22 October 2021

Newsletter Articles

Executive Principal’s Report

The middle four weeks of Term 4 are the pinnacle of the academic year in many ways. Students in all year levels will be in the midst of various assessment requiring their attention and best efforts to apply the thinking and not only recall of key learnings in each of their subjects.

In previous newsletters I have spoken a great deal of the collateral invested into our school’s wellbeing programs for after all, our first priorities as parents and educators alike is to see our children and students happy and safe. Young people need to be in a “good place” to make most of learning. We also need to keep a perspective life presents with challenges, many not of our own making, and the capacity, mind set and attitudes and exercise of free will, that we hold, make us resilient to challenge and is as much a personal responsibility as it is a personal quality.

With annual awards and graduation on the near horizon and our Year 12’s about to embark on external exams and end of their final year at school, bears some reflection.

This term so far it has been wonderful to witness the results of student efforts in the academic, sporting and cultural pursuits that have, and are about to culminate. Many young people rising to challenges, defeating any distractions and staying on the “straight and narrow” path.

The natural talent being given opportunity to develop and be proudly displayed and attracting recognition that are chronicled on these pages of this week’s newsletter are testament. It needs also to be acknowledged and praised that so much of this success is due to efforts of teaching and support staff. For example, the small army of over 39 teachers directly involved in coaching, mentoring or managing our school sporting teams and every member of staff in our Arts faculty who have inspired budding musicians and visual artists who have received award of some kind this term.

Our school’s culture for learning is our first priority, and though it might not be first thought of reading material I recommend parents and carers to have a look at our school’s Strategic Plan which is halfway along its currency, and our Annual Plan. This year our focus is on the teaching and learning that demonstrably effects student learning and outcomes. We are on track to meet and beat the aspirational targets for student success, a result of bringing together both a positive and nurturing culture as well as the opportunities to excel.

Standards matter that has only one ultimate goal: that every child gets the chance to do their best. Last week was the last time this year I had opportunity to meet with the senior leadership group for morning tea. I have endeavoured and through a range of systems committed to not being ‘tone deaf’ to the student voice. Democracy only ‘happens’ when people listen and can communicate respectfully. The message seniors asked me to deliver to whole school assembly this week, the first we have been able to hold for a time, is this: “be relentless and don’t give up”. I summed this up as having “tenacity” and remaining so, even though one might be met with challenges and distractions, a lapse or even a ‘no concern’ attitude for what is “right” thinking and personal behaviours.

The essence of success for these students and all those who have been recently recognised for their talent and accomplishments in a range of activities, competitions and fields of study is their tenacity and inner joy of personal accomplishment.

Peer Support Class wellbeing theme these first 4 weeks of term has been on courtesy towards others. Not just “good old-fashioned manners” or being “respectful”. These are concepts best practiced to be understood and appreciated. Digging deeper, we find other positive attributes such as “kindness” and being “thoughtful”.

I was “chuffed” last week to be presented with a pencil sketch portrait by one of our budding younger artists. A random act that gives heart not only to the talent, but speaks to that of our school culture rests with young people of this calibre.

My presentation to school assembly, invoked by our senior leaders was to that effect. Young people in our school have choice and opportunity to tread a great path to success that the vast majority do and to the spirit of our 5 C’s.

School Opinion Survey results were released to schools late last week. I thank the 500+ parents who responded and 500+ students and 95 staff who returned surveys. The surveys have changed format as well as some questions compared to past years and no survey last year due to COVID.

It is difficult to make direct comparisons of “growth”, but general trends remain of very high rates of satisfaction in comparison to Metropolitan Region and Sate Schools generally across all stakeholder groups. Parents were well into the 90 per cents in all areas, and above comparison groups, with satisfaction for wellbeing at 96% and their child feeling safe at 94%.

That Cav Road is “a good school” returned 96%, 4% higher than Queensland state schools and 8% higher than Queensland state secondary schools. Students on this item returned 87%, which was 14% higher than Queensland secondary schools, with staff returning 96.9% on this item, almost 8% above their secondary school colleagues.

The most positive parents’ items were:

Teachers at this school expect my child to do his or her best. 97.0%
This school is well maintained. 96.6%
The expectations and rules are clear at this school. 96.6 %

The most positive students’ items were:

My teachers expect me to do my best. 96.9%
The expectations and rules are clear at my school. 94.4%
I can access computers and other technologies at my school for learning. 92.7%

The most positive teacher items were:

I use the Australian Curriculum (P-10) and/or Queensland senior syllabuses (11-12) for planning teaching, learning and assessment.100.0%
Students are encouraged to do their best at this school. 100.0%
I modify my teaching practice after reviewing student assessment data. 100.0%

I thank parents for your continued support and recognition of the work we do.

As the” glass is about 96% full” we have work to do, including keeping on doing what we do well, sticking to the path, “right thinking”, rising to challenges and celebrating successes, some of which are in the following pages.

