murgon state high school · tell children the facts. scary headlines attract attention and help...

2 Dutton Street, Murgon Qld 4605 T: (07) 4169 9222 F: (07) 4169 9200 E: [email protected] Murgon State High School www.murgonshs.eq.edu.au

Principal: Simon Cotton Deputy Principals: Heather Hamilton (Acting Junior School), Tania Hawthorne (Middle School), Jared Hinds (Acting Senior School)

Murgon State High School acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land, the Wakka Wakka people, of the country on which the school is located and pays respect to their Elders past and present.

Diary Dates

Wunjuada, Welcome! Term 1, Week 8 • 20th March 2020

Murgon State High SchoolBelieve • Challenge • Strive

We will Participate – We are Respectful and Responsible – We are Safe

From the Principal’s desk

Murgon State High School

Please note, most social

and sporting activities have

been cancelled until further

notice.

TERM 1:

Friday 3rd April • Last day of Term 1

• MSHS Yearbook Cover Competition entries due in

TERM 2: Monday 20th April • First day of Term 2

• ANZAC Day Celebrations have been cancelled

• NAPLAN has been cancelled

Dear Parents and Caregivers,The following information has been provided by the Queensland Department of Education Coronavirus COVID-19.Information to support Children and Young people

Please pay extra attention to your child’s needs. It is perfectly normal for children to have concerns and questions about events covered in the media, such as the information being distributed about Coronavirus. It is important to acknowledge their questions and how they are feeling about current events. It is important to emphasise that even though the number of people with the virus is increasing, the majority of people who contact the virus will either not get sick at all, or will get mild symptoms from which they will easily recover. Only a small minority of people may become very ill. Authorities are responding to the coronavirus pandemic. Travel in and out of discrete communities is now restricted and gathering of people is restricted to 100 in venues. The easiest way to reduce the risk of being affected by viruses of any sort (including the common cold) is to cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze. Coughing into your elbow is a good strategy. Spitting should be avoided. Keep hands clean by washing them regularly with soap and water or an alcohol based rub, avoid touching the eyes, nose and mouth. Where possible crowds should be avoided and people should refrain from close physical contact (touching, hand shaking, hugging, kissing) with people outside of the household. Murgon State High School has also initiated the “Kick the Spit’ campaign across our school. Spitting is another way the virus is easily spread. This strategy has been developed by one of our teachers in partnership with our school based health nurse. If you do become unwell, advice is to stay at home and avoid contact with others outside of your immediate family. Our school has a number of staff available to provide extra support to students who may be anxious and to provide information and advice to parents and carers. If you are concerned please contact us to ask what extra support is available. You can contact: • 13 Health (13 43 25 84) at any time for practical medical advice and assistance. • Queensland Health coronavirus webpage for latest information and advice

(https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19) • Review Headspace dedicated page about coping with stress related to coronavirus (https://www.headspace.com/covid-19)Regards

Simon Cotton, Principal

Pictured: Congratulations to Goanna House on taking out the 2020 Swimming Carnival!

Coronavirus (COVID – 19) – Information to support children and young people Advice for parents and carers Reports regarding Coronavirus continue to be prevalent in the media as the number of confirmed cases in Australia increases. With the situation changing rapidly and discussions occurring about whether Australians should be attending school, university and work, it is natural for children and young people to have questions or concerns. This fact sheet contains some information for parents and carers to keep in mind when supporting their children.

Pay extra attention to your child’s needs It is perfectly normal for children to have questions about events that are covered in the media, such as the information currently being distributed about Coronavirus.

There is a common misconception that talking with children and young people about a topic such as Coronavirus may increase their anxiety. However, research suggests that it usually has the opposite effect. For children, not having information is scary, and many children will fill in the blanks with their own imagination – often imagining something far worse than the truth. For older children, they may take to the internet for their answers, which can sometimes become overwhelming or misleading.

Responding to questions If a child brings up Coronavirus or asks questions, it is important to acknowledge how they may be feeling and to answer questions as honestly as possible. This will help them feel informed and understand what is happening. It is important to emphasise that even though the number of people with the virus in Australia is increasing, the majority of people who contract the virus will either not get sick at all, or will get mild symptoms from which they will recover easily. Only a small majority of people may become very ill.

It is important for children to understand that we are lucky to live in a country where students will be able to access immediate and high quality medical attention. Also, it is important children understand the low risk of serious illness for people their age who are in good health.

Encourage children to engage in things that help them to feel better and make them feel physically and emotionally safe (for example listening to music, playing a favourite game with the family, or doing some exercise in the home). It will be particularly important for children and young people to feel close to their immediate family who they are living with and, where possible, continue to communicate with those people outside the family (even if by telephone or video calls) who are helpful to their wellbeing.

