21 February 2025

PRINCIPAL’S ADDRESS

Swimming Carnival Thursday

Our interhouse competitions kick off on Thursday with the 2025 Swimming Carnival. This is always a hotly contested carnival but the mighty Parnka team are definitely looking the goods! As always, we encourage all of our students to attend and to come dressed in their house colours. I believe this year’s theme is NEON Disco; a throwback to the 80’s and 90!

Just a reminder to those students intending to swim on the day; they must have a signed Activity Consent Form – 2025 Sporting Events handed in prior to the event. This form was handed out a couple of week ago and covers students for a range of different sporting events throughout the year. Please contact the office if you have misplaced your copy.

Just a few reminders:

• this is a school swimming carnival, not a fashion show or a day at the beach. All swimming togs worn need to provide suitable coverage.
• students are required to be sun safe when they are not in an event. This means:
  • shirts with sleeves
  • midriff and shoulders covered
  • mid-thigh shorts at a minimum
  • wearing a hat, preferably a broadbrim
  • sunscreen is expected and available throughout the day.
• clothing cannot contain inappropriate wording or logos/symbols
• students will need appropriate closed-in footwear until they reach the pool
• phones are ‘off and away’ for the day

Class Walkthroughs

As part of our focus on teaching and learning, as well as expectations on our school processes; our leadership team have been conducting walk-throughs of our classrooms. This approach will continue throughout the year. The purpose of these walk-throughs is to get a picture of how our classrooms are going, whether our school expectations in relation to processes and procedures are evident and to allow us to celebrate what is working well and identify areas to work on.

So far, we have seen the majority of our students on track, with student planners on desks, work being attempted in class and almost all year 7 students with their I-Pads out and being used. Unfortunately, we are seeing significantly less students bringing their I-Pads when we enter, year 8, 9 and 10 classrooms. There is some work to be done here.

Attendance Matters - Everyday counts

Attendance is a habit, and like any habit, if you get used to doing something, it is hard to break. For the majority of our student’s, attending school is a very positive habit that has been developed with the support of their families. Unfortunately, over these first four weeks we have some students that have slipped into the habit of missing school quite regularly. Our Deputy Principals, Heads of Year and Year Coordinators are tasked with following up with students and their parents to create better attendance habits.

Regular attendance helps students to:

• develop a sense of belonging
• develop and maintain friendships
• be more engaged at school
• progress with their learning at the rate of others and not feel left behind
• be more aware of career and life options

Missing just one day a fortnight can amount to four weeks of lost learning over a year. Trying to make up the 80 missed lessons in this example is incredibly difficult. We need our students at school!

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) Focus

• Follow staff directions ‘first time every time’

At Gladstone High this looks like:

• Listening to staff directions
• Completing set tasks on time
• Speaking in respectful tones
• Follow the instruction the first time

WELCOME TO LITERACY FLEXISPACE!

This year, Gladstone State High have had the exciting opportunity to create a unique space that specifically targets literacy skills and student confidence with reading, writing and communication. We’ve taken two classrooms in E Block and packed them with resources, break out spaces, whiteboards, word games and… comfortable seating! But more importantly, we’re making sure our students get consistent support with their fundamental literacy skills through collaboration, creativity and fun. Over the past four weeks, we have been working hard on story writing by making exciting descriptions, practicing our spelling, constructing our own settings and carefully editing our own creative writing. In amongst all that work, our students also enjoy a P.E. lesson once a week with our Youth Support team, Niko and Keith, and participate in various challenges and skills. We asked our students what they’ve been enjoying most and here’s what they had to say:

• Our AI description looked cool and the Lego was fun.
• The “what’s in the box” activity was cool.
• I liked the wall sitting challenge with Niko and Keith.
• I enjoyed the “what’s in the box” activity because it didn’t feel like work.

These highlights are just the beginning and the whole team are keen to keep improving and give you even more updates as we go.