Richard Usher BA LLB Dip Teach
Executive Principal

Head of School

John Hazzard

World Teachers’ Day is held on 29 October, 2021. The theme of World Teachers' Day is 'Teachers at the heart of education recovery'. It aims to recognise the tireless efforts of teachers to keep lessons going and ensure minimal disruption to students' learning over the course of the pandemic. We have been fortunate in Queensland that disruptions to schooling has been minimised and we feel for all students and staff in New South Wales and Victoria who have had significant disruption throughout 2020 and 2021. Staff at Cav Road consistently go above and beyond for our students and this is often demonstrated in the amount of extra-curricular activities that our teachers provide outside of school time. World Teacher’s Day is a great opportunity to thanks and acknowledge our teachers.

Planning for the transition of our future year 7 students in 2022 is well underway. Currently, we have 380 students from over 50 primary schools enrolled for next year, demonstrating the community’s confidence in our school. We will be hosting all our future Year 7 students on Tuesday 30 November, 2021 for our Transition Day. Invitations and further information will be sent out to prospective parents later in Term 4. Our traditional introductory activities will continue including Orientation Days at the beginning of the year, Year 7 Parent Evening in week 3 and the Year 7 camp which will be held at Noosa Northshore in week 5.

Expressions of Interest for Out of Catchment enrolments for 2023 have now opened. Information can be found on the school website.

The Year 12 students will begin their External Exams this Friday, 22 October. All students have diligently developed their own personalised study plan for term 4 and are ready for their exams. Year 12 students are only required to be at school for their exams. The Year 12 students will return to school for their final classes on Wednesday 17 November. The last day for Year 12 attendance will be Friday 19 November.

Head of School

Catherine McCarthy

Term 4 is always a busy time of year with numerous events celebrating the end of another year of learning. As we go to print, our Year 12 students are in the final external assessments before their graduation. Year 11s are preparing for their rescheduled semiformal, “Cavchella”, sporting academy end of year celebrations are in full swing and our Awards Ceremonies. There’s been great success on the sporting fields and in arts arenas in recent weeks which just demonstrates the tremendous breadth of opportunities available to Cavroadians each and every day.

Awards Ceremonies and Year 12 Graduation

After the successful hosting of the annual Awards Ceremonies in the Alan Sampson Sports Centre here at Cav Rd last year, we will continue this new tradition in 2021. The year level Award ceremonies are occurring at the following times:

Years 7, 8, 9 – Tuesday 16 November 1:20pm
Years 10, 11, 12 – Wednesday 17 November 1:20pm

Year 12 Graduation Ceremony will also be held in the Alan Sampson Sports Centre on Friday 19 November commencing at 8.45am. Students will receive two tickets per family for Graduation. Tickets can be collected from Student Services from Thursday 21 October.

There is a COVID safe plan in place for our Awards ceremonies and Year 12 Graduation. We remind you that as part of attending this event you should ensure you:

• wear masks in accordance with health directions at the time
• stay home if sick
• if you have any COVID-19 symptoms, no matter how mild, get tested
• socially distance in accordance with health directions at the time
• sign in to the event when you arrive
• use hand sanitiser when you arrive

Parents of students receiving awards will receive an invitation via mail with RSVP details. Please ensure you reply with in the required time frame to allow our planning team to have accurate details.

Dress and Appearance

Cavendish Road SHS is proud of its traditions including its uniform. Cavroadians wear their uniform correctly and with pride of presentation. The “Uniforms and dress code policy” can be found in your student’s planner as well as on the school website. There are a few points of reminder for our whole school community:

• students are only permitted to wear their sports uniforms to and from school on Tuesday (year 7 – 9) and Wednesday (10 – 12).
• Students are required to wear hats when in the sun
• Students not in correct uniform should attend T block BEFORE the school day starts to rectify any issues. This ensure no disruption to the teaching and learning day. If a student is in class during the day and is not wearing the correct uniform, the teacher will send the students to T block for assistance.

Attendance

I want to take this opportunity to thank the Cav Rd community for your support and communication around student absences. With the current recommendations of caution around illness in the community, we thank you for keeping students home when they are sick and communicating with us about your circumstances. If you receive a letter in the mail in relation to unexplained absence, please sign the letter and ask your student to return it as soon as possible. Alternatively, you can contact the school directly with explanation of absences on attendance@cavendishroadshs.eq.edu.au.

A reminder to our community that if a student is ill at any time during the school day, they need to go to Student Services. They should not be communicating with parents/carers via mobile phones. The process is that they get a note to come to Student Services and our administration staff will contact the relevant parent/carer. This ensures that we can keep students safe in sick bay and record absence from classes accurately.

Mask Wearing

We saw last week the lifting of some restrictions in terms of mask wearing. People are now permitted to remove their masks while seated on school grounds and no longer need to wear them when they can socially distance. As you can imagine there are still many situations in school where masks are required; lining up for the canteen, entering and exiting classes, moving in to parades, waiting for buses etc. We ask that you please ensure students leave home with a mask for the school day.

Parents and Citizens’ (P and C) Association

Meetings

Our last P&C meeting was on Tuesday 19 October 2021 at 7pm in the School Library.

If you prefer to join via TEAMS online next year, our P&C FB page posts a link or members will receive their link via email. Like us on the Cav Rd P&C Facebook page for the latest news or join our mailing list and receive meeting links and copies of minutes by emailing pandcsecretary.cavrd@gmail.com

From the President

We’ve been kept busy this month spending more of the $166k we had allocated this year.

