Milpera News · Opening the Helen yrne ... evidenced with improved English ... nous smoking ceremony to cleanse the new building site and make way for new beginnings.]

Milpera News, March 2018. Milpera State High School, www.milperashs.eq.edu.au

Message from our Principal, Ms Adele Rice J U L Y 2 0 1 1

International Women’s Day

Opening the Helen Byrne Building

Numinbah Camp

Mt Coot-Tha Hikes, City Cat

Maritime Museum Tour

STEM Professionals

Hive Mind Project

Peer Group Reading

Learn to Swim

Chinese Family Link Day

FHEAL Concert

HEAL News

From Entry to Exit

Farewell from Room 17

Stanley River Camp

Coochiemudlo Island Exploration

Indooroopilly Library

Date Claimers:

April 2018 4-15: Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast 16: Student-free Day 17: Tuesday First day of Term 2 25: ANZAC Day holiday 27: Seniors Info session May 2018 7: Labour Day Holiday 11,14, 17, 21 Toohey Forest 11: Parent Info session 18: “Boys to Men” Day 21: Teachers’ Twilight Professional Dev. 26: National Sorry Day June 2018 1: Science Show 28: Exit Assembly 29: Last day of Term 2 July 2017 16: First day of Term 3

Milpera News VOLUME 8, ISSUE 1 March 2018

Message from our Principal While this week signals the end of another term of schooling for most students at Milpera State High School, it also heralds the bright road that lies ahead for our 47 graduating students from Rooms 6, 7, 15 and 17. Many of these exiting students will transition to mainstream high schools whilst some students will follow a TAFE pathway. It has been very rewarding to see their progress, evidenced with improved English language acquisition as well as social and emotional growth as fine young individuals. We congratu-

late them on their hard work and wish them every success in the future.

I would like to take a moment to proudly reflect upon the many highlights of this term. Undoubtedly, Inter-national Women’s Day shone brightest as a unified school event for the students and staff of the school as well as the many friends of Milpera. This year’s theme was “Leave No Woman Behind,” with girls hosting the event, and all of the speakers passionate-ly recounting their positive experiences living in Aus-tralia and receiving a quality education. Bursary recip-ients included Nyo Nyo Aung (Soroptimist Interna-tional Joyce Summers Memorial Bursary) and Fatema Alizada, who received the Kathleen Bourke Memorial Bursary.

The opening of the Helen Byrne Building (the new $1.4m Covered Outdoor Learning Area) fittingly closed the morning. As a dedicated founding teacher of Milpera, Ms Byrne served for many years as Depu-ty Principal and she remains a strong advocate for our students. It was wonderful to hear Ms Byrne speak so warmly about her time at the school and the role she continues to play in our lives at Milpera.

Further highlights of the term included the com-mencement of the Napartjii Napartjii and Karibu after-school student support groups.

Napartjii aims to build boys’ connectedness with Australian Indigenous culture, and to develop un-derstanding of all cultures, and emphasises the importance of sharing.

Karibu (Swahili for “welcome”) is the companion program for girls, supported by students from Brigidine College. Girls from both schools immerse themselves in a range of weekly after-school activities such as cooking and sport. Thank you to the team of people who have made these support groups a reality, and ensure their success. Both programs will con-tinue in Term 2.

[Photos: Room 15’s San San Ye & Nyo Nyo Aung introducing International Women’s Day; Ms

Helen Byrne cutting the ribbon with Mr Ian Miller & past principal Mr Tom Beck, and the indige-nous smoking ceremony to cleanse the new building site and make way for new beginnings.]


Both Term 1 camps, Stanley River EEC and Numinbah Valley EEC, were highly successful. The Stanley River campers were engaged in some indigenous learning whilst also improving their teamwork through canoeing. The Numinbah campers linked their classroom rainforest studies to experiencing native Australian plants and animals, culminating with the 4km Twin Falls Hike. (photos right).

A range of other activities have punctuated a term brimming with action, including the “Hive Mind” Art Installation; the Learn to Swim program; a lunchtime basketball competition led by the Student Leaders; the after-school Cooking Club and Bike Riding program; the Harmony Day BBQ and the first “Family Link Day” gathering for 2018. On the last Tuesday of term, our Milpera Community Choir will perform at QPAC, as part of a FHEAL event.

