11 minute read
Principal’s Points
Payne Road State School
A number of our Senior Student Leaders and Senior First Nations students, and Principal, intentionally attended the NAIDOC Celebration at The Gap State High School (morning tea, time to connect with community, assembly celebration). Our students excitedly interacted with Ben, a local and well known Aboriginal Didgeridoo player and visual artist, who demonstrated his unique skill in sustaining sounds and creating dynamic rhythms on the Didgeridoo. Students engaged with his unique monochrome indigenous and abstract professional art pieces. They engaged in open discussion and inquiry into the meaning of his music and art works, and how meaningful this was to him today a First Nations person.
Over morning tea, students re-engaged with Megan, Year 7 teacher, whom we had invited to our Bee Hive Splitting and National Sorry day event and spent time with during our Yarning Circles. Such interactions deepen positive relationships for our senior students – a critical aspect in supporting successful transitioning into secondary. First Nations elders from the Balangala community shared with our students their amazing work with their community garden, and were amazed at our authentic Yarning Circle and Bush Tucker Garden that is thriving with wild strawberries and more!
Our school team were special guests at the secondary assembly and students were mesmerised by the large audience – a sea of 2000 students or more! The assistant Minister for Education, the Honourable Senator Anthony Chisolm, gave an address that focussed on the unique contributions of our First Nations peoples and the subsequent waves of immigrants to the Australia that we know and wish to progress!
Students at Payne Road SS are certainly highly engaged with community and culture, and are on the road to a great transition into secondary!
Nicky Brazzale - Principal
St Peter Chanel
Primary School
Catholic Education Week was held week in Catholic schools in Queensland from 24 – 30 July 2022.
This annual event is held to promote the special ethos of Catholic schools and to highlight the great things that take place in Catholic schools every day.
The theme for this year’s celebrations is: Communities of Faith, Hope and Love.
Our school planned a number of activities during the week including a whole school mass today, a visit from Nova Radio on Tuesday and our ‘All that Glitters and Glows’ 50 Year celebratory event being held at school on Saturday evening.
Our school received a visit from Nova Radio as part of the Nova Handball Blitz Competition promotion. Thank you to Sandra Williams mum to Cooper Williams in 4 Blue for registering our school for this opportunity. Our children participated in the live radio cross with great excitement and enthusiasm .A big thank you also to Mr John Greenham SPM who has been coordinating and running our Nova Blast Handball competition here at school over the last few days. There have been some epic matches in the knockout style format. I also would like to acknowledge Miss Marita Mcveigh and Mrs Monique Handford who have also assisted John with this competition.
Ash, Luttsy and Susie O’Neill’s Handball Blitz is set to culminate in one of the biggest showdowns we’ve ever seen! School champions from all across Brisbane will be added to the Tournament Draw and will battle it out in either our North or Southside final before Brisbane’s two best handballers will take on one another in front of thousands of people at Suncorp Stadium on the 19th of August.
Northwest Athletics Track and Field Carnival -well done to all of our athletes who participated in the Northwest Athletics Track and Field Carnival last week over two days on Wednesday and Thursday. There were many wonderful achievements and personal bests over the course of the carnival.
Paul McGlone - Acting Principal
The Gap State High School
An eventful month for The Gap State High
It’s been a huge month at The Gap State High with cultural, sporting and learning successes to celebrate. Our school musical attracted almost 700 people and was a culmination of wonderful work by both students and staff. A special acknowledgement to Amanda Ross for her leadership and creative influence in this event. It was a huge team effort which allowed our drama and music students to shine on stage and backstage in the colourful musical Seussical Jr! There were great reviews, which were a testament to the involvement of a dedicated team of crosscurricular teaching and support staff.
Our school Athletics
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The Gap State High School (Contd.)
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Local Elder Melinda Serico conducted an ochre painting workshop during NAIDOC. She is pictured with Year 11 student Krystle-Lee Panton The cast warms up for a performance of Seussical Jr attended by almost 700 people.
