24 March 2023

Newsletter Articles

Executive Principal’s Report

Term 1 is the foundation period for the current school year where students establish into their new school year, plans are endorsed and in place and we all “find our feet”.

Happily, so far this year school attendance has gone against national trend and is up about 1% to just over 93%. High school attendance should not be a surprise but have direct connection to the school experience. Recently when discussing with groups of Heads of Department in developing their subject department annual plans in line with our annual school plan, one of the remarkable things of this school is the genuine intent, creativity and intellectual rigour invested in making the schooling experience for our young people engaging and meaningful. 4 key words emerged: Inclusion, Engagement, Inspired and Succeed. It might be instructive to parents to ask your child any day how they were included in a lesson or activity, really engaged in applying their mind or skills, whether they were inspired by something or someone and if they experienced a measure of success today, this week or this term. Feeling connected to their learning is fundamental to achieving the best outcomes.

Our school’s annual implementation plan can be found on the landing page of our website. You will find a clear set of priorities, our context of learning values and clear, simple actions, strategies and benchmarks.

New P&C Executive took office at the AGM held on 21 March. Kumar Thaivarayan stepped down after 3 years as President and congratulations to Kevin Woodforde and Michael Johnson elected President and Vice-President (Operations) respectively. Catherine Villalobos, Albie Smit and Michelle Connery continue on the Executive. I am confident Kevin will continue the great work of the P&C.

It must not be understated the level of committed and clever leadership shown by Kumar over the last 3 years and as with the work by predecessor Michael Skinner, since my time as Principal at Cav Rd our school is fortunate to have a cohesive and forward-thinking parent leadership group. To the outgoing members of Executive, I offer sincere thanks and respect for the work ethic and good humour with which they fulfilled their roles.

Philanthropy is authentic learning at its best and the student body at Cav Rd raised the bar just a little further this year with their charitable efforts for the homeless in the annual sleep out “Give a Kit” and Cancer foundation “Shave for a Cure”. With over 200 survival and personal care kits being provided and donated through the Salvation Army and over $20000 being raised in the “Shave for a Cure” is testimony to the community mindedness of students. Making pledges and talking about humanity and all things altruistic is one thing – but behaviours are the true measures of intent and conviction. It says a lot to be a “Cavroadian.”

NAPLAN conducted online this year was executed with minimal fuss. We expect school and individual reports earlier than in the past and these will be distributed late Term 2 or early Term 3.

High-viz works. Parents and carers will have noticed leadership team and other staff out on Cavendish Road daily to ensure students adhere to road safety rules and bus marshalling in the afternoons. We continue to work with local Police and Council to ensure we do our bit as good citizens and contribute to the safety and wellbeing of students. Parents are reminded that parking on yellow lines, in bus stops and not observing traffic rules can put students at risk and attracts the attention of the authorities. Entry into the school by motor vehicles unless previously authorised is not allowed also for this reason.

Mr Richard Usher BA LLB Dip Teach
Executive Principal

Head of School

Darren Beebe

As we approach 2024, the school is preparing for the implementation of the Australian Curriculum Version 9. This new curriculum builds upon the previous versions with changes focussing on refining, realigning and decluttering the curriculum. There has been a 21% reduction in the number of content descriptors (which describe what is to be taught and what students are expected to learn) so that the curriculum can be taught with greater depth and rigour.

The Australian Curriculum covers the key learning areas of English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, Health and Physical Education, The Arts, Technologies and Languages. It also includes general capabilities such as critical and creative thinking, ethical understanding, and intercultural understanding, which are essential for students to develop as they progress through their education.

To ensure a smooth transition, our teachers are focusing on specific tasks in each term of this year.

Term 1: Familiarising with the Curriculum Changes – In the first term of this year, teachers are focusing on familiarising themselves with the changes in the Australian Curriculum Version 9. Led by Heads of Department, teachers are studying the updated curriculum documents and participating in professional development sessions to learn about the new content.
Term 2: Making Implementation Decisions – In the second term, as the familiarisation continues the school will be making decisions on how and when to implement the new curriculum. Implementation in Years 7 – 10 commences in 2024 and Version 9 needs to be fully implemented by the end of 2026. In the senior school the focus is also on other key upcoming changes in Year 11 and 12 with new QCAA Applied Syllabi implemented in 2024/25 and new QCAA General Syllabi in 2025/26.
Term 3: Documenting Planning – In the third term of this year, the school will commence documenting planning. Year plans, unit plans, assessment tasks and resources that align with the new curriculum will be developed. This documentation will help us to ensure that our teaching is consistent and meets the requirements of the new curriculum.
Term 4: Moderation of Unit Plans and Assessment – In the final term of this year, the school will commence moderation of 2024 unit plans and assessment tasks. This will involve reviewing plans to ensure that they meet the requirements of the new curriculum. This process will help us to identify areas where we can improve our teaching and assessment practices always ensuring the assessment is valid, accessible and reliable.

We are confident that the implementation of the Australian Curriculum Version 9 will continue to provide our students with a high-quality education that prepares them for the challenges of the future. The school is committed to ensuring that the transition is as smooth as possible, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on our students.

Head of School

Catherine McCarthy

Inclusion Policy

The Cav Rd community aims to provide a safe and supportive environment where all students can learn free from discrimination based on gender, language, sexual orientation, culture, ethnicity, religion, health, disability or socioeconomic background. We support the Department of Education Inclusive Education Policy and have school based policy that reflects the department objectives of ensuring students can access and fully participate in learning, alongside their similar-aged peers, supported by reasonable adjustments and teaching strategies tailored to meet their individual needs.