I would like to acknowledge the support of the many partners and friends of Milpera, and thank you for your ongoing assistance to this school and what we do to support students new to Australia. I would like

this acknowledgement to embrace the robust number of daily volunteers within the school, and the external groups offering bursaries and student support programs as well as the many agencies who support our students and our ter-rific staff. I offer my thanks to the Milpera staff team for another outstanding term’s work! Ian Miller, Milpera Principal

Girls’ workshops on International Women’s Day included: Rock climbing; Bead jewellery making, Science plant & animal cell

examination (photo above left); Yoga; Vulcana circus workshops (photo right); Bicycle Maintenance; and Zumba (photo above).

Numinbah Camp Journals….

Darani, Room 14: On Wednesday the 14th of March, Room14 went camping with Room 5 for 3 days at Numinbah EEC. We did lots of activ-ities and we made new friends. We learnt about the plants and animals

that live in the rainforest. We cooked damper and it was delicious. We danced aboriginal dances as well as Somalian dances. We walked 4km to the “Best of All Lookout”. After that we walked to the Twin Falls for about 2 and a half hours. At night we went to see the Glow worms. They looked very beautiful in the dark and we enjoyed our 3 days. Carrie, Room 5: One day, we went to the rainforest for a long walk. I saw lots of creatures and plants. We saw ferns, fungi, waterfalls, and lizards. We also saw a beautiful rainbow. We saw a dragon fish too; it had a blue body and two claws. (photo left). We had lunch in the rainforest, then we went to the next place and saw other things. Everyone was tired, but we also had a happy rainforest walk!

Hye Won, Room 5: On the first day of camp, students did a freshwater study, in Nerang River. Many students saw amazing creatures. On the next day, students went to Springbrook. From the top of the mountain we could see the Gold Coast. On the last day, all the students did the high Pole Climb, and the Creature Fea-ture. All the students were good at the Pole Climbing, and some students were scared of the lizards. All the students enjoyed Numinbah. Abak, Room 5: We had a very good camp with Ms O’Neill. She was very helpful to the students. Some students were scared of the snake because they hadn’t been in a camp before. We had lots of activities. We all liked camp. It was very interesting.


Room 20’s Mt Coot-tha Bushwalk

On Monday 12th March, Room 20 hiked up and down Mt

Coot-tha. Everyone worked hard and made it to the top. I

was impressed by the determination and resilience dis-

played by all the students. Leaving no

one in doubt about his superior level

of fitness, K’nyaw Doa flew up the

mountain with ease, well done

K’nyaw Doa!

We celebrated our achievements

with a delicious ice cream. We also

admired the view from the summit

and took some fun photos with a spectacular city back-

drop. We had a fabulous day!

City Cat & Mt Coot-tha Hike: Rm 21

Room 21 students enjoyed an excursion to Mt Coot-tha

and the City Cat. We

looked at the views of

Brisbane from the Mt

Coot-tha lookout and

took lots of photos.

Then we caught the

City Cat from Too-

wong to the Universi-

ty. Everyone loved

the feeling of being on the City Cat. The day was hot and

being on the City Cat was cool. At the University Miss

Beth gave us some biscuits and we talked and took more

photos. We all had a good time together.

Maritime Museum Research: Room 4

On Friday Room 4 went to the Maritime Museum in Brisbane

with Ms Lara, Ms Najla, and Miss Dagenais. We went to learn

more about boats for our puppet stories.

First we walked to Chelmer Station and went to Southbank. We

ate morning tea together in the park. It was very hot outside.

After that we walked inside the Museum.

Next we went to Maritime Museum and saw a lot of boats. We

listened to our teacher describing the boats. We went inside a

fighting ship and another boat.

After we saw and learned about boats and ships at the Mari-

time Museum, we had lunch in the park, and some students

played together. After that we went to the train station and

came back to school. I think I had a funny and awesome day

with my friends and my teachers on this excursion.

Written by Afra, Room 4


“STEM Professionals in Schools” Project

As part of a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) initiative this term, Room 4 students worked on

their Science Food unit with Mashhuda Raghav. Ms Mash is a scientist who works in the food industry. She demonstrated

how important it is to keep our hands clean when working with food and she taught us how to make soft cheese.