YEAR 7 SCIENCE

In Science, Year 7 students are currently studying Biology.  We are learning how scientists classify organisms and the taxonomy they use to do this.  As part of understanding the physical differences that are used to classify organisms, we learnt that organisms are sorted by whether or not they have a backbone/skeleton (vertebrates and invertebrates).  To be able to fully understand the physical structure of an invertebrate, we scientifically drew a fly.  Here are just two of the amazing drawings everyone did!

PBL NEWS

Welcome to Week 3! Our students have had a wonderful, settled start to 2025. We thank you all for following our school PBL values:

ENGAGED
RESPECTFUL
RESPONSIBLE
SAFE

This fortnight we would like our students to continue their great start by ensuring they are prepared to learn by being at class on time, lined up with all required equipment, entering the classroom quietly, following teacher instructions and engaging in the lesson.

Notes for our first Junior PBL event came yesterday. Students with 90% attendance and excellent behaviour for years 7 – 9 have been invited to our Escape Room and Puzzle Night Friday 28th of Feb at school 5pm – 8:30pm. There will be a BBQ and a tonne of games and competitions to put your teamwork and critical thinking skills to the test. If you didn’t receive a note but would like to come, please see your Year Level Coordinator ASAP to check your eligibility.

Congratulations on the great start and we look forward to this continuing with many exciting events to come!

HISTORY OF GLADSTONE SHS

Gladstone State High School is highly regarded in the Gladstone community, and has a long and proud history beginning well before the school opened in 1953.

On 29^th January 1935, the Secondary Department of Gladstone State School opened, located in three rooms on the western side of the current grounds of Gladstone Central State School. Two courses were offered that first year to the twenty-four students enrolled, with two Academic Teachers and one Commercial Teacher employed. The motto of the school at the time was “Strive to Excel”, and with the opening of the High Section, the principal Mr. E. A. Lonely chose the school motto “Sic Itur ad Astra” meaning “Reach for the Stars,” which remains Gladstone State High School’s motto.

In 1940, the present site of 25 acres was chosen for the location of a separate High School due to the increase in student numbers. Construction commenced in 1952, and the new High School opened at the beginning of 1953, with Mr. H. T. Pegg as Principal and four other teachers employed. That year, Manual Training and Home Science were still conducted at the Primary School, but were incorporated with the other sections of the High School the following year.

Following Mr. Pegg, Mr. Bernard O’Kane served as the principal from 1955 to 1957. During his term, he saw to the laying out of the school grounds with an excellent oval, tennis courts and basketball courts, and the planting of over 500 trees as part of a tree-planting ceremony held by the Parent’s Association and Women’s Auxiliary. The first edition of the School Magazine was published in 1955, with the 1960 edition renaming the magazine ‘TONKA.’ The TONKA continues to be published each year, capturing the year’s highlights and becoming the school’s recorded history.

The current Sporting Houses at Gladstone SHS are named after Indigenous words from our region: Damala (yellow) translating to ‘Sea Eagle’, Kougari (red) meaning ‘Seagull’, Parnka (green) meaning ‘Shining Water’, and Tyalan (blue) meaning ‘Rainbow’. When the school first opened, there were only two Sporting Houses, Blue and Gold. In 1961, Kougari, Damala and Tyalan were founded, and it wasn’t until 1965 that Parnka was added, due to the greater number of students attending the school that year.

In the 70 plus years since the school was opened, it has grown greatly in size, in both student numbers and buildings. Gladstone State High School currently has more than 1250 students in attendance and over 140 staff. The newest upgrades to the school include a Hydrogen Lab, advancements to the Resource Centre and a new ID & T building (Manual Arts), which is located between the Hall and Maths (F Block). The original Manual Arts building (H Block) is to be demolished this year to make way for a green space for our students to enjoy.

If you have any stories from your time at GSHS or an interesting piece of history to share, we would love to hear from you - send your story through to erose134@eq.edu.au.

SPORT NEWS

TONKA NEWS

SCHOOL PHOTOS

School Photos Dates:

Monday 24^th February - Years 7, 8, 9, 11
Tuesday 25^th February - Years 10 & 12

2025 ROTARY LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE OPPORTUNITY

For more information about this amazing opportunity, click on this link

GUIDANCE OFFICER NEWS

This is article 1 of 2 in a series we will be running on the topic of Bullying, utilising information from Emerging Minds.