Of particular importance is the link between inclusion and wellbeing. All students will experience better mental health and wellbeing if they feel safe and supported at school. The department identifies specific student groups who experience barriers to inclusion. Cavendish Road State High School has practices that address the wellbeing and inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students; students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds; students who identify as LGBTIQAP+; students living in out-of-home care; students with disability; students with mental health needs; and gifted and talented students.

We are currently reviewing our school inclusion policy to capture the specific practices put in place for the groups above. A community version will be accessible on the website after the Easter holidays for you to view.

You can read more about the department of education inclusive education policy here:

Shave for a Cure

The Cav Rd community continues to bring out the best in our students. The most recent Shave for a Cure event is evidence of this. While there will be more detailed information in future newsletters, I wanted to highlight the incredible efforts of the students and staff who organised and participated in what was a great Friday 17 March event on A parade. It was a delight to be involved and shave many student’s heads, and the odd teacher or two!! At the time of print, the fundraising is well over $20000 which is a record. Congratulations to all involved and particularly to the Community Prefects who did a great job organising, promoting and participating in the day.

Parents and Citizens’ (P and C) Association

Parent and Citizens’ Association

Our Annual General Meeting for 2023 was held Tuesday 21 March 2023. It was great to see so many in the library face to face and online via TEAMS. With new and continuing executive members, we look forward to a productive year.

Last year we contributed $173,000 towards improving school facilities, programs, and events. This year we have budgeted to spend over $143,000. Come along to the next meeting to find out more.

Thanks to everyone (~500 parents/carers and ~900 students) who completed the Hats, bags and sports uniform survey recently. With a fantastic response rate, some very clear messages have come through. We’ll cover off next steps in the April meeting; another reason to come and listen in.

Events

The PAC transformed into a Comedy Club for the P&C’s first event of the year – The Cav Road Funny Mummies Comedy Gala. Held on Friday 10 March, there were plenty of laughs to be had as our guests enjoyed sets from Brisbane favourites Jenny Wynter, Kat Davidson and Jo Gowda.

Thanks to everyone who came along to support the first event of the year!

Would you like to get to know more parents from your child’s year?

The P&C is looking for year level representatives to help curate and communicate events for each grade. As your year rep you’ll recommend speakers that will appeal to your parent cohort, suggest events that will suit, and help communicate them through your parent network.

To find out more contact Michelle Connery, VP Events on 0405 015 187 or vpevents@cavrdpandc.onmicrosoft.com

Meetings

For your calendar the 2023 P&C Meeting Dates are Tuesdays: 18 April (online only); 16 May (online only); 20 June (online only), 18 July (face to face and online); 15 August (online only); 17 October (online) & 21 November (face to face and online).

Our P&C Facebook page will post the TEAMS meeting link and members also receive a link via email, Like us for the latest updates.

Executive Team

Thank you to the executive team of 2022 (Kumar, Kevin, Albie, Catherine, Laena and Michelle) for gifting the most valuable commodity you have – your personal time. We farewell Kumar & Laena this year and look forward to introducing our new Executive team at the next meeting.

CRIMS Musical Events

CRIMS (Cav Road Instrumental Music Sub-committee), as part of the P&C, supports the organising of events and catering during students’ instrumental musical performances. It is Chaired by Sarah Atchison this year, with Tracey Nicklin (Secretary) and Mike Johnson (Treasurer). We are looking forward to a full performance program following years of interruptions with the rebuilding of the Performing Arts Centre and COVID.

If your child is involved in the instrumental music program, and you are looking to meet other Cav Rd parents then this is the sub-committee for you! We generally meet on a Monday night the week prior to performance nights to organise the upcoming event and hear updates about the instrumental music program at Cav.

Our first event is A Night of Music on Wednesday 10 May which will feature all instrumental music groups including Cav Choir. The associated meeting will be held at 7pm on 24 April at the Holland Park Hotel. You are welcome to join us or contact us on CRIMS.cavrd@gmail.com if you can assist on the night.

Arts of the Green is the major event for the Arts Department and will be held early in Term 3. We are looking to establish a working group to organise catering for this celebration of the Arts at Cav. Please email CRIMS.cavrd@gmail.com if you are interested in being involved.

Canteen

Has your child tried pre-ordering their lunches in the morning? It’s a quick and easy way to beat the crowds. Students can fill out their name on the pre-labelled lunch bags (i.e. ham & cheese toastie) then take the bag and any drinks or extras to the counter for payment. Drinks can be kept there in the fridge and students can collect orders at break time from the pickup window. Our summer menu can be viewed on the School Website under Facilities.

As the number of students using the canteen increases, we have noticed more requests for items with specific dietary requirements. Please note we are NOT A NUT FREE kitchen and most of the food contains traces of gluten and nuts. If your child has any allergies or dietary requirement questions, please have them come in and speak to the staff before school (open from 8am). Pre ordering food before school also allows for your child to receive the items that best suit them.

Please Help: Volunteers are still desperately needed. Pop in and stay for as long as suits you, an hour or 4 we appreciate any extra hands. It’s a fun environment, simple tasks and a great group of people.

Contact us at canteen.cavrd@gmail.com if you can help.

Uniform Shop

In Term 2 we will be trialling opening on a Wednesday afternoon, after the trial period we will assess the future of extended hours. Uniform Shop hours:

• Monday 7.30am to 11.30am (open at 1st break)
• Wednesday 7.30am to 9.30am / 2.00pm to 3.30pm
• Friday 7.30am to 9.30am.