Ms Mash also held a Science workshop for girls on International Women’s Day.

In the workshop, girls observed the differences between animal cells and plant

cells. By Ms Irena Zdral, HOD Science

The Hive Mind Project

This art installation was created in Milpera by Ms Amelia Kalifa (photo be-low) with the support of The Song Room and The Lord Mayor’s Trust. Amelia and her assistant, Kate, led a series of workshops in which about 70 of our students and staff created wire flowers and leaves, to be woven into hanging vines. Each person then recorded their voice responding to the questions: “When you were younger, what did you wonder about?” and “When you’re older, what do you hope for yourself?”

These two components, the flowers and the audio, were then combined into a touch sensitive sound installation.

This project is about coming together as a community and sharing our worries, hopes, and dreams.

We are delighted with the process and the result; and we enjoy watching the wonder on everyone’s faces when they touch a flower, and can hear a special message through the tin can!

More on www.ameliakalifa.com/hivemind


Chinese “Family Link Day” Last week we invited our Chinese speaking families to a

discussion morning, to learn more about education in

Queensland, the importance of parental involvement and

the partnership between school and home. It was a won-

derful opportunity to connect with families. Thank you to

our bilingual teachers, Ms Liz Knight and Ms Yuying Lu,

and to all who made the morning a happy success.

Ms Janelle Patterson, Home Liaison teacher.

FHEAL fundraiser, Songs of Hope and Healing concert at QPAC

QPAC theatre is generously supporting Friends of HEAL Home of Expressive Arts

Foundation, which provides creative arts therapy to young people from refugee

background at Milpera SHS and 4 other schools in Brisbane to raise funds

through a Benefit Concert.

The “Songs of Hope and Healing” concert includes the recently formed FHEAL

Community Choir. This choir has had the privilege of working with the Boxties, a

Brisbane based instrumental and folk band.

Ten of our current students, Milpera

staff, a past students and dedicated

supporters are members of the choir.

The commitment and passion from all

involved has been remarkable.

Thank you to all that have contributed your precious time is a gift. To all those who

support FHEAL we say a heartfelt “Thank You!”

Ms Janelle Patterson, Home Liaison teacher.

Peer Reading Frenzy for Rooms 3 & 5! Learn to Swim & Water Safety Program Ongoing

One of Milpera’s most important and potentially life saving programs is our “Learn to Swim” and Water Safety program conducted in terms 1 & 4 at Dunlop Pool.

Thank you to a waterlogged Mr Danny Parker, HPE teacher, who taught the program again this term, and to the other swimming teachers for your support. Our students’ confidence and safe-ty in the water is such an important part of their healthy settlement into the Queensland climate and local way of life and recreation.

As a peer reading activity, stu-dents from Rooms 3 & 5 came in to the library one afternoon with their coloured cushions and settled down to work.

They paired up, read stories together and thought of ques-tions to ask each other. It was a reading frenzy and a wonderful afternoon where they made new friends.

For the next session, their par-

ents were invited to join them

in the classroom as well.


HEAL News (Home of Expressive Arts and Learning)

Another great term has flown by in HEAL, and the Music Therapy and Art Therapy have been helping everyone en-

gage in learning and feeling good about themselves.

We love the power of pictures, so here are some showing some of our favourite HEAL activities: drawing, art activi-

ties and talking, doing yoga, and meeting wonderful visitors.

Above: Visitor Ms Sharon Orapelong, Ms

Paterson with Ms Jane in HEAL

Right: Lucky girls at the anti-gravity Yoga

Studio.

Below: Swinging and relaxing with Ms

Renae in the ant-gravity hammocks at the

Yoga studio.

Right: Lunchtimes in the

Library are another option

for relaxing alone or to-

gether with your friends.


Reflections from Entry to Exit

By Ms Sue Shepherd, Room 15 Senior English teacher

Individually students enter a Beginner English class on a

Monday morning. They nervously sit in an assigned seat,

usually beside a fellow student who speaks a common

language, so that the cultural and linguistic leap is

scaffolded and gradual.