• $30k on chairs for the PAC (delivery expected this term).
• $8k allocation towards further investigation and set up of a coffee shop/barista training facility in the PAC canteen.
• $35k (in total) allocation to the pathway between Y block and the sports hall – almost ready to open.

Coming Up World Teachers’ Day Coffee Van and the Junior Dance on 3 December!

If your students haven’t been talking about it, they’re missing out. Word is out and viral.

Friday 3 December from 6:00pm in the Sports Hall for Cav’s Junior Dance party!

Year’s 7, 8 and 9 (Cav Rd students only), Pro DJ with a killer mix of tracks, Mirror Photo booth and food trucks. Don’t miss out!

Parents and Carers who want to be involved, please come and lend a hand on the night. Thank you to all those who have already responded to our volunteer callout, we have a great bunch helping to make this work, but we could do with about 5 more people. Please email Kumar at president@cavrdpandc.onmicrosoft.com if you can help.

CRIMS Musical Events

CRIMS were delighted to support Cav Quest on Thursday 14 October by running a canteen and BBQ. After a Covid-induced hiatus, it was great to be back in the PAC listening to music. Cav Quest is our last event this year and we thank everyone who has helped at events or purchased items from the canteen to support our instrumental music program. We hope to be back with a full performance schedule in 2022.

If you'd like to become involved next year – look out for our Cav Rd Instrumental Music Subcommittee (CRIMS) meeting dates on the P&C page of the School Website or reminders are posted on our Facebook page.

Canteen

Our new summer menu can be viewed on FB or the School Website, and a reminder that we love, love, love lunches pre-ordered before school as it saves time during breaks, especially important while so many excursions and exam blocks happening this term.

Do you have students starting at Cav next year?

A great way to help them settle in and meet other parents, is volunteering in the Canteen. You won’t be thrown in the deep end! Roberta and Madonna manage a great team and it’s a fun environment, even if you only have a few hours in the morning to label some boxes for us, we would really appreciate it. Contact us at canteen.cavrd@gmail.com if you’d like to book in a day.

• Drop in from 9am and stay till either 12 or 2pm. Lunch is on us if you’re staying.
• Duties include folding pizza boxes, labelling containers/packaging, wrapping bread rolls, making sandwiches and assisting us with food preparation. Also, handing out pre-orders during main lunch break at 11.15am-11.45am may also be required.
• Volunteers don’t need to handle payments as paid staff take on that responsibility completely.
• You must wear enclosed shoes and have hair tied back. If you are a parent of a student, a Bluecard is NOT required (but if you have one you are required to advise us).

Uniform Shop

You may have noticed the Uniforms in the Junior (7-9) and Senior (10-12) year levels are slightly different, most noticeable are the boys’ formal shirts going from green to white. Year 12 students also wear ties (which are gifted by the P&C on their first day of Year 12).

• An email from the school will be delivered shortly with more details for our 2022’s Year 7s uniform requirements, and any changes for current students as they move up a year level.
• Information will include back-to-school fitting dates and how to book appointments for November.
• At this time, it’s extremely busy in the shop and storage space is limited. To assist us, please collect online orders promptly. So, when students either hear their names called or receive student notices - could they please come and collect asap.
• Due to Covid restrictions, and deliveries of stock arriving, please DO NOT come into the Uniform Shop before your appointment is scheduled.

Laena Trueman
Vice-President Communications
Cav Road SHS P&C Association

Finance

Cavendish Road State High School is a cashless school.

How to Make Payment at Cavendish Road State High School

DET Preferred Payment Method - BPoint

Please use the CRN (Customer Reference Number) located on the bottom left hand side of your invoice. Payment can be made through the Payment Portal:

This is a secure site and receipts are issued immediately. Our records are updated within 24 hours.

Copies of invoices and receipts are available on your QParents Portal. Payments can also be made in QParents.

Payment Plan Via eDDR (Electronic Direct Debit Registration)

Contact finance@cavendishroadshs.eq.edu.au or phone 07-3394-0777 to speak to our Finance Team to discuss a payment plan.

By Phone with a Credit/Debit Card

Please phone 1300 BPoint – 1300-631-073.

When making a payment please have your invoice ready as you will need your CRN (Customer Reference Number) and Invoice Number.

In Person at Cavendish Road State High School

Office Hours are Monday to Friday 8.00am to 1.30pm on school days.

Payment can be made by EFTPOS. American Express not accepted.

CentrePay Deductions

Please contact our Finance Team to discuss this option.

Guidance Support Team

Year 12 and External Exams

As part of the ongoing revision/assessment process, students would have already established regular study patterns, reviewed and practiced past exams, worked in study groups, practiced/explained/discussed answers etc.. The groundwork has been set for the upcoming external exams, so …

Plan for the day of your exams

• Know your exam
  - What are the practical details about your exam
  - Get everything ready well in advance of the exam - don't leave it to the day before to suddenly realize you don't know what you're supposed to bring.
  - Check all the rules and requirements
• Relax - It is essential to keep yourself stress-free and calm (as possible) before an exam. Stress before an exam is normal.
• Eat fibre rich foods. Keep your body and brain well-fuelled by choosing nutritious foods that have been proven to aid concentration and memory, such as fish, nuts, seeds, yogurt and blueberries. The same applies on exam day - eat a good meal before the exam, based on foods that will provide a slow release of energy throughout. Sugar may seem appealing, but your energy levels will crash an hour later.
• Confirm you have everything
• Be on time – Be positive – You have done the work, you’ve got this.