Winter stock available includes scarves, jumpers, jackets and trackpants. Purchase online or instore.

My Student Account (MSA) is the online ordering system we use for the Uniform Shop. Find links to set up cards and get started on My Student Account

ACCOUNT: Please visit your MSA account and update your child’s year level for 2023 and load your students ID number. This assists us with your order.

ORDER COLLECTIONS: Your child’s name will be added to student notices to let them know their order is ready for collection. Remind your students, when they hear their names on the notices, could they please come and collect them as soon as possible.

Refunds & Exchanges

To receive a full refund or exchange on an item purchased either online or instore it MUST be returned within one month from date of purchase, provided the items have:

• Original packaging
• Tags attached
• Have not been worn, soiled, marked, or washed
• Proof of purchase (e.g. Receipt or online print out of order)

Any refunds will be issued using the original payment method. There are no exchanges or refunds on second-hand items bought from the Uniform Shop.

The P & C have worked hard to minimise any pricing increases to ensure our prices are as stable as possible for families in 2023. Over the past 2 years (post covid) we have worked with our suppliers to maintain the prices of our products for as long as possible. However, our suppliers can no longer uphold these prices when producing our stock. A very small number of products will increase in price, but the majority will stay stable or decrease. These price changes will take effect on the first day of Term 2 – Monday 17 April.

Ms Laena Trueman - P&C Vice President - Communications

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

Supporting Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing

Stress and anxiety, are normal factors in everybody’s life, however when they become unmanageable, they can hinder performance, get in the way of our goals, and as a result can impact on success at school and further on in life.

Teaching young people how to manage stress and anxiety, is an essential life skill. Additionally, young people who feel safe and supported at home, and have a strong connection to family, have an increased security in day-to-day activities such as school. Providing the best environment can include, connections to family and friends in social settings. While it is normal for young people to feel stressed, sad, worried and angry, allowing them to understand how they feel, by talking about their feelings, can help to manage their emotions. By modelling problem solving and conflict resolution and teaching effective communication, young people will develop social skills to connect with peers and develop relationships.

Other important factors to support mental health and wellbeing include; exercise, eating healthy foods and drinking lots of water, having hobbies and activities that they enjoy, getting a good night’s sleep and regularly practising routines around organisation, homework and preparedness for school.

For further information on supporting young people’s wellbeing and mental health search …

Beyond Blue

Headspace

Parentline

Spark their Future

Senior Schooling

Year 11 Work Experience

Our Year 11 students who are not attending the Leadership camp will participate in 5 days of work experience from Monday 27 March to Friday 31 March 2023. Placements are being finalised and students should have returned their signed workplace agreements to Mrs Anderson in K16 by now.

Participating in work experience is a valuable opportunity for students to gain an insight into the industry that they may be interested in and, in some instances, students have been offered part time work and/or traineeship and apprenticeship opportunities from their work experience placement. Students have been reminded that they are representing not only themselves but also Cavendish Road State High School whilst on their placement. We will be following up with employers early in the week to check on the students and to make sure they are being well supported in the workplace.

I wish all of our Year 11 students all the very best for their work experience week. I am looking forward to hearing their stories of what they have learned and to celebrate any opportunities that may be extended to them during the course of the week.

Attendance – Weeks 9 and 10 of Term 1

Students are to check their attendance app regularly to ensure that they are above 95%. Attendance in every lesson every day for the remainder of Term 1 is crucial to their performance. There will be some exams scheduled in Week 10 for Year 12 students so it is important that students are present at school and also attend their scheduled TAFE courses and apprenticeship/traineeship days as normal.

VET News

WHAT IS VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (VET)

Vocational Education and Training (VET) is a pathway option that students may choose as part of their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). Students working towards a Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement (QCIA) may also undertake VET.

VET in Queensland state schools contributes to the department’s strategic vision— Every student succeeding: State Schools Improvement Strategy — the commitment to lift the performance of every student, preparing them with the knowledge, skills and confidence to participate successfully in higher education, the economy and the broader community.

VET is study and training that enables students to acquire workplace skills, through nationally recognised training, described within an industry-developed training package. VET supports students to gain qualifications for employment and is designed to help them develop the skills they need to enter and succeed in the workplace.

VET qualifications can be undertaken in Years 10, 11 and 12 and may provide credit towards the QCE.

VET courses provide students with opportunities to:

• establish direct pathways to employment and further study
• engage in practical, jobs-focused training in nationally recognised qualifications
• experience an introduction to entry-level work in a specific industry
• build employability skills and community partnerships
• undertake structured work placement to develop understanding of how classroom learning is applied in the workplace.

Students can undertake VET at school:

• as part of their school studies – delivered and resourced by a school RTO (Registered Training Organisation)
• by enrolling in a qualification with TAFE Queensland (TAFEQ) or another external RTO
• as a school-based apprentice or trainee, whereby students combine school study, work and training as a part of their school timetable.

Some schools choose to enter into third party arrangements with TAFE QLD or external RTOs. Qualifications taught under these arrangements can be delivered in a number of ways, including:

• course material delivered by TAFEQ/external RTO trainers on school grounds
• course material delivered by school teachers (with appropriate VET qualifications) on school grounds.

Schools make decisions about the VET to be delivered by considering if the qualification:

• supports the strengths, aspirations and goals of their students
• provides a firm foundation to further training and/or education
• supports skills development in a future skills shortage area
• leads to employment outcomes
• enables students to develop 21st century skills to support work readiness
• includes opportunities for students to participate in work experience, structured work placement or industry visits.

