Let me commence by congratulating our award winners here tonight. Awards night is about acknowledging the achievements of our students in many fields including academic, vocational education, cultural, sporting and community. I would also like to pay tribute to the students who may not be receiving an award here tonight but they consistently make the effort to achieve good results and they consistently receive A’s for attitude.
Sections of this report will be delivered by our school vice captains, namely
Jessie-Mae Harvey who will speak school events, and Andrew Nicholson and Kelsie West who will report on cultural and sporting events.
My report tonight is intended to give a brief snapshot of some of the school’s achievements and developments over the last twelve months and to outline future directions.
Last year, 140 students completed Year 12. 24% (33) went to university or TAFE and another 5 students chose to defer their university studies. 14% (20) acquired apprenticeships or traineeships and another 37% (52) went into full time or part time employment.
I would like to acknowledge the outstanding academic achievement of Mark Lord, who achieved an OP 1 last year. Just under 3% of Year 12 students in the state receive an OP1. Mark is presently studying law at the University of Queensland.
Over the last 5 years, there has been a decline in the number of students enrolling in full time tertiary study with the five year average being 32%. There has been an increase in the number of students going into full time jobs including apprenticeships and the five year average here is 52%. I believe we will see this trend continue given the strong industry demand for trades people and the desire by many school leavers to start earning immediately.
A few words about our curriculum. I believe we provide a curriculum that is responsive to community, student and parent expectations.
In the senior school, there is the continuing trend to provide vocational training to meet industry demands. Presently, there are 48 students who are either school based trainees or school based apprentices and another 9 school based trainees left school to take up traineeship or apprenticeship offers. More students are seeking traineeships at a younger age. Several years ago, there were I or 2 student trainees in Year 10. We now have 12 year 10s enrolled in traineeships. Over 50 of our students are completing a VET qualification at TAFE or with some other provider.
Over the last 3 years, there has been a 44% increase in the number of students enrolled in traineeships or school based apprenticeships and a 40% increase in the number of students enrolled in TAFE courses.
I would like to thank the Capricornia Training Company for the many vocational training programs and opportunities it continues to provide for our students.
It is important to note that the school continues to offer a robust senior curriculum that provides pathways for all of the professions that require tertiary education.
In the junior school , we have commenced the production of Key Learning Area work programs for Year 8 and 9 in line with the QCAR framework requirements and these should be finished by the end of this year. And what,I hear you ask, is a QCAR , if it is not related to flashing blue lights? QCAR is Education Queensland’s quaint acronym for the Queensland Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Framework.
In a nutshell, the framework simply and concisely describes what are the essential learnings and the standards that are established through assessment for each of the 8 Key learning areas. It will help to standardize the language we use and it will provide a common framework for the organization of what is taught and how it is assessed. Prior to QCAR, which commences in primary school, there were as many approaches to deciding what should be taught and how it should be assessed as there were schools.
Meanwhile, as Queensland gets its curriculum house in order, the Federal Government, through the National Curriculum Board has released a number of Initial Advice Papers for consultation on Science, Mathematics, History and English. There is some concern here. What we do know is that if you put ten curriculum experts together, there will be fifteen different opinions. And we also know that state education departments have a tendency to fiercely defend their curriculum turf.
There are interesting times ahead.
A major curriculum focus for the whole school for the next three years and longer will be to make Information and Communication Technologies integral to learning and teaching. Computer technology in schools has been with us for nearly 30 years. As a teacher in Mount Isa in the late 70’s, I remember attending a demonstration of an Apple 2e computer. What an amazing machine. It used a floppy disc which was handled with great care. Words and letters could magically be deleted and added - hugely important for a remedial typist like me. I could see the annihilation of shares in liquid paper. And the computer prophets at the time warned us that the problem we would face in the future was managing the huge amount of free time that we would have because of the time that computers would save us. Teachers of my vintage will recall the first bulk supply of computers which were installed in what were called coffins – large steel rectangular boxes with lock up lids that provided security and ate up space.
