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SLB Interviews
I have been impressed with both the number and quality of Year 9 students who are applying for a position on the 2022 Student Leadership Board. With the support of Kim Anderson and the year 9 team students have prepared written applications, are participating in interviews and will make a presentation to the school later this term. I commend all our applicants for stepping outside their comfort zone to put their best selves forward as future leaders of our school.
I highly value the ideal of servitude, putting the needs of others in front of your own, as you strive to make our school a better place for all students.
Northern Urban Collective open days
Last week saw many of our year 10 students travel to Year 11/12 schools around Launceston to find out more about the courses on offer next year. We had almost 20 students come to Queechy to find out about our Certificate II in Community Services (Aged and Disability Care). We had guest speakers from industry come in and share stories about their own experiences in these industry areas.
We had many students travel to Exeter, Lilydale, Prospect and Riverside to explore the unique courses on offer in these schools. We are excited about what 2022 has in store for our Year 11/12 students as we work in a new way to support the learning of all students in the Launceston area.
In Maths, Year 9 students have been working on developing their algebra skills to help solve real world problems. Students are building their skills to investigate model helicopters later in the term!
In the coming weeks, Grade 8 Science classes will visit Punchbowl Reserve as part of our study of Rocks and Minerals. During the visit, students will view the Punchbowl Rock Fissure.
The walk to Punchbowl will give students the opportunity to question, and to enable new ideas and concepts to be understood more deeply. Students will observe the causes of erosion and consider the movement of material in the Rock Cycle. The group will also consider the importance of this area of Punchbowl Reserve, known as, luyni mungalina, (literally rock raining) to the local palawa people.
Images to follow in the next edition.
The week of 23rd to 27th August was Open Week for VET courses for our Grade 10 students to learn about and consider as alternate pathways to the standard two years at College. The Department of Education has an advertising campaign about the opening of extension schools throughout high school and particularly the addition of VET accredited certificates for students to undertake in Year 11 and/or 12 called ‘Anything Can Happen’ and that is the message we want all students to embrace as they think of life post Grade 10. There are so many options – look into all of them. We never know what we can do until we try.
In the weeks before Open Day, Grade 10 students at schools throughout the Northern Urban Collective (NUC) were able to select VET courses that they might be interested in studying next year. These courses provide TASC points that contribute to a student’s TCE certificate, while also providing real world and hands on learning. Queechy High School students had a really high sign up rate which was fantastic. Most students liked the idea of having two days at their chosen VET course and three days at their selected college.
The week began on Monday at Prospect High School with students learning about the Hospitality course – and getting to make and eat some yummy treats – and also the Japanese language learning course.
On Tuesday students could select to learn about becoming a pharmacy assistant through the program at Riverside High School or Agricultural Studies at Lilydale High School. All students felt that they learned a lot and while some have decided this might be a good pathway to follow, others learned it’s probably not for them. This learning is so important – working out what we don’t want to do can get closer to what we do.
On Thursday students went to Exeter – again learning about agricultural based pathways. The students were particularly interested in the student use of quad bikes and tractors and looking at pictures of the students on these big rigs and completing lamb marking tasks was riveting.
On Friday students went to Kings Meadows to learn about Viticulture and Bricklaying. This proved popular with a lot of our students and there are many who are interested in following this pathway next year.
Friday afternoon and the final destination was held here at Queechy. Next year we will be offering Certificate II in Community Services (Aged Care and Disability). These areas are significantly understaffed in Tasmania and openings for qualified people are going unfilled. Our open day saw three guest speakers – Adam Page, Gerard Lane and Ashley Leonard from the disability and aged care industries – talk about their lives, their journey to their careers and the fulfilment they get from helping others. We had several students who attended keen to sign up and encourage anyone who is interested to contact Lisa Mitchell on the school number or lisa.mitchell@education.tas.gov.au.
A fantastic event! We are looking forward to this being the first of many. As we say ‘Anything Can Happen’
This term, Grade 9 English students have been studying the John Boyne novel, The Boy In the Striped Pyjamas. Students have gained an understanding of the historical period in which the novel is set, and have read the novel. Students will be developing their skills to construct comparative texts where they will compare different elements within the novel and write an essay where they compare the novel and film adaption.
While reading the novel, many students have made some interesting connections between their knowledge and experiences, and those shown in the text. Examples of these can be seen below:
Being a German myself, the novel The Boy In the Striped Pyjamas really got to me, seeing what the Germans were doing to innocent people for something they can’t help. As heartbreaking as the book is, I really enjoyed reading it. It opened my eyes to what my country had done and made me realise how far the world has improved. Reading the book, I went home one day and talked to Dad about how the book made me feel and he told me a story about his father who was alive during World War 2. He was a German soldier, not wanting to be a part of the Nazi’s, he eventually got put into one of the Jewish Camps, just surviving and soon moved to Australia. Hearing the story about my grandfather made me feel sad, but also proud.
- Natasha 9A
I made several text to self connections while reading the novel The Boy In the Striped Pyjamas. I’m unsure of the full story but my great grandparents decided to move from Holland to Australia due to the events of World War 2. As a result, my grandma is fluent in both English and Dutch. As the novel is set during World War 2, it gave me better context as to what happened at that time.