Reviewing your academic year

At the start of the year, students looked at creating achievement goals for 2021. Goal setting coupled with reflecting and revising goals can assist students in the development of self-regulated learning skills needed for a growth mindset toward academic development.

Goals which were created early in the year, reviewed (as part of a personal reflection in OneSchool), need to be reflected on as the end of the year approaches. This may mean that some of the goals have or have not be achieved, or that you may need to review your goals and make some adjustments to meet the goals you had set, prior to your final report card for 2021. Some points to consider in your review may be …

• What are some areas that you can improve upon?
• What are some areas that need more attention or focus?
• What could you do differently?
• What specific and concrete actions can you do?
• How can you advocate for yourself? - In other words, how can your teachers, your peers, or others guide you toward your goal/s?

Remember, your goals are achieved by you making a commitment to setting action tasks and by doing those action tasks. Also, you need to be willing to change and adapt, keep your eye on the prize, be consistent, when needed ask for help, focus on positive thinking and celebrate your successes for 2021.

Guidance Team – Jane Larsen, Michael Lynch, Rob Stewart and Alycia Wilkinson

Year 12 – Deputy Principal

External Exams Friday 22 October – Tuesday 16 November Inclusive

Our school community have travelled a long road in preparation for these exams and students should feel reassured they are well prepared. We are extremely proud of the work of Cavendish Road staff and the resilience of students’ as they have navigated their way to this event. Students will have come home with clear directions on when and where their exams are and they need to be very familiar with this document. Parents and carers were also emailed this information to enable you to assist your son and daughter in organising their days. (Please see Senior Schooling News below regarding exams). It is essential that students arrive on time with the necessary equipment for their allocated assessment. Should, however, students experience illness or misadventure it is equally important that the school be contacted a soon as possible for the necessary protocols to be put in place. Failure to do so could have significant consequence that we all wish to avoid.

As parents/caregivers, check in with your students and discuss their confidence in being well prepared. It is one of those critical times in our children’s lives where they need to know you are there and thinking of them and providing what support you can. This is their senior exam period and as seniors, they are responsible for preparing for them. However, we all contribute, support and guide our students daily, so if they can do this in an environment of support and understanding it will make their lives that little bit easier. As a school we wish them the very best of luck and will be thinking of them over the next three weeks.

Another rite of passage for our students is the final week of school including the Awards and Graduation ceremonies. Information around these events are also contained within this newsletter (See Year 12 Dean News). We all look for a positive finish to 2021 and will provide the opportunity for students and parents/caregivers to celebrate the successful completion of their schooling at Cav Road.

I thank you kindly for the time you have taken in digesting this newsletter and the volumes of information it contains and look forward to celebrating the success of our students with you at their graduation.

Stay well and stay safe
Paul Cox – Year 12 Deputy Principal

Senior Schooling

YEAR 12 EXTERNAL EXAM BLOCK

Year 12 students will commence their senior external exam block on Friday 22 October. The block will run from Friday 22 October to Monday 15 November (exam block timetable attached).

Students must ensure they arrive at school well before the test sessions are due to begin.

Session times:
SESSION 1 – Morning Session

8.30 am Assemble at scheduled exam room (W Block, T35/36)
9.00 am Start Session 1
11.30 am Finish Session 1

SESSION 2 – Afternoon Session

12.00 pm Assemble at scheduled exam room (W Block, T25/36)
12.30 pm Start Session 2
2.45 pm Finish Session 2

Session finishing times will vary according to the individual subjects’ scheduled finish time.

All students have received the ‘Directions for Students: External Assessment’ and ‘Equipment List’ from Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA). These information sheets clearly outline the student’s responsibility and how to deal with an unexpected illness or absence. It is most important that all students have the correct equipment for each subject exam. All equipment should be in a clear container. Prohibited items are NOT to be brought to school during the exam block (e.g. smart watches, fitness trackers etc).

Students who are sick or experience some other misadventure which may prevent them from attending their scheduled exam/s MUST contact the school as soon as the event occurs. A medical certificate is required and an AARA application must be submitted to QCAA. If a student is going to be late for an exam due to an extenuating circumstance e.g. traffic issues, the student/parent must contact the school immediately.

Students are able to sign their mobile phones into student services prior to their exam session and are able to collect it after their exam. Students are not permitted to leave the school grounds during their 45 minute break if they have two exams scheduled on the same day.

Students are not to attend their TAFE course or traineeship/apprenticeship on the day/days they have an external exam scheduled.

My very best wishes to all of the Year 12 students for their external exam block.

Karyn Trapp - HOD Senior Schooling
Year 12 Last week 15-19 November

Year 12 DEAN News

Students have been informed about the last week of school, which is a very short week for them. Some important things to note are:

1. Students attend for Period 1, 2 and 3 and will go home Wednesday second break unless they have an invitation to the Senior Awards Ceremony.
2. Graduation rehearsal is Period 1 and 2 on Thursday. After rehearsal all Year 12’s will be released to go home.
3. Graduation on Friday commencing 9am (Period 1 and 2) – students will receive two tickets per family for Graduation. Tickets can be collected from Student Services from Thursday 21 October.