Despite the long period of time that ICTs have been in schools there have been three major problems that have prevented the effective development of ICTs in curriculum content and delivery. These are: insufficient ICT resources which severely limit access to computers
The optional usage of ICTs by teachers and students
And a lack of professional development for teachers across all subject areas
We are committed to some major changes. The Federal Government, through its National Secondary Computer fund, has provided the funding that will enable the school to purchase enough computers over the next two years to ensure a ratio of 1 computer between two students from Year 9 to Year 12. The five year program will provide funding that will see an eventual one to one ratio.
Each of our teachers is about to be issued with a laptop computer as part of the states smart school classroom’s strategy.
With this kind of resourcing and provided the infrastructure is also funded, access to computers should be greatly enhanced.
Over the next 12 months in particular, staff will be attending professional development sessions on ICT usage in collaboration with the e- learning centre at the Sunshine Coast University and with our own local school personnel.
The aim is to build an e-learning environment with e-learning spaces, digital content throughout the curriculum, and digital assessment.
Indigenous education is always a priority.
Over the last twelve months, the school has been successful in acquiring substantial state and federal funding for Indigenous education. There have been some great success stories. As a participant in the Indigenous Education Support Structures Program, we have seen substantial improvement, particularly in the senior school, in academic outcomes, school attendance and Indigenous employment. In term 3, there was a 100% success rate for our Year 12 students passing English and an 82% success rate of students passing Maths. 87% of the 15 Year 12 Indigenous students completed all English and Maths assignments.
The highly successful ‘My Culture, My Country’ project which has explored and developed connections with Aboriginal heritage through art, literacy and numeracy will culminate in the opening of a mural on November 26. I would like to acknowledge the work of deputy principal Michele Moore, art teacher Mr Terry Sykes, Naidoc Elder of the Year, Mr Bob Muir and internationally renowned artist, Dr Pam Croft – Warkin for their efforts in the organization and teaching of this program.
Just a quick update on the school’s physical envirstudents participating in physical education lessons and school assemblies. One of the E Block laboratories has been refurbished and there is still work being done to upgrade the store rooms. The Home Economics dining room area is still being refurbished.
The school has just submitted an application under the Federal Government’s Trade Training Centre program for a one and a half million dollar refurbishment of the Manual Arts Block. The refurbishment will create a lot more space for welding bays and equipment and will allow us to offer many more class positions for students pursuing engineering trades.
There are many people who should be thanked and acknowledged at Awards Night for the significant contributions they make to Rockhampton High.
I would though, like to especially thank the Parents’ and Citizens’ Association for the fine work they do for the school, our many volunteer parents, Breakfast Club members, our FEET First staff who manage the school based vocational positions and the total staff, teaching and non-teaching for their dedication and commitment to the school.onment. The multi purpose shelter was completed early this year and has provided substantially more shade for students during the break times and for
Special thanks as well to the people I work closely with on a daily basis and for whom I have enormous respect, namely the Deputy Principals Michele Moore, Darren Cook and Melanie Brown. They work long hours, deal with difficult issues and always control their hysteria. I am indebted to the frontline people in the General Office for their support, their resilience, their creativity and their courage under fire.
Awards Night owes a great deal to the many businesses, organizations such as the Rockhampton Regional Council and Central Queensland University, training organizations, community groups, families and friends of Rockhampton State High who generously provide funding for our awards. I would like to express our sincere appreciation for your support.
Year 12s - this is your last Awards Night . I would like to thank you for the major contributions that you have made to the school over the last five years and congratulate you on your many achievements.
Your valedictory in 2 weeks will be your special occasion to celebrate and reflect on your years at Rockhampton State High School.
In the meantime, I know you are all focused on the big event that you have been looking forward to for some time. I refer, of course to the exam shut downs on 17 and 18.
My very warm congratulations to all our prizewinners tonight. Your achievements are a reflection of your natural abilities, your industry and your attitudes as well as the support of your teachers and your families. You have the right to be very proud of your success.
