Year 12 Formal and Farewell

Our graduating students have taken great pride in their school, have a strong sense of school spirit and have made everlasting friendships. They have been outstanding contributors to the school community and I congratulate them on their successes. We have witnessed amazing achievements, unique talent and great skill amongst this cohort.

Their leadership capabilities displayed throughout the year is a testament to these incredible young men and women. Their contribution to our school community has been greatly admired and appreciated. I acknowledged this work at our Annual Awards Ceremony, however going beyond our school leaders I also commend the large proportion of our graduates who have led such strong moral integrity across our school and beyond.  The initiatives you have commenced will continue to grow and make our school more inclusive, building on the foundations of kindness and empathy. 

On behalf of the school I wish you all the best of luck and “CHASE YOUR DREAMS” at every opportunity.

Student Achievements

Our students continue to achieve great recognition for the outstanding commitment and dedication to their individual areas of interest and talent:

Australian Science Olympiads - Year 8 student, Ray Kohlhepp-Zeng achieved a distinction for the Junior Science Olympiad. Year 11 student, Mac Rogers, achieved a distinction for both the Senior Chemistry and Physics Olympiads.

Science Teachers’ Association of QLD – QLD Science Contest - Year 10 student, Sam Rogers won first place in Engineering and Technology for his Scara Robotic Arm.

TAFE - Year 11 student, Alex Davidson won the TAFE at School Outstanding Achievement Award for Certificate II Engineering Pathways.

Junior Secondary Transition

The Junior Secondary School at Proserpine State High School is designed to meet the needs of the young adolescents in Year 7 to Year 9. This stage of adolescence is one of intense growth and change in the lives of young people and the school considers many developmental factors when planning for their learning.

Our junior school is founded on:

• An understanding on the nature of our adolescents
• Social development and building self-esteem
• Developing positive relationships amongst students and teachers
• Engagement in learning
• Considering the demands of a rapidly changing world
• Promoting the future leaders of our community.

Our final Transition Day will be held on Monday 6 December with students meeting at the Dramarama near the Multi-Purpose Hall at the commencement of the day. I look forward to seeing our new students as they eagerly get ready for 2022.

Maintaining Expectations and Standards

Our students have been addressed on full assembly over recent weeks regarding the importance of maintaining school expectations and standards in the final weeks of the school year. At this stage of the year students should be focused on the completion of assessment and exam preparation. I strongly encourage parents to reiterate this message to their children and support them to achieve their potential. Inappropriate behaviour in class, particularly actions that prevent others from learning will not be tolerated and appropriate consequences applied at this stage of the year.

School Uniform

I urge parents to take note of the School Uniform Policy to ensure students are adequately prepared for the 2022 school year. I will be expecting that students are in the school uniform as outlined in the policy on their first day of the new school year.

Attendance is Important in the Last Weeks of Term

Making Every Day Count 

As we near the end of the school year, it’s important to remember that all students are required to attend school every day until the end of term which is Friday 10 December 2021. Not only is attendance at school a legal requirement, but being at school helps students to achieve more and builds social and emotional skills such as communication, teamwork and resilience.

School TV

SPECIAL REPORT

In today’s world, it is common to hear socially offensive language on the streets, on social media channels, streaming services and in some forms of modern music. While swearing is becoming more common and less taboo, the use of derogatory language or the act of swearing at someone, or about someone, is a form of verbal violence. It transgresses the usual rules of social interaction by impinging on an individual’s self-image and sense of dignity.

It is becoming apparent that some young people are being influenced by the language they hear. Proliferating the use of swear words can sometimes normalise, glamorise and desensitise their impact for kids who may misunderstand the true meaning of some derogatory terms. Whilst some students may use swearing or derogatory terms as a misguided attempt at belonging, others may use it simply because they are still learning how to moderate their language and are not accustomed to making adjustments to suit different situations.

Although many schools enforce a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to swearing and derogatory language, parents need to also play an important part in enforcing this approach. Parents and carers can be proactive in monitoring what their children are viewing or being exposed to. Discussing the use of words or the origin of some derogatory terms and gaining insight into the reason behind their child’s use of such language can help prevent inappropriate or disrespectful language filtering into the classroom or the school yard, which in turn helps to build more tolerant, safe and connected communities.

This Special Report offers a number of guidelines to help manage a suitable approach when discussing the importance of respectful language. We hope you take a moment to reflect on the information offered, and as always, we welcome your feedback. If this raises any concerns for you, a loved one or the wellbeing of your child, please seek medical or professional help.