What is childhood bullying?

There are three elements within the definition of bullying that separate it from other types of aggression: a power imbalance, an intention behind the behaviour, and repetition of the behaviour (Bullying. No Way! 2022).

Bullying behaviour can involve both overt and covert behaviours. Overt bullying behaviour includes actions that can be directly observed, such as hitting, kicking or name calling (Cross et al., 2009). Covert behaviours are those that are less likely to be detected, particularly by adults. Covert bullying behaviours can include social exclusion, spreading rumours or gossiping (Cross et al., 2009), and may occur via digital devices, which is known as cyberbullying. While overt behaviours are observable and often considered more serious by adults, covert behaviours can be more harmful because they increase feelings of social isolation and often remain undetected by adults for longer (Cross et al., 2009).

Finding out your child is experiencing or engaging in bullying

As a parent it’s natural to want to protect your children. So, when you first find out your child is experiencing or engaged in bullying (or you think they could be) it’s completely normal to feel some strong emotions – like anger, guilt or worry – and be unsure what to say or do next.

How you initially react is more important than what you say. If your child sees you stressed, upset or outraged about the situation, they’re likely to respond in the same way. If they’re worried about how you’ll respond, they might shut down and not tell you exactly what’s been happening.

It’s important to take a couple of minutes to ensure you’re calm so you can focus on your child’s needs and work out how to respond together.

1. Check your reactions and feelings

It’s completely normal to feel upset for your child, angry about what they’ve experienced or done, or even guilty for not knowing earlier.

If you were bullied when you were a child, finding out about your child’s bullying experience or behaviour might bring up some unpleasant memories and strong feelings for you.

Before you can focus on your child’s needs and feelings you need to take a moment to acknowledge your own.

Here’s what some parents we spoke to said helped them.

It’s OK to say ‘I just need to think about this for a minute and I’ll be back’. Try going into another room and take 10 slow deep breaths or make yourself a cup of tea.

Once you feel calmer, you’ll be able to tune into your child’s feelings and support them.

2. Plan the conversation

As a parent, it’s part of your role to help your child ‘make meaning’ of their experiences, especially challenging ones, and understand the impact of their behaviour. Otherwise, children may come up with their own explanations of why something has happened to them or why they behaved the way they did.

Take a moment to work out what you want to say and get prepared so you can answer any questions your child has about their bullying involvement and help them make sense of it.

Some of the issues you might want to cover in your first conversation about bullying:

• What is bullying (and what’s not bullying)
• Bullying is usually about gaining power or showing power over someone else, so it’s worth talking about what that might look like. You may need to help your child see the power imbalance, for example, the child doing the bullying might not be bigger or older but perhaps they have ‘power’ because lots of other children support their behaviour.
• If your child has experienced bullying let them know that it’s not their fault, they don’t have to put up with it and together you’ll make a plan to stop it from continuing.
• If your child has engaged in bullying behaviour let them know that you want to understand why and support them to stop the behaviour.

3. Take care of yourself

Parenting can be hard work at the best of times. When your child has been harmed (emotionally and/or physically) responding requires more of your time, understanding and emotional energy. You need to look after your own health and wellbeing so that you can support your child.

How you manage and express your emotions and stress affects how your child copes too. It’s important to take care of yourself and reach out to your own support network so you’re able to care for and support your child while you are both dealing with this challenge.

Different self-care strategies are helpful for different people. Think about what works for you: what are the things that help you feel calmer during stressful times?

Some strategies that are commonly recommended include:
Get enough sleep.
Eat well and stay hydrated.
Stay physically active – even just a 10-minute walk outdoors.
Spend some time away from your children doing things you enjoy.
Find ways to relax – like a warm bath, meditation or some deep breaths.
Strengthen your own support network by reconnecting with friends and family, or going to an event at your child’s school.