This is a really exciting time for students as they come to an end of their schooling at Cav Road, it also brings mixed emotions but I want them to realise they will have many memories and friendships that will last longer and take with them through to their next stage in life.

Vicki Schafer - Yr12 Dean

Creative Art and Industries

Clever creatives marked to the beat this term.

Outstanding successes in all Arts strands recently have reinforced how determination and commitment delivered the best of the best. To say we are proud of these achievements is an understatement.

Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art recognise and promote excellence in senior visual art education throughout Queensland Schools. Congratulations to our two Year 12 recipients, Sam Eichler and Jahla Hervey for selection in this prestigious event.

Congratulations

Congratulations to Ji-Ah Lee (7B) attaining Highly Commended in the recent Brisbane Portrait Prize. Her artwork titled ‘mum-my-ultimate-mentor’ is beautifully executed.

Ji-Ah submitted her art work to 2021 Next Gen category, and received Highly Commended.

The Brisbane Portrait Prize is all about celebrating Brisbane portrait artists and their sitters, whilst encouraging public engagement with the arts.

The Finalists Exhibition, which is held at the Brisbane Powerhouse, showcases the 75 artists who were selected as our 2021 finalists.

The Exhibition is open daily from the September 29 until October 31.

M.U.M. (My Ultimate Mentor)

Ji-Ah – Year 7 Student

About the Work

I am a Year 7 student at Cavendish Road State High School. I decided to be an artist when I was a kindergarten kid. I like oil painting on canvas because of the rich colour and the satisfying texture. My favourite artist is Vincent Van Gogh, and “The Starry Night” is my favourite artwork. I like the vivid colours and movement inside of the artwork.

This is a portrait of my mother, teaching on ZOOM in her study room, during the lockdown. She is a professor in the Korean program at UQ. Since my family moved to Brisbane in 2014, she has been working on the expansion of Korean language education, not only in Brisbane but also in Queensland. To me, she is not just a mum. She is my life-long mentor, because she always inspired me to become a better person and support my dream as an artist.

Awarded – Next Gen Highly Commended

Battle of the Bands - Gold standard award for the band, Faith Kayrooz best vocalist

Cav Quest - A fantastic evening of collaboration across the Arts, special thanks to CRIMS for their unwavering support. Talent packed a punch on the night, so wonderful to see Arts Alumni return to judge the event. Special mention to Mr Gillingwater for driving this annual event over the years.

Musical 2022 - We are pleased to announce the school musical for 2022.

‘Chicago’ Auditions in Term 4 Weeks 8/9

Please read individual reports on the above under subject reports.

Congratulations to 2021 Senior Arts student who have displayed resilience and dedication to their studies this year. You have delivered quality outcomes.

As a faculty we are proud of your accomplishments and wish you well in your final assessment in External Exams.

Gen Tippett – HOD Creative Art and Industries

Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art

The Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art recognise and promote excellence in senior visual art education throughout Queensland Schools.

Since 1990, the program has helped raise community awareness of the degree of sophistication in concepts, diversity of technical competence, and the high standard of visual art education in Queensland secondary schools.

Congratulations to our two Yr12 recipients Sam E and Jahla H for 2021. Their artwork will be exhibited at GOMA next year along with all state winners from each region.

Vicki Schafer - Visual Art Teacher

Year 11 Visual Art Excursion

The Year 11 Visual Art students have recently participated in a two-day experience as part of their IA1 assessment. The first day saw them attend Boggo Road Gaol, where they participated in a tour of the Gaol, reliving prisoner stories and the gaol’s history. This experience provided students with not only an insight into the history of Brisbane, but also a close encounter of the harsh physical environment endured by prisoners.

In contrast to this experience our day two excursion saw the students engage with natural environments. Sandgate Mud Flats, Redcliffe and the Tinchi Tamar Wetlands provided students with an opportunity to make visual connections through drawings, photographs, and sounds, allowing students to respond to the environment in a physical and emotional manner.

Through two very contrasting experiences, our Year 11 students are now in the process of comparing the two days and forming an inquiry question, which will lead them into artist research and a folio of work.

We are looking forward to how our students respond to these experiences in both written and practical formats, as our students have already proven during the year that they are both critical and creative thinkers.

Angie Carrara and Gabrielle Demisch – Art Teachers

Music

Battle of the Bands 2021

On 7 October, Cav Road won gold and best singer at the inter-school Battle of the Bands held at Clairvaux Mackillop College. A huge congratulations to the group that worked so hard to produce such an amazing performance!

Cav Quest 2021

On 14 October, our annual talent show 'Cav Quest' was held to showcase the amazing talent of our students. A huge congratulations to our winners 'Roundhouse' and all of our performers and crew. A massive thank you to our parent instrumental support group CRIMS, and the P & C for making this event happen. We would also like to thank all staff involved; it was a collective effort to make this a wonderful night for the community.

Michael Gillingwater - Music Teacher

DRAMA

Congratulations to our senior students who we say GOODBYE and GOOD LUCK to as they embark on upcoming external exams. It has been a wonderful 5-year journey for most of you and I have enjoyed our time together immensely. You should be extremely proud of your efforts and achievements within the drama department. Best of luck to you all.