Here are some pointers for how parents and carers can have a calm conversation with children and young people about Coronavirus and try to ensure that any concerns around the situation is kept at bay.

1. Be aware of your own behaviour. It's important that adults understand the effect their own behaviour can have on children. If you're visibly upset or react in a way that suggests you're fearful, children will take their cues from you. Remain calm in your conversations with children and young people, and reassure them that there is no cause for alarm.

2. Tell children the facts. Scary headlines attract attention and help sell newspapers but they don't always tell the whole truth. Ensuring you're armed with facts will help keep conversations calm, considered, and constructive. Some key facts are:


Term 1, Week 8 • 20th March 2020

- Although the number of confirmed cases of the Coronavirus in Australia is increasing, measures are being put in place to help to slow the spread of the virus.

- The majority of people who contract the Coronavirus will have no symptoms or only mild symptoms, from which they will recover easily.

Sharing this information should help reassure children that there is no immediate risk to themselves, their friends, or their family.

3. Explain what efforts are being made to contain the virus. Authorities are responding quickly. Travel in and out of the most affected areas has been restricted, and scientists are working to develop a vaccine. In Australia, the government is carefully monitoring and actively managing the situation. Children should be confident any confirmed cases will be treated quickly in our world class hospitals.

4. Finally, offer practical advice. For the time being the easiest way to reduce the risk of being affected by viruses of any sort (including the common cold) is to cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze (coughing into your elbow is a useful strategy), keep hands clean by washing them regularly with soap and water or an alcohol-based rub, and avoid touching the eyes, nose, and mouth. Where possible, crowds should be avoided and people should refrain from close physical contact (touching, kissing, hugging etc.) with people outside of those living in their household. If you do become unwell, advice is to stay at home and avoid contact with others outside of your immediate family. These are relatively easy habits for children to adopt, and should help them feel as though they're able to exert some control over their circumstances.

Communication is important It is important that the lines of communication with children be kept open at all times. Children and young people need to feel informed and safe, especially when they hear so much information in the media.

Discussing the Coronavirus situation openly with children will provide the opportunity to reassure them that they are safe and dispel any false information they may have heard in the media or through rumours. With the situation changing rapidly, it is important for conversations about Coronavirus to take place regularly between parents and carers and their children. This will help to minimise the anxiety that children may feel when they hear new and sometimes contradictory information or advice.

If parents and carers notice their children becoming anxious or scared due to the amount of information they are hearing about Coronavirus on the news or through social media, it may be necessary to encourage and assist them to take a break from the 24-hour news cycle and to focus on other things.

Available supports Schools make a number of staff available to provide extra support to students who may be anxious and to provide information and advice to parents and carers. If you are concerned about your child’s wellbeing, you can contact their school to ask what additional support might be available.

Support is also available through a number of Queensland Government agencies and community organisations. Parents and carers can:

call 13Health (13 43 25 84) at any time for practical medical advice and assistance

review Queensland Health’s coronavirus webpage for the latest information and advice

review headspace’s dedicated page about coping with stress related to Coronavirus, or contact headspace for professional support

contact Lifeline Australia’s telephone counselling service on 13 11 14 for information, referral and advice

obtain help and information from the local General Practitioner or Community Health Centre

contact Lifeline Australia’s telephone counselling service on 13 11 14 for information, referral and advice

obtain help and information from the local General Practitioner or Community Health Centre



Running Record Assessments: Over the past few weeks students in Year 8 and 9

have undertaken diagnostic reading assessments to determine their reading level. This

is a pre assessment to determine next steps in advancing student learning. We began

with Year 9 students and are currently in the process of completing Year 8. We believe

that maintaining our reading level whilst at high school is just as important as in primary

school. To keep a track of this, Running Record Assessments are undertaken in Term

1 and Term 3. We use Fontus and Pinnell and/or PM assessments to determine a

student’s reading level. It is important for students to be able to know their Reading

Level and Reading Goal to advance reading.

Reading Postcards: In the next few weeks students will be receiving a ‘postcard’.

This postcard will have the Reading Level and Reading Goal for each student and we

encourage parents to ask your student about these.

Staff Professional Development: Our new staff have been undergoing training

in how to undertake Running Record Assessments through our Expanding Teaching

Practice program and also by myself modelling whist other staff observe the process.

Each teacher has been assigned 3 or 4 students from one of their classes to monitor

and assess. This gives staff a greater opportunity to individually support students from

their curriculum classes with reading.

