Issue No : 02 Date : 10th February 2017
we strive for the best
ADDRESS
Valley Street / PO Box 8333
MT PLEASANT QLD 4740
PHONE 07 4963 1666
STUDENT ABSENCES 07 4963 1666 (opt 1)
FAX 07 4963 1600
WEBSITE
www.macknortshs.eq.edu.au
https://www.facebook.com/Mackay.North.SHS
@macknortshs
STYMIE
www.stymie.com.au
Senior End-of-Year Event Dates to Note
Valedictory Parade — Lesson 4 last lesson before block exam in Term 4
Graduation – Friday 17th November. Lesson 1 & 2
Prom – Friday 17th November. Year 12 only. 6.30 – 7.00pm pre-dinner drinks (with
parents)
More information about these events will be issued later in the year.
This North High
Newsletter is
posted to the
school website
fortnightly and
may be accessed
through QSchools
as well.
JSP Meet and Greet Wednesday 1st March 5.00pm – 6.30pm
All Junior Secondary families are welcome to meet other families and
North High Admin members and staff on
the deck in the JSP.
Information
on QParents
is included in
this
newsletter.
As a new school year begins, some students may feel apprehensive about starting new work and getting back into their
studies. We have a fantastic network of student services staff who can support our students with a range of different
issues. Our Student Services team consists of two guidance officers, a deputy principal, a community education
counsellor / liaison (CEC), school chaplain, school nurse, school based police officer and two youth support
coordinators. Our six year level coordinators also deal with a range of student well-being issues including attendance
and bullying. This year, we also have a staff well-being officer. If you have any concerns about your students, please do
not hesitate to contact the main office and they will direct your concern to the appropriate staff member.
You may have noticed that some of the gardens around the school
have been re-invigorated. Our gardening committee is a group of staff
members who have volunteered their time to improve our gardens. The
library courtyard is one of the areas around the school which has been
given a makeover. Thank you to the gardening committee for all their
hard work!
Q Parents is a great way to view your student’s school information
including timetable, attendance rates and report cards. You are also
able to pay school fees and explain absences. For more information on
how to sign up to Q Parents, please contact the school or go to https://
qparents.qld.edu.au/#/about
This morning, Patrick Kaufusi and Kyle Laybutt from the NQ
Cowboys took time out from their preparation for the NQ Cowboys
versus Sydney Roosters trial match on Saturday to visit North High.
Patrick and Kyle spoke to Junior students about Respect and
Belonging.
Recently, nominees for the Mackay Australia Day
awards attended a function at the MECC to
recognise their contributions to the Mackay
community. Congratulations to Ben Mandall who
received the Junior Sportsperson of the year
award. This is a wonderful achievement! The back
page of the local paper featured Ben and his
support team. Well done Ben!
Jane Grieger
Principal
FFFROMROMROM TTTHEHEHE PPPRINCIPALRINCIPALRINCIPAL
RespectRespectRespect ResilienceResilienceResilience ConfidenceConfidenceConfidence
Our School Captains for 2017 are Eden Whittaker and Jeremy Rees.
Our Student Council Leaders are Jordan Caldow, Nathan Challenger, Taylah Dyne, Meghan Malone, Erin
Palmer and Kayla Stibbards.
Our North High House Captains and Vice Captains for 2017 are:
Senior Secondary News School Leaders for 2017 All of our senior leadership positions have been determined and a hearty congratulations to our North High School
Captains, our Student Council Leaders and our House Captains and Vice Captains for 2017.
All school leaders will have their badges presented at a special School Leaders Investiture Parade in the hall
next Wednesday 15th February.