It’s also important at times like this to be able to ask for, and accept, help from others. Think about who supports you or what you’re already doing to support yourself that you can build on.

You could:
Meet a friend or make time with a work colleague to talk about what’s happening.
Ask someone to look after your other children for an hour or two so you can have one-on-one time to talk with your child who’s involved in bullying.
Call a parent helpline to talk through how you’re feeling and get advice.

If you’re feeling strong emotions like anger or guilt about your child’s involvement in bullying, or if you’re having difficulties making sense of it yourself, it’s a good idea to talk to another adult before you talk with your child. Talking to other parents can be helpful, especially if they’ve dealt with a childhood bullying issue. Sometimes talking to another adult first, especially when you’re feeling upset or angry about a situation, can help you calm down enough to talk to your child.

Further Information and resources can be found at http://emergingminds.com.au

SBYHN NEWS

Keep Cool, Stay Hydrated & Slip, Slop, Slap, Shade, Sun Glasses

A few things to remember when attending the School Swimming Carnival next Thursday 27/2/25:

The Hot and Humid weather in Gladstone continues and can cause many health issues.  It's super important to remember how vital staying hydrated is.  Remember to drink plenty of water and fluids. 

Staying hydrated is important

In Queensland, high humidity levels can make the heat feel even more intense, leading to rapid dehydration. Your body loses more water through sweat as it tries to cool down, and if you're not replenishing that water, you could feel tired, dizzy, or even sick. Dehydration can also affect your concentration and mood, making it harder to focus or enjoy your activities.

So how much water is enough?

If you’re active, you’ll need to drink water before, during, and after exercise. If you’re feeling thirsty, don’t ignore it—feeling thirsty is your body’s way of telling you it needs more fluids.

Tips for Staying Hydrated:

Carry a water bottle: So, you can drink regularly throughout the day. Refill at the bubbler as you need too.

Start early: Drink a glass of water (or milk) as soon as you wake up to kick-start your morning hydration.

Eat water-rich foods: Fruits like watermelon, cucumber, and oranges are packed with water and can help keep you hydrated.

Avoid sugary drinks: While soft drinks and energy drinks might seem refreshing, they can actually make dehydration worse, so stick with water or natural fruit juices.

Watch for signs of dehydration: Thirst, dry mouth, dark yellow urine, and feeling tired or lightheaded are all signs that you need more water. If you experience any of these symptoms, make sure to drink up!

Don’t forget to Stay Sun Safe by:  Slip, Slop, Slap, Shade, Sun Glasses

Slip on a shirt
Slop on sunscreen
Slap on a hat
Shade from a tree or building
Use Sun Glasses

Most of all, enjoy competing in the swimming events & enjoy hanging out with your friends!

Yours in Health,
Susan Buckeridge
(School Based Youth Health Nurse)

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION EVENT

Walking4Warriors is a community-focused group comprised of individuals with strong military connections who are dedicated to improving the well-being of their community. Their primary aim is to address mental health challenges and lower suicide rates by encouraging outdoor activities that promote personal growth and resilience. Operated entirely by volunteers, Walking4Warriors fosters a supportive environment rooted in camaraderie and respect, drawing inspiration from the Warrior Mindset to help individuals navigate life's difficulties.

The Walking4Warriors Endurance Challenge is a distinctive fundraising event designed to honour Veterans in a meaningful way. It highlights the mental fortitude and dedication of service members who persevere through physical and emotional hardships. This challenge not only allows participants to push their limits but also serves as a demonstration of appreciation for the sacrifices made by Veterans and First Responders. Many involved in this initiative are parents of teenagers facing mental health struggles, emphasizing the organization's commitment to supporting all members of the community.

METEORS HOCKEY CLUB

QPARENTS

ITEMS FOR SALE

NURSE PRACTITIONER NEWS

BREAKFAST CLUB

UNIFORM SHOP

We are in need of uniform donations.  If you have any uniforms at home no longer in use, feel free to drop them into the front office.  Any size or item would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.

Uniform Shop Hours

GSHS Calendar Term 1 2025