Carnival was also a colourful, competitive and enjoyable event – another opportunity for The Gap SHS students to shine and have fun. Congratulations to all athletes and their supporters who kept the house spirit alive all day long!
The school also had numerous activities to mark NAIDOC week including didgeridoo performances by Ben Barker, ochre painting with local Elder Melinda Serico, and a visit from Senator Anthony Chisholm who addressed a special NAIDOC assembly. This event increased our awareness and knowledge of our First Nations people and our own connection to Country.
Our new teachers, support staff and school leaders have been learning this term, with the induction of new people to The Gap SHS occurring in week two. Welcome to the new staff in our school: Caroline Morrissey, Donna Portelli, Tim Hottes, Maeve Wyse, Leanne Mundt Sophie Barker, Amy Brown, Natarsha Blanco, Joshua Connolly, Kieran Scougall, Lisa Macdermott, Cameron Drew. Thank you in advance for the wonderful contribution you will make to this great school.
A new group of student leaders has been warmly welcomed by parents, friends and fellow students at a special leaders’ induction ceremony in week two. Sixteen student captains were presented with their new honour (and their badges and certificates) by our outgoing leadership team. The new inductees are transitioning to their leadership responsibilities as the outgoing leaders mentor them through this next phase. It is a time of great excitement and great learning. I wish all our new leaders the best of luck – it is a wonderful opportunity for you to grow, learn and have some fun. Congratulations to the School Captains of The Gap SHS: Jake Brewer, Daisy Foreman, Eliana Alcala, Alex Gisz, Holly Garrity, Elliot Hockey, Riley Hughes, Hugh Crawford, Richelle Lal, Aliya Nichols, Georgia Metzger, Orla Kennedy, Cooper Garrity, Dylan Bryant, Eli Blake, Emmy Nobay.
Student achievements - During the month, the school congratulated the following students.
In an exciting and suspenseful presentation, the inaugural House Cup winner was revealed - Cowan House taking out the honours!
Blaize Steele is off the Canberra after winning a prestigious 2023 Tuckwell Scholarship to the Australian National University. He was one of just 25 people selected from an applicant pool of 1000, and one of only three successful Queenslanders. Valued at up to $140,000, it offers funding to students for five years of full-time study.
Georgia Hammond was selected to represent Australia at the Oceania Artistic Rollerskating Championship in Whanganui, New Zealand in September.
Orla Clarke selected in the Queensland School Sport Squash Team in the transTasman Challenge in August.
Kate Beardmore was the first female to cross the finish line in the 2022 Jetty2Jetty at Redcliffe. Almost 5000 people competed
Two of our students, Genevieve and Maya excelled in the Under 14 Brisbane Junior Rugby Union girls’ team, which competed recently in the NSW state championships. Maya and Genevieve were selected from 53 under-14 players to make the squad of 17. Genevieve played in the tight five in the forwards and Maya in the backs.
Alexander Brownlow was awarded third place in the Dayboro Show for his woodwork project.
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The Gap State
High School (Contd.)
The Gap SHS won the QSuper Showcase Award for Excellence in the Secondary Years.
Our Year 8 debating team, made up of Year 7 students, and the Year 9 team, each won their first round of the Queensland Debating Union finals competition.
Four of our instrumental music students, Sarah, Jordan, Dylan and Jayden performed in the Creative Generation State Schools On Stage event at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Seven of our students have been selected for the State Honours Ensemble Program run by Griffith University Conservatorium. Congratulations to Kate Beardmore, Jefferson Dinnis, Charlotte Fargher, Emma Faugust, Avienda Kempe, Riley Petersen, and Catriona Williams.
Our Paganini Strings ensemble has been selected as a state finalist in Fanfare this year. This is an incredible honour and testament to the high-quality work happening in our instrumental music program.