Bagley
Captains:
Isabella Saunders / Jarrod Jones
Vice Captains:
Zoe Aitken / Tom Henderson
Fitzgerald
Captains:
Tamara Dobbie / Matt Hargreaves
Vice Captains:
Mackenzie Holden / Thomas Batterham
Norris
Captains:
Kiera James / Stefan Mawer
Vice Captains:
Lillian Kajewski / Ricky Francis
Spiller
Captains:
Shaylee Werder / Ethan Morris
Vice Captains:
Tyla Wicks / Jason Oosthuizen
Valentine’s Day Fundraiser Our school leaders have been extremely busy this last week with the organisation of their big
Valentine’s Day fundraiser. No doubt everyone who will be on the receiving end next Tuesday will be
very appreciative of the terrific efforts of our leaders and their many enthusiastic helpers.
Lions Youth of the Year Three of our senior leaders will also be putting their best foot forward competing in the Lion’s Youth of the Year
on Saturday, 25th February. We wish Eden Whittaker, Jeremy Rees and Meghan Malone the very best as
they compete against Pioneer High students in the first round of the competition.
Year 12 Mocktail The majority of students in Year 12 do not have to wait much longer for their turn to be a part of the eagerly
awaited Mocktail night on Friday 10th March. The function takes place at the MECC from 7:00 to 11:00pm.
Tickets will be thirty dollars and go on sale Monday at the school on 13th February for students who have
complied with our senior privileges policy.
Proposed Anzac Tour 2018 The school will once again offer this most wonderful and beneficial tour to current Year 10 and 11 students.
An information evening will take place on Tuesday, 7 March. Detailed information is contained in this
newsletter.
Year 12 Academic Reviews All Year 12 students will be expected to complete an academic review in the next 2 weeks. Over
30 staff have very generously volunteered their time to conduct these interviews. It is vital all
students complete these reviews so that they know exactly how they are tracking towards their
goals, and what they need to do to reach their goals. Some of these reviews will be conducted
during school hours, and others will be offered during block times over the next 2 weeks. Your students have been
emailed a list indicating who will run their academic review. Staff who will be doing interviews in block times can be
booked through the school interviews website. Possible days and times are Wednesday 15th from 3:00pm to 6:00pm,
Thursday 16th from 3:00pm to 6:00pm, Sunday 19
th from 10am to 3pm and Monday 20
th from 3:00pm to 6:00pm.
Please feel free to contact Mr Beanland if you have any further questions around academic reviews.
Senior Information Evenings Information evenings commenced this week with the year 10 evening being on Wednesday night.
Upcoming evenings are:
Year 11 – Wednesday, 15th
February from 7:00 to 8:00pm.
Year 12 – Wednesday, 22nd
February from 7:00pm to 9:00pm.
The longer Year 12 evening will initially provide general information for all students. Following this, parents and
students following an OP path will have the opportunity to stay for a session around calculation of OPs and why
performing to your best on the QCS test is critical. Please bring information from academic reviews along as this
should help you follow the processes.
Senior Secondary News cont’d
North High Tuckshop
The school tuckshop menu can be found on the school website:
https://macknortshs.eq.edu.au/Supportandresources/Formsanddocuments/
Documents/tuckshop-menu.pdf
The tuckshop is open from 8.00am each morning for breakfast and pre-orders. EFTPOS is available.
If you have some time available (weekly or monthly or even on the odd day) and would like to help in the
tuckshop, please phone Debra Stewart, Ph. 4963 1712.
The tuckshop provides nutritious food for students and raises some funds for P&C driven school
improvements.
CULTURAL CALENDAR – 2017
February 13 All Bands/Ensembles begin
February 15 Senior Leader Investiture
(2017 Senior Band members)
March 19-20 KMEIA Choral Festival
April 22-27 Marching Band Trip – Brisbane
(Trip leaves 8.00pm April 22/returns 7.00am April 27)
May 19 Fair
(Junior Secondary Concert & Stage Band)
May 27-28 Mackay Cheer Competition
June 6 Twilight Concert
July 6 – 10 Aussie Gold Cheer Competition
July 22 Lions Sugartime Rock Pop Mime
Aug 15 Dance Showcase Night
Aug 25-27 State Honours Program
Sept 5 Senior Drama Production
(Tech Run 4 Sept)
Oct 2-22 Eisteddfod
Oct 24 Showcase Concert
Nov 1 Awards Night
Nov 2 Year 6 String Orientation
(Ice-cream Party)
Child and Adolescent Oral Health
Services Mackay
(School Dental Service)
Dear Parents,
The School Dental Service is now offering services to
students enrolled at North Mackay High School in
Years 7, 8, 9 & 10.