THE STONES PERFORMANCE

On Friday morning Drama and Media Arts students viewed a live theatre performance by SHOCK THERAPY Theatre Company titled THE STONES. This is a true story of two boys in Western Australia who threw rocks off an overpass on a highway and killed a man. What happens to them, the court case and the aftermath of the accident. Two young boys face the consequences of their actions. This was such an exciting, engaging and educational production. The conversations with students afterwards [my favourite part] was enlightening. What they notice, what they remember, what they thought was cool, funny, clever. This analysis and open conversation are the best part of students viewing live theatre.

HOLLAND PARK COLLABORATION

October is a great time of year for the Drama department. For the last 11 years we have been working with Holland Park Primary year 5 students to collaborate on their Christmas Concert. Due to COVID last year we began a new program, a Documentary Drama Production. So, this year, the same production will occur, a Documentary Drama production written by the year 5 students, guided, devised, directed, edited, rehearsed and polished by the year 10 Cav Rd Drama students. Its an excellent leadership opportunity for our year 10 drama students to teach and engage and bring research and relevant subject matter to life through performance.

YEAR 8 COMMEDIA DELL ARTE

Three talented year 8 classes have been manipulating and experimenting with the dramatic element of movement in preparation for their Commedia dell’arte performance in week 8. The students have worked with both realistic and stylised expressions of movement, exploring how and why movement is an integral part of character and role. Below is a snap of a group of students working on “chair duets,” in which a string of material is created by adding on different gestures and motions in turns. The final products are truly mesmerising to watch.

YEAR 11 ABSURD THEATRE - IA1 Assessment

Term 4 brings the biggest challenge yet for our Year 11’s, IA1. Traditional theatre is being turned on its head through the fantastic genre of Absurd Theatre, and students must perform a scene from Beckett’s classic play, Waiting for Godot as part of their first year 12 assessment. They will need to forget everything they know about conventional plot, characters, language and movement, and embrace the absurd! Best of luck to these wonderfully talented actors, we’re sure that they’ll knock it out of the park.

CREATIVE ARTS & INDUSTRIES CALENDAR - DRAMA

18 October – Week 2 Holland Park Year 10
25 October – Week 3 Holland Park Year 10
1 November – Week 4 Holland Park Year 10
8 November – Week 5 Holland Park Year 10
16 November – Final week Assessment Week Holland Park Year 10
TBA November – Creative Arts and Industries excursion to QPAC and Southbank TAFE

Cheers
Toni Ryan - Drama Coordinator
& Holly Banks - Drama Teacher

English

General English Update

Year 11 General English students have started their first unit of Grade 12 work by reading George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984.

Ms J Cuba – Head of Department, English

Diplomacy Club

Diplomacy Club was created to foster a safe and friendly environment where students from all year levels can interact and share ideas through the form of debating, model UN, and general group discussions. Members of Diplomacy Club are able to choose from a wide range of political, social, environmental, and philosophical issues to debate. However, there are no limits for these debate topics, as students have the freedom to select whatever issue or contentious topic that is of interest.

An upcoming debate that occurred in Week 9 of Term 3 is: “Tertiary education should be free to all Australian citizens”. All club members voted on a range of topics and tertiary education gained the majority of votes. Topics such as these allow diplomacy club members to become more informed on important issues, and the student-led nature of our debates enable the students to teach their own peers, instead of individual research or teacher presentations. This creative and interactive method of peer-learning develops teamwork skills through engaging methods where students can build on each other’s ideas and consider opposing viewpoints. Many of the topics discussed in Diplomacy Club are applicable to the students’ lives and their future. It is imperative that students broaden their learning outside of the classroom in order to be prepared for the future and to consider how certain factors could affect their future.

Apart from debating, Diplomacy Club also aims to promote public speaking opportunities and group projects based on current world issues. These projects will occur during Term 4 so that students are able to present their ideas and findings to the club at the ‘end of year conference’. Furthermore, leadership positions are soon to be arranged, as it is crucial that students have a say in the functions of the club and are able to develop organisational and leadership skills whilst enhancing their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Some of the leadership roles include President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Communications Team. Diplomacy Club members are also very enthusiastic about Model UN, and some of our students will be participating in the upcoming Queensland State Conference which incorporates Model UN and diplomacy workshops into a two-day event in Brisbane City. Personally, I am participating in UN Youth’s School Ambassadors Program which is a year-long program that involves monthly sessions of discussions and debates on issues of global importance. Opportunities with Diplomacy Club extends outside of school and into other educational organisations in Australia.

If you want to join Diplomacy Club, we meet at first break on Thurdays in K13.

Malika Do - Diplomacy Club Organiser

Humanities

UQ-QETA Economics Competition

In term 3 of this year both the year 11, and 12 Economics students sat the University of Queensland (UQ) - Queensland Economics Teacher Association (QETA) Economics Competition. The exam consisted of 40 questions; 10 on the current economic climate and 30 based on the Economics syllabus. Across the state close to 2000 students sat the exam. Patrick A. in grade 12 tied third and was honoured by the UQ for his achievements (Pictured). All students who participated will receive a certificate for their efforts. It is fantastic to see their efforts rewarded.

History - Year 10

On Tuesday October 12th, some lucky year 10 History classes were visited by Elder Ted Williams.