Reading Strategies: Earlier in the year staff were exposed to Sheena Cameron’s

reading strategies. These strategies are explicitly taught in primary school and all good

readers use these strategies every day. They are: Predict/Re-predict, Making connections

to prior knowledge, Inference, Asking and Answering Questions, Visualisation, Retell,

Paraphrasing, Summarising, Skimming, Scanning, Synthesising, Comparing, Reading on,

Adjusting Reading Rate, Using Analogy and Finding the Main Idea.

We are finalising trailing some of these strategies using a template within our HPE

faculty. Posters are created and ready to be installed in the classrooms. Our whole

school approach to reading now involves all staff expanding from Vocabulary, QAR and

Diagnostic Assessments to Sheena Cameron Strategies. If you have any questions about

your student’s reading, please contact Mrs Wintour.

Great Readers Believe, Challenge & Strive



Swimming CarnivalCongratulations to Goanna House on taking out the 2020 Swimming Carnival!

Well done to all our age champions:

U12 Boys: Tito Bligh

U13 Boys: Jack Webber...

U14 Boys: Logan Steinhardt

U15 Boys: Rocky Ruff

U16 Boys: Nick Beddows

Open Boys: James Hadley

Aggregate Boys: James Hadley

U12 Girls: Briannah Bradley

U13 Girls: Jasmine Miller

U14 Girls: Ashlyn Williamson

U15 Girls: Amy Henderson

U16 Girls: Samantha Hetherington

Open Girls: Brooke Neilson

Aggregate Girls: Jorja Webber



Sports NewsIt has been an exceptionally busy start to the sporting year. Here at school we have seen our Swimming Carnival take place and the mighty Goannas hold up the trophy. James Hadley broke a record for 50m Breaststroke that was standing since 2003 and won age champion for the 6th year straight. Congratulations to all of our age champions, a huge achievement!

In the land of representative sport we have seen huge success. Congratulations to all students who were selected in a South Burnett team in swimming, basketball, rugby league, touch football, cricket and squash. So far this year, we have had 5 students make it through to Wide Bay teams. Congratulations to James Hadley (swimming), Nathan Roderick (squash), Lachlan Zelinski (squash), Krystle Rattey (soccer) and Dominique Sandow (Rugby League). While unforeseen circumstances have cancelled the state championships for these events, we wish to acknowledge and congratulate these students on such an outstanding achievement.

For now, all school sport has been suspended due to COVID-19. I will continue to update you all with information as I receive it.

Yours in sport,

Becky McDonnell

Sports Coordinator

Wide Bay Sports

Swimming

Congratulations to Year 12 student James Hadley who made it into the Wide Bay Swimming Team for the following events: 50m breaststroke, 50m freestyle, 100m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke, individual medley relay, freestyle relay. An outstanding effort for our very own ‘Jimmy the jet’!

Congratulations to the following students for being selected for Wide Bay in their respected sports: Dominique Sandow (rugby league), Krystle Rattey (soccer), Nathan Roderick (squash) and Lachlan Zelinski (squash). Due to unforeseen circumstances, these state championships will not be going ahead but we would still like to acknowledge this outstanding achievement by our exceptionally talented students.



Judging Team Murgon ShowWell done to all the students who made it into the finals of the junior judging. With special congratulations to place getters, Ivia-May with a first in stud judging and a second in prime judging, Cooper with a second in prime and Joshua a fourth in prime. Students also performed well in the junior handlers competitions.

Miss Newson

Cattle Team Event Murgon ShowShayla and Kate at their first cattle team event, Murgon Show 2020.



Visual ArtsLast Friday, a group of ten Year 11 Visual Arts in Practice students visited the Ration Shed Museum and Art Studio in Cherbourg. The goal was to gain a greater understanding of contemporary Indigenous art, particularly protocols and techniques. Mr Rocko Langton, a practising artist, and Ms Cassandrah Bond discussed and provided examples of contemporary artworks at the Ration Shed. The students then painted clap sticks in the studio to consolidate the information presented. It was a terrific morning with very creative results!

Ms Magnussen



Work Placement Officer News

STRONG START TO 2020 FOR OUR TAFE STUDENTS

In 2020 MSHS has offered the opportunity for our Year 10, 11 and 12 students to attend TAFE through the TAFE in Schools VETiS funded program.

Nurunderi Campus, Cherbourg again offered the Certificate I in Construction course, which proved popular in 2019. This course is again a winner with 15 MSHS students enrolled in the course this year. As a number of our students are interested in a future trade, this entry level qualification will benefit them greatly. Our students have already completed their White Card component and enjoy the practical aspects of the course.