Parents can contact the North Mackay School Dental
Clinic, Harvey Street Ph: 49 514 241 to arrange an
appointment by 3rd
March, 2017.
Please note: A parent/guardian will need to attend all
appointments with their student.
If the phone is unattended please leave details
including your student’s name, date of birth and
contact number.
For further information on this service, please visit our
website:
http://www.health.qld.gov.au/oralhealth/services/
school.asp
North High P&C Supporting Student Achievement
Meeting dates for 2018: 20 February 17 July
20 March (AGM) 21 August
24 April* 11 September*
15 May 16 October
19 June 20 November
P&C Meetings are held in the school library
from 6:30pm every 3rd Monday of the
month. (Except for April and Sept)
All are welcome to attend and participate in
decision making for our school.
For more information contact:
Trina Saunders 0414 480 737
Sherri Savage Phone 49631666
Artwork of the Month
Collage Cat
Cameron Savage
Year 11
Mackay North is proud to be one the first schools in Queensland to offer QParents.
The QParents web and mobile application provides a more convenient, easier way for parents and legal guardians of Queensland state school students to interact with their child’s school. Parents will have secure, online access to their child’s student information, anytime, anywhere, through a smartphone, tablet or computer.
QParents allows parents to connect instantly with their child’s school to access and manage their child’s student information, including:
Attendance and absence details, as well as the ability to notify the school of an absence
Behaviour information
Academic report cards
Class timetables
Viewing unpaid invoice details, payment history, and making payments online
Viewing and updating personal student details, including medical conditions and address
Enrolment details
QParents will assist both staff and parents in sharing and responding to information in an efficient and effective way.
As outlined above, parents will be able to …
view student timetables
view and download academic reports
view attendance and behaviour records
submit reasons for past and future student absences
view and pay invoices
view and update student details
update medical records
view enrolment history
view and download student photos
download student assessment planners and exam timetables (new)
view upcoming events for students across assessment, exams, excursions and school calendars (new)
Registering for QParents
You may have received an invitation email from us containing your unique invitation code. Simply follow the instructions in that email or letter to complete the QParents account registration process. If you do not want to register, you can just ignore the invitation and your child’s student information will not be available to anyone through QParents. Or, if you want another parent to be the QParents Account Owner (QPAO), you can advise us and we will send them an invitation email with their own unique invitation code.
Identity verification
When registering as a QPAO, you will need to verify 100 points of identity documents online. The 100 points can be made up of documents in the following list:
If you only have 60-90 points of the above ID documents you can still register for QParents, but you will need to attend the school for an additional check after you have registered online.
If you don’t have sufficient documents, you might like to nominate another parent as the QPAO.
For more information on the online identity verification process, see ...https://qparents.qld.edu.au/#/help
For further information please visit …https://qparents.qld.edu.au/#/about
You can download the QParent app from the following app providers.
Australian Passport 50 pts Australian Marriage Certificate 40 pts
Australian Driver Licence 50 pts Australian Citizenship Certificate 40 pts
Australian Birth Certificate 50 pts Change of Name Certificate 40 pts
Medicare Card 20 pts Australian Visa (foreign passports) 20 pts
Visit: http://qparents.qld.edu.au
QParents
INSTRUMENTAL PROGRAM
All lessons began this week and were very successful. Students were well prepared and the 50
minute lessons worked very well. Now that lessons have started, all instrumental students are expected to
be practising! All ensembles begin next week (February 13), including marching band training for ALL students who are new to the band (including the flagbearers). This training finishes at the end of this term.