Other News

VET has regular school-based apprenticeships and school-based traineeships on offer. Students are required to check their emails daily and listen to SOBs (School notices) to hear what is on offer.

There is a display board outside of Senior Schooling Office K16 where jobs are updated weekly.

If a student wishes to apply for a position please enquire with K16 staff.

Work Experience – School Holiday option

Work experience can be undertaken by students in Year 10, 11 and 12 during school holidays. See K16 staff to organise. Students are required to supply the business details after they have spoken with the employer. Some cases K16 have contact through our families or connections with the community that we can supply, see K16 staff.

My best wishes to all of our students and families for a very Happy Easter and enjoy your well-earned holiday break.

Ms Karyn Trapp - HOD T&L Pathways and Performance Senior School

Creative Arts and Industries

DRAMA

Year 7 + 8 Drama

The juniors knocked their first piece of assessment out of the park, with students getting up on the stage and performing excerpts from award-winning Australian plays. The calibre of performance was impressive, and students looked absolutely fantastic in their theatre blacks. These young thespians should be incredibly proud of how they performed! We cannot wait to see what the Year 8’s bring to Commedia Dell’Arte next term, and how the Year 7’s apply their newfound acting skills to Media Arts. Congratulations to all!

Year 10 Drama

Year 10 Drama students have been flat out creating a Directorial Vision for the play Slap Bang Kiss by Dan Giovannoni. This task is a mash up of all three internal assessments that students would experience in senior drama – phew! Nevertheless, our 10’s have been working hard to create innovative, empowering and inspiring concepts for how to stage this brilliant Australian play. Have a look at what one student (Samahl Bustillo) has been cooking up in the Drama classroom:

The next step is to then select some of the students work to transform into a live stage performance. Look forward to seeing some of this work at this year’s Arts on the Green.

Year 12 Drama

Year 12 students are currently working on the Concept task of IA2. Students have read War Crimes by Angela Betzien and are now spending time in our wonderful theatre to devise and showcase their personal concepts. IA2 assessment is due in week 2, Term2.

Date Claimer

12 MAY 2023 – incursion Shake and Stir Theatre Company VACANT 9-10am PAC
28 JULY 2023 – ARTS ON THE GREEN 5:30pm – 8:30pm PAC and surrounding area
24 AUGUST 2023 – incursion Shake and Stir Theatre Company TERRITORIAL 9-10am PAC
10 OCTOBER 2023 – incursion Shock Therapy Theatre Company UNDERTOW 9-10am PAC

ARTS ON THE GREEN

Save the date: 28 July 2023
Venue: Performing Arts Centre, Cavendish Road SHS
Time: 5:30 – 8:30pm

We welcome everyone back to our annual ARTS ON THE GREEN where we showcase our amazing student talent to family, friends and our community. This year we are so pleased to welcome you back having had a two year pause due to Covid.

For our new families ARTS ON THE GREEN is a very relaxed picnic style atmosphere where you bring a chair or blanket, find your spot on the green turf and enjoy the various Music ensembles; Drama performances, Art displays, Dance performances, Media productions, Musical Theatre productions and some secret appearances from special guests.

The evening will be filled with our talented students performing live across all areas of the Creative Arts. You can enjoy walking through our Art Gallery, viewing Media students’ productions in our outside cinema, listening to live music, viewing Musical theatre performances and so much more.

As Creative Arts & Industry staff and students we are very proud to have such outstanding facilities and are so happy to show them off. So, get your friends together, tell your family and we will see you at ARTS ON THE GREEN Friday night 28 July beginning at 5:30pm. Don’t forget to bring your chair, there will be food vans, wine bar, snacks and heaps of entertainment.

Ms Toni Ryan – Drama Coordinator

Visual Arts

Year 11 GOMA Excursion – 9 March 2023

The Year 11 visual art students recently attended an excursion to the Gallery of Modern Art and Queensland Art Gallery. During their visit students immersed themselves in both contemporary and modern art, as they explored various mediums and techniques taken on by many artists. Students were given the task to question the artist intentions and discuss and consider why artists choose particular focuses and media to present their work. These questions have also become important in their own current artworks, as students have been asked to produce works that demonstrate a chosen focus based on the theme People.

Ms Angie Carrara & Mr Gabriel Demisch – Visual Art Teachers

Digital Photography

Each week the Junior Digital Photography students shoot a different theme around the school grounds. They are practising composition and began by learning about the rule of thirds. Themes include black and white, shapes, texture, reflection, patterns, forced perspective and so on. Here are just some of the interesting images of Cav Rd which our students have captured.

Ms Joy Balfour – Rec Sport - Digital Photography

International Languages

International News

Congratulations to international student Gia Bach (Nathan) Nguyen. Not only was he named School Dux in both QCE and highest ATAR for 2022 but he has won the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award for QCE from QCAA. This means that he is the top student in Queensland.

The QCAA booklet states:

The QCE Achievement Awards - recognise and reward Queensland's top-performing Year 12 students for outstanding academic achievement in their senior school studies.

The 43 award winners attended 17different state, Catholic and independent schools. Their results put them ahead of more than 51,000 of their peers.

What makes the QCE Achievement Awards unique is that it is possible for a student to be recognised regardless of their approach to senior schooling. Among the award winners are students who chose a traditional school program and those who combined school subjects with university courses, vocational studies or other types of learning. They are united by having achieved to an exceptionally high level and against a variety of measures.