Mr Williams spoke to the students about Australia's own Civil Rights Movement as well as the experience of Indigenous Australians as a part of the Stolen Generation. This is a part of their class study on Rights and Freedoms which has them compare components of Australia's Civil Rights Movement with America's CRM. The students were grateful for the opportunity to listen to Mr Williams. The insight and expertise he offered was invaluable.

His visit would not have been possible without the help and support of Indigenous Liaison Officer, Kym Ford. Thank you also goes to Chile Moran who did a great job in the acknowledgment of country.

Laura Signorini – HOD Humanities

Languages

Japanese Report

Congratulations and Good Luck to the 2021 Year 12 Japanese Class

The Japanese staff congratulate the Year 12 students on their enthusiastic study of Japanese over the past five years. They have built a solid foundation of Japanese language skills and cultural knowledge which they can use in both their professional and personal lives in the future. We wish them the all the best for the upcoming external exams.

The Year 12 students enjoyed a wonderful celebration at Bird Nest restaurant in West End, organised by the current Year 12 teacher, Ms McConnell.

Japan Related Events

The following community events may be of interest to Japanese students and their families.

e-Matsuri:Brisbane @Mount Gravatt Street Food Saturday 23 October Mount Gravatt Showgrounds from 4 pm. There will be Japanese street food stalls and live cultural performances.

2021 Japanese Film Festival 11-17 November

There is no school screening for this year’s festival but students and their families can find the schedule and film descriptions at the link below:

The University of Queensland Summer Holiday Japanese Scholarship Opportunities

Global Opportunities within DE International, in partnership with The University of Queensland—Institute of Modern Languages (UQ IML), is offering language courses for students in Years 9–12 (in 2022). The courses run from 10–14 January 2022. Students must submit their completed application form to their Japanese teacher for endorsement by November 25. Year 8 students from Semester 1Japanese classes must email Ms Balfour, the Japanese Co-ordinator, on jbalf7@eq.edu.au regarding their intention to apply and bring their completed forms to the K15 Languages Staffroom. Course details can be found on the Global Opportunities website.

Upcoming Events for Japanese Students in Term 4, 2021

In Term 4 Year 7 students will enjoy their Obento Picnic Day, to be held on Friday November 12. On Thursday October 28 Year 7 and 8 students will also enjoy an interactive performance by the Toko-ton Taiko drumming group. Year 10 students will attend a restaurant excursion on October 28. Expressions of interest for these events closed at the end of Term 3 and payment of invoice by the due date will be necessary for students to participate. Year 9 students will be participating in the Warakuren’s Awa Odori Dance Workshop incursion on November 3.

The University of Queensland Global Competency and Leadership Student Workshop

Andy C. – Year 11 Japanese Student

Year 11 student, Andy C. was successful in receiving a scholarship for this workshop. Please enjoy his report:

The workshop was an insightful, and engaging experience that introduced many new concepts, teachers, and friends. The sessions included WISE leadership, Problem-led Leadership, and Global Competence. The WISE Leadership session discussed the qualities that make a “wise” leader, and how having deficiencies and/ or an excess of these qualities can be detrimental to one’s capabilities. It also showed how knowledge of these virtues can influence a leader’s decisions when choosing members of team projects to increase productivity. The session on Problem-led Leadership examined the process of solving a problem, local or global, by identifying the problem, who and what it affects, establishing possible causes, and developing a plan to minimize or completely solve said problem. Problems explored included poverty in developing countries, social media representation of sensitive topics and bettering education around the world. A globally competent leader can change the world positively. Global Competency is being able to examine major and minor issues around the globe, understand the perspectives of others, engage in open and appropriate cultural interactions, and take action for collective wellbeing and sustainable development. The workshop gave me a new perspective on the world and what it means to be a leader. I met some amazing people and I had a wonderful time. I would highly recommend the workshop to future Year 10 and 11 students.

Ms Balfour – Japanese Teacher

Sport @ Cav Road

One of the Top Schools in the State

The Cinderella Story that was our Open AFL Teams had to come to an end at some point, and unfortunately Wednesday the October 6 was that day. With both teams in semi-finals, we headed down to Bond University to take on two formidable opponents in Helensvale and Palm Beach Currumbin. Our boys were up first against Helensvale, a school who has played in the final every year the competition has run and won it on many occasions. This did not scare our boys, who were determined to achieve something incredible as a group. The boys played really well, giving it their all, but unfortunately were outdone by a better team on the day. The girls were up next, and after dispatching Helensvale in the quarter final, the next target they had their eye on was Palm Beach. Both teams went hard at the contest, but unfortunately the experience of Palm Beach came to the forefront and our girls went down.

All the students involved should be so incredibly proud of everything they have achieved this year. No one predicted we would get as far as we did, which is a true testament to all the work the students have put in this year. Many students were playing AFL for the very first time this year, so to be one of the top teams in the state for BOTH Open Boys and Girls is amazing. A huge thank you needs to go to Mr Fothergill and Ms Hayes, because without you all of this would not have been possible.

Both teams have one game left this year with Cav-Carmel Cup on Wednesday the 20th of October, out at Alexandra Hills AFL Club. We are aiming to retain this trophy after a fantastic year of AFL.