YEAR 7 INSTRUMENTAL PROGRAM ORIENTATION
Sincere thanks to all parents and students who supported our Year 7 instrumental program orientation (for continuing students) last Tuesday evening. It was great to see so many interested, committed families in attendance. A booklet explaining the program was circulated at the meeting – if you were unable to attend, you are most welcome to collect one from the music staffroom. VOCAL GROUP – CRESCENDO
Our very popular vocal group, Crescendo, will begin rehearsals for the year next Wednesday afternoon (February 15) from 3.00 – 4.00pm in the music room 1401. Last year our sixty voice vocal ensemble secured the second
prize in the Secondary Schools Choral Championship at the Mackay Eisteddfod and we are looking forward to another great year ahead. No audition is required – students are automatically accepted if they enjoy singing and are prepared to attend all rehearsals and performances and purchase the full cultural uniform. The group comprises students from Years 7 – 12. The first performance for the group this year will be at the KMEIA Choral Festival at the Mackay Entertainment Centre on Monday, March 20. This is always a really wonderful event, and our students look forward to hosting the students from St Laurence’s College, Southbank, Brisbane who fly up to perform in the male chorus. SECOND HAND CULTURAL UNIFORMS
If you have any cultural uniforms at home which are no longer needed, please send them along to the music department and we will sell them for you. Small sizes, in particular, are in great demand and we urgently need more of them.
Kathy GEORGE
HOD – Performing Arts
PERFORMING ARTS NEWS
Library News Note taking is an essential skill for all
students but particularly those in Senior
subjects.
There are many ways of taking notes
effectively. One method is the Cornell Note
taking System from Cornell University. It
combines notetaking, reflection and
summarising to allow students to better
recall and comprehend new knowledge. See
the example here.
https://shp.utmb.edu/asa/Forms/cornell%20note%20taking%20system.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtW9IyE04OQ
Proposed Anzac tour – 2018
Dear parent / guardian
The organisers of the school’s previous nine overseas Anzac commemorative tours
are beginning the process of gauging interest for a similar tour to be held in September / October, 2018.
This tour would be a continuing phase of the very well established “Lest We Forget” History Project, which
aims to provide students with practical experiences with regards to understanding and appreciating Australia’s
wartime history. These ideals have now reached an even more important stage given the ongoing 100 year
commemorations.
At this stage, the idea for a new commemorative tour is a proposal only and it will depend entirely on the
feedback from students and their families. The target year levels are current Years 10 & 11.
A general overview of the proposal:
September holidays 2018 – 3 week tour.
Same format as currently employed – commemorative tour visiting the battlefields, cemeteries and
memorials of WW1 & WW2 – Gallipoli, France, Belgium & Singapore. NB. Our new itinerary option means
we do not go near Istanbul on our way to the Gallipoli battlefields.
Whilst the tour is linked to the Modern History work program, taking Modern History may not be a
prerequisite for involvement (all previous tours have had non History students involved).
A clear understanding that this is not a simple sightseeing tour – a great deal of pre & post tour work will
be involved and the tour itself will have a very narrow focus with regards to places visited.
Interested students will be required to complete an in-depth application form and will be invited to
participate based on this application and other relevant factors. Students with a history of behaviour
management or attendance issues will not be considered.
In order to provide more information and to get a good indication of interest, there will be an information
evening held on Tuesday, 7 March in the Senior Centre auditorium at 7pm.*
This evening is designed to give an outline of how the tour and the associated research may be organised.
An outline of the evening will be:
How the previous tours have been run & issues involved with overseas travel.
Outline of the possibilities for a new tour – itinerary, preparations, fundraising etc.
Ideas on costing and research involved.
Indications of interest and how a long term timeline of planning could be implemented.
