SECONDARY NEWS
FROM THE HEAD OF SECONDARY
As we reach the end of the first half of the school year, I do want to advise families of some staffing changes for Semester 2 due to leave arrangements.
For Semester 2, I will be taking Long Service leave, and Mr Scott Mayall will be stepping into the role of Acting Head of Secondary. Mr Dan Robotham will continue on in the role of Acting Dean of Students Secondary, and Ms Melissa Barber will continue on in the role of Acting Head of Year 10.
In addition to my leave, the following staff will be on leave for all of Term Three:
- Pastor Jon Taylor, Ms Emslie and Ms Modlin will be covering the responsibilities of Chapel services, Christian Education and other duties carried out by Pastor Taylor.
- Ms Bolton is also taking leave in Term 3.
- Returning from Long service leave for Semester 2 are Mrs Fiona Roush, Dean of Teaching and Mr Scott Roush, Head of Physical Education. I do want to acknowledge the wonderful work Ms Boon has done in the role of Acting Head of Physical Education.
- Mr Chris Straughan will remain in the role of Acting Dean of Curriculum and Ms Jenni Haywood will continue as the Acting Head of Science.
This week, 29 students and 5 staff departed for a 9-day tour to Timor. This trip provides our students with an incredible opportunity to learn more about the culture and engage in much-needed community projects in Timor Leste.
During this holiday break, our Netball Girls will compete in the Queensland Independent Secondary Schools Netball Competition (QISSN) in Bundaberg. Our two Open Secondary Tennis Teams have qualified for the State final to be held in Brisbane, UQ, on Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th July. A number of our students are also competing in the Interschool Queensland State Equestrian Championships from 30th June – 4th July in Toowoomba. We wish all groups well for their respective competitions.
I would also like to remind families that Secondary reports will be available through Parent Lounge in the first week of the school holidays. For Year 7-9, now that continuous reporting is available through GECO, the Semester report will contain an overall grade and the Learning Dispositions. Comments on reports will not be included as staff are writing specific comments for feedback through continuous reporting.
As this is my last newsletter article for 2025, I want to convey my best wishes to all families for the remainder of the school year.
Mr Darren MacLeod-PatersonHead of Secondary
From the Economics Department
Year 11 Economics – Visit from Martin Pennay – Director, Fresh Meats
Recently, our Year 11 Economics classes were fortunate enough to have a visit from Martin Pennay, who is the director of Fresh Meats Maroochydore and a Grammar Dad. He delivered a presentation on the Beef Industry and factors affecting supply and demand in the industry from a domestic and export perspective. Fortunately, our students had just completed an investigation into the economic factors impacting a particular commodity market, with many of the students choosing the beef industry. So, Martin’s presentation as an industry insider added authenticity to their understanding of factors that impact the supply, demand, prices and the outcomes for consumers and producers.
Before the Pennay family started Fresh Meats, Martin had worked around the world in commodities markets and with his economics education and industry experience, he was also able to field questions and offer insight into the broad range of opportunities that studying economics can give our students.
Thank you, Martin for an insightful presentation.
Simon Groom
Secondary Teacher
From the Humanities Department
Year 8 History - Medieval Day
This year, as part of their History studies, the Year 8 students have been learning about Medieval Europe and the Vikings, including topics such as the Black Death, the various roles and responsibilities of people from the time, and how and why the Vikings raided parts of England. To complement their studies, the students and their teachers got dressed up and engaged in a number of medieval activities on Thursday, 12 June.
The students watched a presentation from the talented members of Living History Australia. They also took part in a number of hands-on activities such as archery, arts and crafts, an artefact interaction and kubb. Everyone had a fantastic time!
Mrs Gemma Cardillo
Head of Humanities
From the English Department
This term, our Year 8 students have been exploring the power of storytelling through the lens of representation and misrepresentation in historical fiction, studying The Boy in Striped Pyjamas and Number the Stars.
Building on the powerful stories, students engaged in workshops with Courage to Care, Queensland, an educational initiative that uses real stories of Holocaust survivors to inspire students to stand up against prejudice, racism and bullying.
We were honoured to welcome Dr Rochy Miller, daughter of Holocaust survivor Lea Leibowitz, known fondly as Bobba, who shared her mother’s extraordinary story of survival. Her memoir, a powerful reflection on trauma, resilience and identity, has been generously donated to our school library. Well done to all students for deepening their understanding of historical fiction and fostering empathy, critical thinking and a greater appreciation for the voices of history.
Read more about our inspiring morning and hear from our students below:
Amanda Rowe
Head of English