- Ella 9B
Year 8 have been working on their Earth and Space unit. They have recently begun studying mining and how rehabilitation is an important part of the process. Here they are simulating ‘Leech Mining’ and extracting copper from their sulphuric acid solution.
Students across year 8 have been focusing on becoming future entrepreneurs as they studied business and economics. The students looked at the basics of economics, the Australian economy, GDP and the rights and responsibilities of customers and consumers. Once the students got an understanding of how to run a business, they were given the opportunity to pitch an idea to the teacher hoping that we would invest in their product. We had a wide range of ideas which included cattle farming, specialised cookies, basketball shooting sleeves, automatic toothpaste dispenser and many more. It was great to see students working collaboratively together to come up with these fantastic ideas. The students will now shift their focus from Business and Economics to Feudal Japan.
As part of our rewards program, selected students from Grades 7-10 enjoyed a relaxing afternoon of Ten Pin Bowling on Friday 27th August. Unfortunately the teachers were no competition for our students but a great time was had by all!
This story was written by Jessica as part of our Crime Fiction unit.
Hourglass Eyes
Friday 12:30 pm, September 27, 2000
The clock chimed, signifying that it was half past and yet the woman across from her still had not uttered a word. She was minutely aware of the silence that they bathed in, soaking it up and waiting patiently until the water turned cold and the calm surface was broken as her client’s silenced ceased. Waiting was tedious but she was used to it nowadays, it was her job after all. To wait, to watch, to help. She’d spent her life waiting for the water to turn cold and there was no way she’d step out now.
It seemed she need not wait any longer, the woman across from her let out a shaky sigh that signified the start of a long session. “Tell me everything,” she coaxed. The other woman, Maggie, eyed the object clutched in her hands before breaking the water, ripples turning into small waves, as the story emerged from the depths beneath.
“It began three years ago when I first joined the police force.”
Monday 9:30 pm, December 12, 1997
“Detective Maggie James’ first ever case, congratulations mate! Cheers to many more, and hopefully something a lot more interesting than a suspicious house fire. Call us when you get a murder next time!” Cheers and roars of laughter erupted in her small living room as her best friend downed the drink he’d used to make a toast with. Friends and family alike were gathered here to celebrate her first official case as a newly appointed detective. As much as she appreciated the thought, the constant claps on the back had made her wince and the many handshakes left her right hand feeling quite numb as it hung loosely at her side. Maggie never was one for social gatherings so it was understandable that as she moved towards the kitchen and away from the crowd, she hoped that she need not endure this torture for much longer.
“Hiding from us, hey?” The voice seemed to appear from nowhere, but the tone and pitch was easily matched to that of her best friend, Adam.
“You tell me,” she grumbled. A chuckle escaped him as he leant up against the counter.
“So, what have you dug up on the house fires?” Being a firefighter himself, Adam Johnson was curious to know what the newly appointed detective thought of the several houses that had caught ablaze.
“The higher-ups seemed to think nothing of it, they believed it was all an accident and brushed it off. It must be related somehow though, three suspicious house fires in the last two weeks and they think nothing of it? All with fatalities I might add. I’m sure there’s something else going on.” Maggie sighed, exasperated with the lack of interest from her superiors.
“So, if they dismissed the case, why are you still being asked to investigate?” Adam’s brow was furrowed as he tried to make sense of it all.
To be continued.....
The Grade 8 SRC are having a fundraiser for the Smith Family. We want to raise money to help children who haven't got all that they need for school with a CRAZY SOCK DAY! So Grade 7s and 8s please get some crazy socks organised for the Wednesday, 15th September and make a gold coin donation to this worthwhile cause. There'll be a prize for the best craziest socks in each grade.
Book Week was truly out of this world at Queechy in 2021. The magic and wonder of reading and imagining ourselves as someone else was out at Queechy on Thursday 26th August. This year was the inaugural celebration through costume and quiz for Book Week and it was so enchanting to see so many students and teachers worry less about what others were thinking of them and more about the fun of being someone else for a little while. There were 4 x $25 book vouchers up for grabs – three went to those who had really outdone themselves in the costume department and one to the winner of a book related quiz. These activities took place in the library and were looked after by a zombie Elizabeth Bennett AKA Ms McKendrick and an evil Maleficent Queen AKA Mrs Kleinig. It was a lot of fun and we are hoping to see this back next year, bigger and better and with even more participants. In the meantime, keep up the magic of reading.
Remember - Reading for pleasure is associated with numerous benefits — from improvements in reading achievement and comprehension, writing, vocabulary, and general knowledge to improved empathy, understanding of self and others, and wellbeing.
On Tuesday 24 August, Qube students set up a pop-up shop to sell recycled clothes, plants and food. This venture was very successful. Over seven hundred dollars were raised for Qube.
Thanks to Qube students and staff who spent hours sorting donated clothing, to Ms Brickhill and her students who provided plants and to Mrs Frankcombe and her students who cooked and served the food. Big shout out to students who made the right choices and purchased items.
Hopefully we will continue this as an annual event.