Please fill out the form below if you are interested in attending the information evening and have your child
return the form to Mr Goodwin in the Senior Co-ordinator’s room. Of course, attendance at this evening is not
a commitment to any aspect of the proposed tour.
* Parking for the Senior Centre is via the Burgess St entrance.
Mike Goodwin
Lest We Forget Project Co-ordinator
Our family is interested in the proposed commemorative tour and will attend the information evening on Tuesday, 7 March:
Student: _____________________________ Home group: ____________
Parent / Guardian signature: ___________________
Date: __________
INTERHOUSE SWIMMING CARNIVAL 2017
Over two Fridays – Friday 17th & 24th February – the annual Interhouse Swimming Carnival at Mackay
North SHS will be held. These days are NORMAL SCHOOL DAYS and all students are to attend. Friday
17th February will see the junior school compete, and on the following Friday (24th), the senior school
will thrash it out in the pool. Both of these days are normal school days and all students are expected
to attend, whether they are participating in the carnival or not. Students not participating in the
swimming carnival will attend normal classes.
Those students wanting to participate in the day will have nominated during their ADP lesson this week.
If students have been away and missed these nominations, they will be been given until the end of
second break Monday 13th February to put in their nomination. If students have not nominated, they will
be attending normal classes. Students attending the carnival will need to wear full school uniform to
school, and bring a hat, as well as their lunch. Sunscreen and water will be provided. Whilst at the
carnival, students may change in to their house colours (Bagley – red, Fitzgerald – blue, Norris –
green, Spiller – yellow), however they must be in full school uniform before leaving the pool at the end
of the day. Students attending the carnival may order from the tuckshop if they wish, however this
must be done before 8:30am on the day they are competing, and it will be delivered to them at
12:00pm.
There are many races available to students, ranging from the 25m Freestyle to the 100m Individual
Medley. Unlike in previous years, there will be an A & B division for the 50m events – if your child
wishes to be considered for Age Champion, they must swim in the A division race.
All students attending the carnival are reminded that this is a normal school day and normal school
rules apply. Any student who behaves in an inappropriate manner will be sent back to class and be dealt
with in accordance to the school’s behaviour policy. Also, no electronic devices will be permitted at the
carnival. Any devices seen will be dealt with in accordance to the school’s electronic devices policy.
Because of the expected number of students participating in the swimming carnivals, due to WPH&S
concerns, we will not be able to accommodate parents at these events.
I look forward to seeing many students in their house colours at the pool on over the next two Fridays.
In 2016, Spiller took out the Junior Championship, Bagley won the Senior Championship, while Spiller
were the overall victors. Who will be in the winners circle this year? Stay tuned to find out…
FITZGERALD
BAGLEY SPILLER
NORRIS
SPORTING REPRESENTATIVES 2017
In the sporting arena, Mackay and District Trials have begun and already Mackay North SHS has had students
selected to represent the district at their upcoming Capricornia Trials. We wish the following students the best of
luck:
INTERSCHOOL HOCKEY
Nominations are now being called for students interested in representing the school in the Mackay Schools Hockey
Competition. Matches will begin in early March and are played on a Saturday morning at the Hockey fields on
Harney Street in South Mackay. If your child is interested in participating in this (no prior experience is
necessary) or you have any questions, please do not hesitate in contacting Mrs Sherri Savage at the school.
SPORTING TRIALS
Sporting trials are advertised on daily notices at school. These trials are conducted in the age groups that they
are turning (or have turned) in 2017. Students wanting to attend sporting trials – either Northern Suburbs
(turning 12yrs this year) or Mackay & District (turning 13-19yrs this year) – must collect a form for their chosen
sport from Mr Smith in the PE staffroom. These forms must then be taken home and filled out by parents/
caregivers and returned to school. When they are returned to school, they are to be taken to the school office
and paid for ($2 for Northern Suburbs and $5 for Mackay & District) where they will be stamped. Once the form
is stamped, it must then be taken to Mr Smith in the PE staffroom before the due date. This is 1 week before the
trial (where practicable) and is stated on the daily notices, as well as the note. Students who do not submit their
forms will not be nominated, and will be expected to attend school on that day. Any student who attends the trial
without being nominated by the school will be considered to be truanting as the school has not given permission for
them to attend the trial. This will be dealt with upon return to school. Also, without the nomination, the student
will be ineligible for selection in that particular sport.