The new students put heart and soul into their lessons,

mostly learning listening and speaking skills to assist them

with reading and writing. The students are exhausted at

the end of the day after participating in songs that teach

English, dance and music to keep the beat and pronuncia-

tion lessons. They speak in groups using formulaic phrases

and try to make sense of all the strange voices. The teach-

er uses constant encouragement, mindful that the motiva-

tion and engagement at Beginner level will follow the stu-

dent through to their Exit. The students gain in confi-

dence. The class begins to gel. The formulaic phrases be-

come more natural and humour and fun become part of

the class.

Thirty weeks later, the students are equipped with the

English to reflect back on that first day. They value diversi-

ty, and befriend young people from countries that are in

conflict with each other.

The students clap at other students’ success without prompting

from the teacher. They take students to HEAL when they are

sad or upset. They sit in groups and discuss global issues. They

write essays and research independently from appropriate

websites. They are proud of their progress.

In the exiting classes, the students often make comments

about Milpera and it is always positive. They respect and enjoy

Science and Maths. HPE is always the highest on the agenda in

terms of subject choice. Cross-cultural relationships solidify and

friendships are made for life!

The students’ incidental learning about acceptance, tolerance

and respect is beautiful. Teachers are humbled by the amazing

students: by their journeys and the outcomes. Their Legal Stud-

ies teach them about antidiscrimination and the laws that

make students feel safe in their new country. To be a part of

the journey of these beautiful students is a privilege and an

honour.

Farewell from Room 17

We want to say thanks to everyone at Milpera for helping us.

First, to Mrs Hannigan and our other teachers and teacher-

aides who have showed

us the right way for the

future. Next, to our fan-

tastic friends in our class

and other classes. We

have learned about each

other’s cultures and

languages. How lucky

are we? Also, especially

to our valuable volunteers who show so much care and love for

us. We couldn’t live without our “extra” breakfast!

As well, to the HEAL staff – we have found our way because of

your amazing art, music and relaxation therapy. Lastly, to our

friendly office staff who are always so kind and friendly. We’re

not going to cry but we will leave Milpera with great memories

and the skills for the future…..Hoa also wants to say thank you

to his Mum! Written by Room 17 students


Milpera State High School English Language Preparation Centre 2 Parker St Chelmer 4068 Phone: 07 3270 3222 [email protected]

Stanley River Camp, Rooms 22 & 23

Rooms 22 and 23 spent three wonderful days at Stanley River Camp. We

learned about water resources and water systems, gained an awareness of

Aboriginal culture and learned canoeing and fishing.

There were heaps of yummy food to eat and we learned about new fruit such

as dragon fruit and bunya nuts. One day, we woke up at 5:30, went canoeing

for two km and then went swimming. We also learned about Aboriginal team

games and tested the water from the environment of the Stanley River.

Everyone had a great time. By Rooms 22 & 23

Room 3 Discovers Coochiemudlo Island

Yesterday the Room 3 students and Mrs

Hodgson went to lovely Coochiemudlo Island

in Moreton Bay for an excursion. First of all,

we caught the school bus to Victoria Point,

where we caught a small ferry to the island.

When we arrived we looked at the map and

talked about the things we could find. It was windy but beautiful.

We walked along the beach and then did a long walk through the

bush. We climbed down to Red Rock, played, ran, and paddled in the shallow water. We found many interesting things –

soldier crabs, hermit crabs, seaweed and shells. A pelican came very close to us. After, we walked back along the beach to

have a picnic lunch. Mrs H made us some very nice cakes. We played a really fun game of soccer on the beach with a dog.

The dog was very good at soccer! Finally, we went back on the ferry and back to school. We think it was an amazing and

spectacular excursion because we had fun together and we loved the place.

Indooroopilly Library welcomes Rooms 6 & 7

Last week Room 6 and 7 went to Indooroopilly library by train to learn about the li-

brary and how to use a library card. The library was such a big place and amazing. It

had many books and wonderful places where people can sit and read books. Also, it

had many computers and free Wi-Fi for

people and students for homework and

assignments. Furthermore, a library

staff member walked around with us

and told us all about the library. Then

he explained to us how to use our cards

and print from the computer. Later he

showed us how to borrow and return

items. Even though I was tired, I was so

excited because it was very interesting.

Written By Abel, Room 6

Documents

Milpera News · Opening the Helen yrne ... evidenced with improved English ... nous smoking ceremony to cleanse the new building site and make way for new beginnings.]