The selection panel considered Nathan Nguyen to be the Outstanding Academic Achiever for 2022. Nathan's achievements included earning A grades in seven general subjects (English, Mathematical Methods, Specialist Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Vietnamese) and completing five university subjects (for which he received 4 High Distinctions and 1 Distinction) during Years 11 and 12. I know that Nathan only lost 12 marks overall across the 7 General subjects he studied at school. He achieved full marks for English. This is excellent work for an international student where English is not his native language!

During his time at Cavendish Road State High School Nathan has also won:

• Assisted Learning Secondary Section of the 2022 Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards
• Education Qld International 2022 – Academic Excellence Award
• Education Qld International 2022 – Outstanding Contribution Award
• 2022 Qld Curriculum and Assessment Authority QCE Distinguished Academic Achievement Award
• 2022 Peter Doherty Award

Nathan is back home in Vietnam where he is taking a Gap year – although he is studying French. He hopes to become a sociocultural anthropologist and work for an organisation such as the UN to combat intersecting forms of marginalisation.

He is waiting to see if he has been accepted by an Ivy League university in America.

Nathan has said that he is inspired by his grandmother who was a nurse during the Vietnam war. She taught him to value of resilience and sacrifice, which he hopes to apply in his future career and civic involvement.

Ms Maria Masselos – HOD International & Languages

Japanese

Japanese Sister-School Visit, Week 5 Term 3

The Japanese staff are pleased to announce that students from our sister-school Omiya Koryo Senior High School will visit Cavendish Road in Week 5 Term 3. The visit provides an exciting opportunity for our students to practise their Japanese and make lasting friendships with the Omiya Koryo students.

The Cavendish Road SHS – Omiya Koryo SHS exchange was the very first official sister-school relationship in Queensland. It has over thirty years of history. We even have some Cavendish Road parents with great memories of their Omiya Koryo exchange experience while studying at Cav Road.

The last few years have limited opportunities for our students to engage with Japanese students their own age. The Omiya Koryo visit and related Cavendish Road Japan Study Tours are a big drawcard in our Japanese program. Our students really enjoy making friends with Omiya Koryo students and this creates even more enthusiasm and motivation for their Japanese studies.

We are really urging Cav Road families to get behind this year’s exchange and open their hearts and homes to an Omiya Koryo student. Our successful exchange program depends on the generosity of host families in both countries. As it is a reciprocal exchange with our students in turn being hosted by Omiya Koryo SHS families during our Japan Study Tour (currently planned for 2024) there is no payment for this exchange. Host families are required to provide three meals a day, a bed (the student may share a room with a student of the same sex) and access to transport to and from school. The best relationships come about when families treat the exchange student the same as any other family member.

Omiya Koryo is currently arranging exact travel dates but we are taking initial expressions of interest from Cavendish Road families to ensure we can provide enough homestays. The maximum term of the homestay will be from Saturday 5 August 2023 (evening) to Sunday 13 August 2023 (morning). The students will be in Cav Road classes for Week 5, Term 3. This initial EOI is not binding and we will provide further information once travel dates are confirmed. There will also be a host family information evening prior to the visit in August. If you are willing to host please sign and return the EOI form provided to your student in class. Please contact the Japanese Coordinator, Ms Joy Balfour, via email jbalf7@eq.edu.au if you require further information.

Celebrating 2022 Year 12 Japanese ATAR Success

We were very happy to see our 2022 Year 12 Japanese students return to Cav Road earlier in Term 1 to celebrate their ATAR success. Of the 2022 Japanese cohort 33% scored 95% or above for Japanese and 71% of students received an A for the subject, with a further 22% receiving a B. Dylan W, who began his study of Japanese at Belmont State School before joining the Cav Road Japanese program in Year 7 received a score of 98 for Japanese. It was very rewarding to hear that many of our past students are continuing their Japanese study at university and are looking forward to attending the same classes together. We wish them all the best in their future studies.

Ms Joy Balfour- Japanese Coordinator

German

What a busy few weeks it has been for German students. During week 5 of this term, Year 7’s learned about the tradition of Karneval which is celebrated in many parts of Germany. Students embraced their inner Karneval spirit and created some colourful and highly decorated masks to mark the occasion. Here are some examples from across the year level:

Year 9 classes managed to get a taste of Germany earlier this month. Students are currently learning about food and drink in Germany so it was a perfect opportunity to acquaint students with some of the more traditional German foods. On offer were Wurst (German sausages), Sauerkraut, German mustard, Belegtes Brot (German bread), Apfelschörle (apple juice and soda water) and of course… German chocolate. There were mixed reactions to the sauerkraut but the other foods proved very popular indeed.

Congratulations to all German students who have recently completed their first piece of assessment. Of particular note is the Year 11 student cohort who recently completed their FA1 – the first assessment of the senior schooling phase. The results were outstanding!

Ms Katherine Gallagher – German Coordinator

International Homestay Report

Business and Humanities

Business and Huminites News

It has been a busy time in Business and Humanities!

Year 7 Humanities students have been studying Deep Time History and recently attended a virtual reality incursion to immerse in the culture of First Nation Australians. The Year 7 classes also attended an artefacts exploration lesson organised by Mrs Tracy Laidlaw. Towards the end of the unit students created posters of megafauna – see the winners below!

Year 8 Humanities students have been busy delving in the Ancient World in particular learning about the experiences of peasants during the Medieval Europe period. While, Year 9 Economics and Business students were recently visited by a guest speaker.

Senior classes have been preparing for upcoming assessment. Year 11 Legal Studies students attended the Brisbane Supreme Courts and the Year 12 Geography Students attended Bulimba Creek Field Trip excursion. Read more about it below!