The Arts and Technology Departments showcased its curriculum, outcomes and facilities in the inaugural ArtsTechspo. They welcomed some of the school’s talented alumni students who gave up their time to talk about their experiences at school and their journeys into tertiary education. Students from Years 6 to 10 attended with their parents to talk to our specialist teachers about the exciting opportunities available in Digital Technologies, Industrial and Design Technologies, Food Technology and our four Arts offerings – Drama, Film/ Media Arts, Music and Art.
Calling all alumni
The school is really keen to engage former students and staff and a great way to be kept informed and reunite with old classmates is through the school’s LinkedIn page and alumni group.
Here are the links: Linked in company page https:// www.linkedin.com/company/ the-gap-state-high-school/
Alumni group https:// www.linkedin.com/ groups/9206272/
Sally Hawkes - Acting Principal
a truly energising and deeply satisfying process. This year’s NAIDOC theme Get Up! Stand Up! Show up! has resonated to a level not previously achieved I believe, with all students actively involved.
Students participated in a range of activities, including presentation of our whole school nature art ensemble artwork, shared performance pieces during the assembly, the announcement of colouring competition winners and student breaktime art and music activities. We also welcomed author, Gregg Dreise who shared his stories and music with our students.
Our annual Athletics Carnival for Years 4-6 was held during the last week of Term 2. Age champions and award recipients were acknowledged at a special assembly in the first week of Term 3.
The Kolomeitz Cup is an individual award sponsored by the P&C and recognising over 25 years of coaching, managing and administration of school sport at The Gap State School, North West District Sports, Queensland and Australian School Sports, by former teacher, Mr Rob Kolomeitz. The award recognises outstanding individual achievement at the Athletics Carnival, and is presented to the student who achieves the highest individual overall points awarded to them at the completion of all events both track and field, at thecarnival.
The winner of the Kolomeitz Cup for 2022 is Mindi.
Students who accumulated the second and third highest numberof points at the carnival were Charlie and Hardy.
The Castrisos Cup is another of our school’s perpetual awards, sponsored by the Castrisos family who have a long and proud history with our school. The cup is presented to the house with the greatest number of points accumulated from student involvement at the carnival. This year, the Castrisos Cup was presented to Investigator house.
The Sherlock Shield for the most improved house compared to the previous year’s competition, this year has been won by Fortitude house.
I commend all students for their efforts and their participation in this year’s Athletics carnival.
Our age champions for 2022 are: 12 Years – 1st Cassandra and Obi, 2nd – Julian and Georgia, 3rd – James and Josie 11 Years – 1st Isaac and Mindi, 2nd – Shani and Dylan, 3rd, Ava and Levi 10 Years – 1st Charlie and Rosie, 2nd – Hardy and Lucy, 3rd, Lucas and Faye 9 Years – 1st Felix and Ava, 2nd – Madeline and Arlo, 3rd – Riley and Imogen
Finally, thank you to a number of our school dads who volunteered their time at a working bee during the last weeks of Term 2. Thank you to Aaron, Mark, Paul, Ross, Phil, Grant, Ross and Dave, your practical support is greatly appreciated by the whole school community.
Warm regards,
Joanne Nicholls - Principal
The Gap State School
In July, our school community witnessed the culmination of a range of NAIDOC week celebratory activities and experiences. These have been driven and designed by the ‘Moving Together’ staff group in consultation with our First Nations students and families during Semester 1.It has been my privilege to both witness and support the passion and commitment of the group as opportunities were created to deepen our understanding of First Nations cultures, particularly connection to land and place this year, within a learning process of reflection, advocacy and celebration. An aspect of our school’s growth in this area that I am most proud of is the acceptance that, whilst our collective efforts and learning may be incremental with next steps not always clear, the commitment to keep working together, striving and finding a path forward has been so positive and respectful. Creating ways our school will signal virtues to which we Quote of the Dayaspire and sustain meaningful evolving practices, has been People protect what they love - Jacques Yves Cousteau The Western Echo August 2022 Page 24 website: http://www.westernecho.com.au