12 MSHS students have enrolled in the Certificate II Salon Assistant course, this year including 3 male students. Our students have been learning valuable techniques and are showing great progress and ability.

An additional course was added in 2020, the Certificate II in Health Support Services. Initially, this course was not certain to go ahead, with low numbers and also running on a Wednesday rather than Tuesday with Construction and Salon. This meant a commitment from both MSHS and Nurunderi staff to transport students each week as an additional bus was not possible. However, I am proud to announce we have 7 students enrolled and attending regularly. This qualification will be an asset to our students, with several wanting to continue within the Heath Care Industry upon graduation from MSHS.

A further four students have taken the plunge and committed to travelling to Kingaroy to access courses in Certificate II in Electro-technology, Certificate II in Rural Operations, Certificate II in Hospitality and Certificate II in Salon Assistant.

MSHS is proud of all of our TAFE students who have made a strong start to their courses. We look forward to following along as you continue with your learning. This is a great opportunity, which not all schools can offer.

SCHOOL-BASED TRAINEESHIPS

A big congratulations goes to the following students who have successfully started a School Based Traineeship/Apprenticeship in 2020:

Aeden Jakins – Cert II in Automotive Servicing

Technology

Rose Fisher – Cert II in Business

Max Plant – Cert III in Engineering – Fabrication

Trade

Baydan – Cert II in Baking

Anthony – Cert II in Horticulture

Also congratulations to our students who are

continuing in a Traineeship/Apprenticeship this year:

Ivia-May Riddell – Cert III in Engineering –

Fabrication Trade

Tristan Waldock – Cert III in Agriculture

Shannon James – Cert III in Screen & Media

NOTICES

USI Numbers: Students in Year 10 please ensure that you have returned your USI forms.

Carmen Liebke, Work Placement Officer



Chappy Chat

Your Mental Health Tips

Week 9 is fast approaching, and many conversations about the virus are happening. I’m pleased to hear that students are not overreacting to it, but are more hygienic in response to it.

Foodbank is continuing to supply food for the breakfast and lunch programs I run when I am here (7 programs/wk). There is an article at this link regarding the virus and the continuing of these food programs: https://www.foodbank.org.au/hunger-in-australia/the-facts/?state=qld

Petite Sisterhood is a program I ran successfully with several students last year. I will be running it again in Term 2 and Term 3. This program is 20 minutes at first break on Thursdays and built around the need and effects of kindness to self, others, community and family. If you would like your young lady to join in, they can collect a form from me, to be signed and brought back before the end of the Term.

Have a great weekend, chat to you again soon.

Deborah Horne (Chappy Deb) School Chaplain

Email: [email protected] Murgon State High School Ph: 41699222 (Monday mornings, Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays)

When you can’t control what’s happening, challenge yourself to control the way you respond to what is happening. That is where your power is. Everyone is entitled to their say. Not everyone is entitled to their way.

Tips for helping coughs and colds and flu As we are now in Autumn, the common cold and flu viruses start to become more common. The flu illness caused by Coronavirus is very much in the news and there is lots of information available about this. It is worth looking up this information on the Queensland Health website.

Basic steps for preventing/reducing the spread of viruses is; IF YOU HAVE A VIRAL ILLNESS…

• Cover your mouth/nose if coughing/sneezing THEN wash your hands• Follow school policy in regards to staying at home, if you are sick with a viral illness. • Reducing contact if you can with elderly relatives when you are unwell. Older people often have less ability to fight off viruses. • Reducing contact where possible with babies and young children as they also do not have a robust immune system. • See a Doctor if you are ill• Drink plenty of fluids – water

Nurse Ruth

Community Notices

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Sat 23rd May 2020

Photo booth

For more information: Amanda Dennien

0438 686 195 [email protected]

Rachel Cooper 4168 6068

[email protected]

also honouring: Glenrock State School

Booubyjan State School

Murgon Business Association proudly presents

Friday, 3rd April 2020 5.30pm to 9.30pm

South Burnett eaSter SpEGGtacular in Murgon

SPECIAL GUEST THE EASTER BUNNY will be making an appearance on the Night!(Photos 6pm - 8pm)

All your Fair Favourites• Ice Cream• BBQ• Fairy Floss• Doughnuts And more

Exciting ridesincludingDROP ZONECHA CHARound-upAvalancheGiant Slide,Carousel,Jumping castleand more

Glow stuff & Show Bags for the Kids filled with lots of Goodies!Live Entertainment All Evening

Raffles



murgon state high school · tell children the facts. scary headlines attract attention and help...

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