Ms Belinda Grech and Ms Laura Signorini - Business and Humanities

Year 7 Humanities: My VR Experience

On Monday, our class had the opportunity to participate in a Virtual Reality experience as part of our History unit. We each were given a set of VR goggles, and were able to experience indigenous Dreamtime stories and dances. Our class was extremely privileged to see these dances as they are normally private dances, not often performed for others outside of Aboriginal communities. The dances we saw were The Welcome Dance, Shake a Leg, The Warning Dance and The Snake Dance. We also learned that a lot of the Dreamtime stories were the Indigenous Australians’ way of explaining the seemingly unexplainable. One example of this is the story of fire demons falling from the sky. Scientists found that the story was about a meteorite shower falling. We were also given an insight into the way tribal communities worked and we got to play a gathering game to experience what life was like. Overall, I think this experience was a fun and entertaining way to teach us about Australia’s Deep Time History.

Written by Charlotte

Year 7 Humanities: Artefacts Exploration

On 20 February 2023, we went on an incursion. It was amazing seeing many artefacts over 100,000 years old. The oldest thing I ever touched today was a 1.7-million-year-old rock, supposedly for hunting. Before this the oldest thing I touched was an old toy that was missing for 7 years, I found it in my closet. It was cool seeing artefacts from the past and knowing a bit more of how they used tools back then. Hopefully, this incursion will happen again because this was fun.

Written by Aleena

Year 7 Humanities: Hum-Roadian Award Megafauna Posters

A challenge was set to create megafauna poster as part of the Year 7 Deep Time History unit. The entries were very creative and demonstrated student’s ability to use iPad technology proficiently. The Hum-Roadian awards for the most creative posters was awarded to Imogen and Mia. See the winning entries below.

Year 8 Humanities: Hum-Roadian Award

In Year 8, this fortnight’s Hum-Roadian was awarded to Emaan Salman. Students were tasked with writing a diary entry from the perspective of a peasant during the Medieval period. Emmaan went above and beyond with her entry and showed a real attention to detail that reflected very accurately the experiences of peasants at this time. Ms Hayes Year 8C and 8J classes did an exceptional job. See some other entries below!

Year 9 Economics and Business: Guest Speaker

On 3 March 2023, my Economics and Business class, was visited by Ella from Talk Money to learn about careers and fair treatment in the workplace. She discussed three main points about good work environments involving ‘Fair Way, Fair Day and Fair Pay’. This means having a safe environment for you to work in, having hours that are fair and also being paid fairly for the hours spent working. We also learnt about what matters in career and the five types of work attributes we could want when starting employment, including flexibility, job security, passion, money, and self-employment. Ella was very nice and answered all our questions about jobs and business. Overall, the class and I learnt a lot about double checking our jobs and workplace to make sure it’s suited to us and also a good environment.

Written by Leon

Year 11 Legal Studies Court Excursion

Our Year 11 Legal Studies students recently visited the QEII Courts of Law to consolidate their understanding of court processes and the Rule of Law. One of our classes was fortunate to receive a talk from The Honourable Justice Hindman of the Supreme Court, who informed students about the highlights and challenges of her role, and her career progression from civil barrister to judge. Our other classes received an educational talk about the foundations of criminal law from the Supreme Court Librarian. Students then spent the rest of the day visiting courtrooms where they viewed a range of interesting cases in the District and Supreme Courts, including sentencing hearings, civil and criminal trials, and hearings involving the State Attorney-General. It was both an interesting and inspiring day for the budding legal minds of Year 11!

Ms Laurenn Clarke – Legal Studies Teacher

Year 12 Geography Field Trip

On 9 March 2023, the two senior Geography classes explored the impact of land cover change on Bulimba Creek to complete our next assessment task. We travelled by bus from the southern Brisbane regions up to the Brisbane River, making four stops along the way at Brandon Road Park, Yandina Park, Minnippi Parkland and Aquarium Avenue. The full day out consisted of collecting data on the impact of land cover change on the health of the creek and surrounding environment.

Heather, our tour guide from the Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee (B4C), provided critical insight into our assignment and helped our classes collect sufficient data, count invasive species, and study each region. Overall, it was a great day out in the environment for teachers, Miss Kerlin and Miss Williams and their students!

Written by Jessica

Science

Term one has been a busy term for Science. Our Year 12 students have been collecting data for their IA2s (student experiments) which for Biology involved a field trip to Whites Hill. Students used the process of stratified sampling to collect and analyse primary biotic and abiotic field data to classify an ecosystem. Students in Year 11 General Engineering have planned, designed and are now cutting and gluing balsa wood to create bridge prototypes for their first assessment – a civil project folio. The finished bridges will be tested for strength. Students will use the strength testing data as a means of evaluate their proposed solutions for a full-sized pedestrian bridge.

Cavendish Road State High School have been accepted into the Oodgeroo program run by QUT. This program is specifically for our junior indigenous students to build engagement in STEM. This program will run once per term, this term’s focus was on programming a robot (Sphero) to navigate around obstacles on a football field. Students thoroughly enjoyed the interactive nature of the experience and are looking forward to next term’s program.

Ms Monique Robin – HOD Science

Academic Explorers Program launch - Griffith Science on the Go science show

On Monday 13 March, 100 Year 8 and 9 Academic Explorers attended a workshop on the states of matter with Sid from Griffith University. Students observed the amazing properties of dry ice, liquid nitrogen and the explosive properties of hydrogen.