Matthew Rutter – AFL Coach

Year 8 News

Year 8 Challenge Day

2021 had already thrown a lot of spanners into the works, but it wasn’t enough to deter the enthusiasm of the Year 8 cohort of Cav Rd!

Challenge Day is a day where the students of Year 8 get a chance to experience something unique, where the usual laptops and books of the classrooms get left at home to make way for the orienteering challenge and plethora of activities that test teamwork, communication, problem-solving and leadership in Southbank, QUT and the Botanical Gardens.

This group of students are to be commended for exemplary behaviour in the public eye, as the proudly-worn uniforms of Cav Rd were witnessed to be representing each and every one of the 5Cs without instruction.

This was best emphasised when a group of mothers walked past, only for their young children (all under the age of 4) to want to get involved with the game of cricket that some of our Year 8s were playing. Soon enough, these young children were getting some great bowling and fielding practice on top of the cheers of encouragement after each excited involvement.

The manner in which these students conducted themselves, not only in this particular example, goes a great way toward showing what a fantastic environment Cavendish Road SHS is and what quality humans it produces. I couldn’t have been happier with the advertisement these students showcased.

A special mention must go to the teachers who assisted and accompanied! The day only works if the enthusiasm of the students is matched by the teachers and in Mr Faulkner, Miss Russell, Mrs Farrelly, Mr Loth, Mr Turp, Miss Jarvis, Ms Amiri, Miss Kumar, Mr Croucher, Mrs Murphy, Miss Kerlin, Miss Yu, Mrs Karfs, Mr Jamieson, Mr Stewart and Chappy Jules, I couldn’t have asked for a more stellar bunch.

Mitch Evans – Year 8 Dean

Student Services

Lost Property

Please remember to write your student’s name on all their personal items. There are many unnamed lost property items awaiting collection at Student Services, (B Block). If you lose any personal belongings please go to Student Services as this is a collection point for Lost Property.

School Based Youth Health Nurse

Take time — for mental health.

The theme recognises the importance of taking time to engage in activities that boost our mental health and encourages help-seeking behaviours, when needed.

Mental Health Week is an annual awareness week that aims to shine a spotlight on individual and community mental health and wellbeing across the state.

Mental Health Week encourages all of us to think about our mental health and wellbeing, regardless of whether we may have a lived experience of mental illness or not, and encourages help seeking behaviours, when needed.

The week also gives us the opportunity to understand the importance of mental health in our everyday lives. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.

How can you take time for your mental health?

Get healthy— being active and eating well is good for your mind and body
Keep learning — learning new things can be fun and boost confidence
Show kindness — practising small acts of kindness, volunteering time, or simply helping a friend in need can help you feel more satisfied with life
Connect — spending time with other people is important to everyone’s mental wellbeing and can be done while carefully observing social distancing
Take notice — paying more attention to the present and the world around you can help you relieve stress and enjoy the moment
Embrace nature — connecting with the outdoors and taking care of the planet is the best recipe for world wellbeing.

References:

Dear Mind | Your Mental Wellbeing (initiatives.qld.gov.au)

About Queensland Mental Health Week | Annual Awareness Week (qldmentalhealthweek.org.au)

Sandra Chesney - School Based Youth Health Nurse
Ph: 3394 8839 (Every Thursday and Friday in L Block)

Community News

Road Safety

One part we can all play in keeping our Cav Rd community safe is adhering to the parking signs in and around our school. Before and after school can be extremely busy times but please take the time to consider where you are dropping off and picking up your student.

Elgar St offers a dedicated drop off and pickup zone. Cavendish Rd has a range of signage depending on the time of day and bus routes, so check carefully.

At no time should you stop on a yellow line, even if just for a moment. Similarly, please do not drive in to the school grounds or use school driveways to collect your student. If there is an accessibility issue because of injury etc, then please contact Student Services to make arrangements. If you are using surrounding streets, please pay careful attention to our neighbours driveways and do not obstruct their access.

2022 School Bus Transport

The school has been informed that there will be changes to school bus services commencing, the start of the 2022 school year that may impact on the journey to or from school. The changes to services will be available within Translink’s Journey Planner - two weeks prior to the start of the 2022 school year. All students that utilise bus services for school travel will need to re-plan their journey to and from school during that period.

Any questions related to school travel can be directed to Translink via telephone on 13 12 30 or via the link available at the link below:

Ronald McDonald House Charities (South East Qld) Charlie Bell Scholarship 2021

Applications open for the 2021 Charlie Bell Scholarship

• Are you aged 15-20 years?
• Have you suffered a serious illness or injury during childhood that has caused you to miss significant amounts of schooling?
• Are you going to University, TAFE or an apprenticeship next year?
• Do you live in Queensland or the Northern Territory?

You may be eligible for Ronald McDonald House Charities South East Queensland’s (RMHC SEQ) Charlie Bell Scholarship for 2021.

The Scholarship is a one off, $5,000 grant awarded to help young people get their education or career back on track. The funds can be used for textbooks, school fees, tools or anything to help you achieve your dreams.

For more information visit the link below You can apply via the website through a video or written submission. Please contact us on (07) 3646 0587 or learningprogram.seq@rmhc.org.au if you require assistance in putting your application in.

Applications close 30 November 2021.