Please do not hesitate in contacting me if you have any questions on this.
Yours in sport,
Daniel Smith
Sports Coordinator
On the next page is the sporting trials calendar for 10-12yrs that we were unable to add last newsletter.
BASKETBALL
18yrs Girls Paige Steindl-Corrie
Courtney Virgo
18yrs Boys Rory Tarlinton
CRICKET 19yrs Boys Mackay
Ethan Morris
SOFTBALL
19yrs Girls Kiera James
Chelsea Veitch
19yrs Boys Heinrich Ackermann
Riley James
VOLLEYBALL
15yrs Girls Alexia Brownsey
15yrs Boys Ethan Brownsey
Version 6 Draft 2017– SPORTS CALENDAR – 10 – 12 YRS
NORTHERN SUBURBS
MACKAY AND DISTRICT
CAPRICORNIA
SPORT
CLOSE
DATE
DATE
VENUE
DATE
VENUE
DATE
VENUE
Aust Rules (B) N/A Combined trial 20 February TBA 13 March Port Curtis
Netball (11yr) 8 March
3.30 -5.00
Northview 21 March
Casey Avenue 26 April Rockhampton
Netball (12yr) 9 3.30-5.00 March Northview 21 March
Casey Avenue 26 April Rockhampton
Rugby (12yr)
League
(11yr)
(Girls)
24 February
After School
3.30-4.30
Mackay Touch Fields 13-17 March
Date to be
confirmed
Abbott Park (10,
11s)
MSHS (Girls, 12s)
1-2 May
(Boys)
5 June
(Girls)
Rockhampton
Cen H/lands
24 February
After School
3.30-4.30
Mackay Touch Fields
24 February
Paper nominations
Mackay Touch Fields
Basketball
(G/B)
9 Feb
12.30 -2.30
Whitsunday Anglican 15th February Candlestick Park 6 March Rockhampton
Hockey (B/G)
12 year old
N/A Paper copies 24 March
Hockey Grounds 26 April Rockhampton
Aquathon 14 Nov Yeppoon
Rugby Union N/A Combined trial 20 April Quarry Hill 8 May Mackay
Soccer (B)
12 yr old
3 March
1.30-3.30
Northview 10 March Lions Park 23-24 April Central
Highlands
Soccer (G)
12 yr old
3 March
1.30-3.30
Northview 10 March Lions Park 23-24 April Central
Highlands
Touch (G)
Touch (B )
20 April
3.30 -5.00
Mackay Touch Fields 5 May
Norris Road
22 May Port Curtis
Cross
Country (B/G)
21 April
8.00 – 10.00
Magpies Sporting
Fieldl
8 May Harrup Park 30 May Mackay
Tennis (B/G)
12 yr old
14 April Junior Tennis Courts 21 April Junior Tennis
Association
8 May Central
Highlands
Softball (B) N/A Paper Nominations 23 May Softball Grounds
Bfd
11-12 June Port Curtis
Softball (G) N/A Paper Nominations 23 May Softball Grounds
Bfd
11-12 June Port Curtis
Track & Field
19 July
Whitsunday Ang
28 July Pioneer High
School
21-22 Aug Port Curtis
Cricket (G) Paper nomination 18 Aug
West Mackay SS 4 Sept Port Curtis
Cricket (B) Paper Nominations 18 Aug TBA 3-5 Sept Port Curtis
Swimming
10-12 yr old
Paper Nominations Straight to
Capricornia
nominations.
13th
February Paper Nominations
Golf Paper Nominations Paper
nominations
10th
May Paper Nominations