Pi Day Lunch Break Activities

On Pi Day, our STEAM Prefects, Caitlyn, Eloise, Elyse, Emilio, Jannah, Leon and our school captain, Tillee ran fun carnival activities during the lunch breaks. Students had to answer mathematics questions to be able to play the games. Then students competed against each other and against teachers in Sling Puck and students played the Lob-a-Choc game to win a sweet prize. Our prefects did an awesome job organising and running the event and students had a great time.

Using behavioural psychology to influence recycling behaviour

The Year 7 Academic Explorers Program have been meeting each Thursday afternoon to apply their knowledge of behavioural psychology to encourage more students to recycle their refundable bottles and cans. Students have made the bins more visible and fun to use. Some groups installed basketball backboards on their bins. Other groups created signs with eyes so students think they are being watched. Students evaluated the success of their prototypes and made recommendations for more permanent solutions. Students also created signs and videos we will display on the TV in the iCentre. The materials are funded by the P&C with money we raised from recycling refundable containers.

Mr Steve Griffiths – HOD Innovation and Practice

iCentre

2023 is off to a great start in the iCentre!

We are encouraging a love of reading with fantastic new release fiction titles and engaging genre displays such as Manga and Fantasy. ‘Blind Date with a Book’ was a massive success during Valentine’s Day -- aka Library Lovers Week -- with over 150 books taken home. We had one declaration of true love with a student proclaiming their match “the best book ever”. It seems you truly can’t judge a book by its cover. If any student’s date was a flop we hope they will come in for our personalised matchmaking service and we will find a book you truly love.

We are supporting curriculum by hosting research classes and incursions, updating our assessment aligned resources, providing curated resource lists, and offering M1 as a quiet room to study during breaks. If you have an assignment don’t forget to drop in and see if we have any books or digital resources to help you.

We are fostering wellbeing by creating a safe and inclusive space for students to relax, reset and recharge. With over 100 students in the iCentre each break it is fantastic to see our Cavroadians being so courteous and considerate of each other!

We can’t wait to see what Term 2 brings!

Ms Skoczek (Teacher Librarian) & the iCentre Team

Sport @ Cav Road

AFL

Raiders Rally Over Powerful Panthers

Round 2 in AFL for our Senior boys and girls team was another great day of success! On 7 March 2023, the Senior Cav Road Raiders teams made the trip to the Gold Coast to take on the Pacific Pine Panthers in their second game of the year. After a spectacular Round 1 for Cav Road, there was high pressure to keep up the standards and show off our new skills and teamwork learnt in training.

Once again, the Senior girls game was in the middle of the day which meant our very intense battle for victory was also against the heat. By the end of the first quarter, we were down 3 goals to 1 point. In the second quarter, luck clearly wasn’t on our side as we kicked 6 behinds, putting the game at a score of 18-7. The girls entered the final quarter with full force, down 24-7, knowing we had to step up our game. With great effort, we out-ran Pac Pines and managed to kick straighter, kicking 3 goals to put us in the lead for the first time. The girls held out the Panthers until the final whistle proving too strong once again, winning 27 - 25.

The senior boys game was full of strength and speed, with plenty of challenges along the way. The boys have already showed a massive improvement in their game despite many of them having only ever played a couple games of AFL. Pacific Pines were in control most of the match and we fought hard to get on top but unfortunately went down but showed significant improvement and growth, with our senior boys getting better with each game.

Despite the results, it was a very successful day that involved plenty of teamwork on and off the field between each Cav team. The Open boys next game is against Park Ridge on 21 April 2023 and then both Senior teams take on Southport SHS on 27 April 2023. Juniors will play their next game on 10 May 2023 vs BSSSC. This gives us a little over a month to continue to improve. Training will continue on Wednesday mornings for boys and Friday mornings for girls from 7am.

Jess W and Luke P - AFL Captains 2023

In TOUCH

Big Day Out – Touch Football Team Building and Leadership Day

On 27 February 2023, the Cav Road Touch Academy participated in a ‘Big Day Out’. It is tradition for our academy to do this each year, and everyone looks forward to the day. The day consists of fun teamwork activities and this year we participated in activities such as extreme volleyball, marble games and swinging on a rope to get your entire team to the other side of a platform. This day not only allowed us to have a great time with our friends, but it also created friendships and bonds between all grades in our academy. The day was hot, but so worth it to end the day with a sausage sizzle and poppers as well as some mini games of Touch Football.

Sasha W and Coco S - Touch Captains

Thursday Night Touch - Girls

13C Sonic Youth

Sonic Youth has been a part of the Thursday, u13s touch program for over a year. The players have grown closer together and have created a strong team. Through team building activities and weekly games, our team has been able to secure many wins throughout the season. Our team shows strength and resilience as well as the 5c’s which is important, as we are proud Cav students. We value our teammates and have an incredibly fun time every Thursday.

Arabella P and Heather S

13B Girls Gang of Youths

The Gang of Youths are coached by the sensational Mr Glachan and love coming together on a Thursday night to play touch. We have noticed a big improvement each week and even though we don’t come away as winners each you can’t get the smile off our faces as we gave it all we could and just love playing. We are looking forward to making progress and making finals.

Amelia B and Lia W

13A Girls Pixies

The Pixies are off to a great start not losing a single game so far. The team has been working cohesively to build a strong bond and develop trust amongst each other. It has been great to welcome our newest players to the academy, who have seamlessly blended into the team and life at Cav Rd. A huge thank you must go out to Ms Farrelly for conducting additional after-school training sessions. These sessions have helped the team make significant improvements in our subsets and line attack. Due to these small improvements each week, the Pixies are tracking in the right direction. We look forward to pushing even harder and hopefully make it to finals.

