faculty, BBQ lunch by the Student Council and students and staff wearing fabulous costumes and team colours to show support for their houses – Trojan, Pinder, Gemini and Apollo. The day culminated with the announcement and presentation of awards. Pinder seized the day to win the carnival.

Sabrina Patterson