Taylor V and Emma L

15A Girls Foo Fighters

The Touch season has started! In the last four weeks, our Foo Fighters team has been playing in a number of intense grading games, battling it out against rivals that Whites hill Ninjas and St Aiden’s Anglican Girls School. Coming out successfully with two wins placing us in the top division for 15 girls. Our team playing well with girls from across year 8’s, 9’s and 10’s alongside our new coach Mr Glachan “WE LOVE DEFENDING” as his catch cry. We are looking forward to a killer season.

Emily P and Charlotte K

15C Girls The Ramones

This season for club touch we have been lucky enough to play in a wonderful team, called the Ramones. Our Ramones team is filled with both Year 8 and 9 students. So far in the season we started off well with 2 wins and sadly 2 losses. Each week we have progressively improved on our own game. These improvements will continue to help us grow the more time we play together. We have been able to advance through the guidance of Mrs Farrelly with her wealth of knowledge in touch football. As we get to know each other we will only get stronger and enjoy our touch.

Makayla A and Olivia S

The Foo Fighters Open Girls

Our U17s girls have now moved to Opens Women’s Division 1 from Thursday to Wednesday nights. Our team, the Foo Fighters have already played two games, copping both a win and a loss. The girls have noticed a significant change from the junior to women’s division and love this new dynamic. All the girls can agree that their favourite part of the game is having their coach from Year 7, Ms Farrelly, play with them! Instead of being supportive off the field, she can now double up on field too. It is the best fun and we are hoping to get a try out of Miss in the coming games.

Ava A and Jess W

Rage Against the Machine 15 Boys

Our games are enjoyable as we look forward towards every Friday night because it gives us an opportunity to hang out and play touch footy outside of school hours. Currently our team is undefeated and on the top of the ladder, who knows you might even be expecting to see us in the grand finals ?. Also wanted to quickly thank our manager Geoff Sondergeld for his valuable contribution and effort towards our team.

Lucas L

What’s Coming UP

27 March 2023 – STL 1 Caboolture.
Goodluck to all students representing Cav trialling for Met East
30 March 2023 – 13-15 years Met East Regional Trials
30 March 2023 – 16-18 years Met East Regional Trials
31 March 2023 – 10-12 years Met East Regional Trials

Players Profile

In each edition of the newsletter we profile an Academy Touch player to learn a little more about some of the wonderful individuals that make us so excellent. Please welcome Maya from Year 7.

Name: Maya C
Grade: 7
Favourite Subject: Digitech
Touch Club: Southern Storm – Cav Rd
Most memorable touch experience: Making Met East team
Fav playing number and position: Middle and 1
Who I most admire: Mum and Dad
What I want to be when I grow up: Olympic swimmer
What my last meal on earth would be: Pizza and brownies
My favourite movie is: Pitch perfect
A country I’d like to visit is and why: Italy because I love the food
If I could be fluent in a language it would be and why: Italian
If money was no object what would you buy? A private jet to travel the world

Indigenous Program News

QATSIF Scholarships

The Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation, known as QATSIF, is an independent public trust established to provide young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders with a secure funding source to assist students in their senior years of education.

QATSIF's initial capital was created through the toil of previous generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders. This capital has been invested by QATSIF's Trustee, the Public Trustee of Queensland, and the annual interest provides an income stream for scholarships and bursaries. QATSIF’s QCE Scholarship Program provides scholarship funding to support students undertaking Year 11 and 12.

Congratulations to Year 11 First Nations students – Kameryn B, Max F, Tanika H, Finn M, Jaycee M, Trinity O and Zaliyah S - who have been awarded Round 14 QATSIF QCE Scholarships and received a QATSIF certificate at a recent all school assembly.

UQ visit to Cav Road

On 7 March 2023, Jackson Paton from the University of Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit visited Cav Road to speak with our First Nations students on the many opportunities and study options available to them at UQ.

Jackson’s presentation included information on pathways and programs available to Indigenous students:

• Overview of The University of QLD and the ATSIS Unit
• Opportunities for Indigenous high school students
• InspireU camps which are run during school holidays for Year 11 & 12 students (STEM; Business, Economics and Law)
• Tertiary Experience Days for Year 9-12 students
• Early Engagement Camps for Year 7-9 students
• Junior (Year 9 & 10) and Senior (Year 11 & 12) STEM Camps
• Admissions pathways, bridging programs & UQ College
• Accommodation and scholarship opportunities for Indigenous students wanting to study at UQ
• Student life at UQ and in Brisbane

Further information is available at the link below:

Yarning Circles

First Nations students continue to engage in weekly Yarning Circles during Peer Support.

The idea for PS Yarning Circles came about following a Broncos workshop last year, where Indigenous students identified they would like to establish and maintain regular connection with their peers. The purpose of these Yarning Circles is to provide a harmonious, collaborative way of communicating (with, and to, students); building respectful and trusting relationships; and providing a safe place for students to be heard and discuss any concerns.

Beyond the Broncos Program

If you’ve driven past our school lately, you may have noticed the new sign displayed on our school fence at the corner of Cavendish and Holland Roads.

The sign proudly acknowledges the work the Beyond the Broncos Program does with Cav's First Nations students, and that ‘this partnership recognises our shared commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, values, and contribution to education in our school community’.

Ms Kym Ford - Indigenous Liaison Officer

Student Services

Lost Property

Please remember to write your child’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.

Community News