Term Ahead - 11 October 2024

From the Senior Leadership Team

Celebrate – Reflect – Improve

On behalf of the Queensland Academy for Science Mathematics and Technology, we welcome all students and families back for Term 4, 2024!

The start of Term 4 can leave one feeling a little conflicted. It is natural to feel relieved by the approaching end of the academic year; however, we still have over a quarter of the year still to come – Term 4 is an 11 week term after all. It is worthwhile to celebrate on past success, however, there is still opportunity to make incremental improvements day-by-day. So, while we might find ourselves engaged in the process of reflection, it is important that we do so with a focus on what it is that we do as part of our daily rituals. This is particularly the case for our Year 12 students who are currently engaged in study and preparation for their final IB examinations in Week 4.

In our minds, Term 4 is about celebrating, reflecting and continually improving.

Celebrate

We are very excited to be preparing for the upcoming Awards Evening taking place on Thursday 17 October in the QASMT Auditorium. This is the pinnacle event for student award celebrations in the QASMT calendar. The Year 7-8 award ceremony will take place from 4:00pm to 5:30pm and the Year 9-11 (including Year 12 special awards) will take place from 6:45pm to 8:45pm. Parking will be available on the oval.

Since our last communication, our school has received recognition for our community partnerships and commitment to sustainability. We are pleased to announce the following achievements:

QASMT was a shortlisted finalist for the Teacher Awards 2024.  There were eight award categories in 2024 and QASMT was shortlisted under ‘Fostering Strong School-Community Partnerships’. Those schools shortlisted under this category “enhance student outcomes by fostering strong relationships with parents, carers, and families, and building successful two-way partnerships.” (ACER Teacher magazine, 2024)

QASMT was recognised by The Educator as being one of the most sustainable schools in Australia through their 5-star Sustainable Programs awards (2024). The schools that have been recognised by these awards, according to The Educator, have not treated sustainability as a side project but instead have made it a part of their culture (The Educator Sustainability Programs Awards report, 2024).

Reflect

There are a great many events taking place this term, some of which include: Awards Evening, Year 12 final examinations, Parent Engagement afternoon, Parent Teacher Interviews, Year 9 Calling Ceremony, and the Year 12 Valedictory. In our Term Ahead article for Term 2, we described the importance we place on parent engagement. And, as with Term 2, we are very pleased to continue to hold numerous opportunities for parents, staff and students to collaborate. Perhaps the biggest of these in Term 4, is our Parent Teacher Interview day.

On Wednesday 23 October, parents, caregivers and students will have an opportunity to meet with teachers to discuss student progress and tips for upcoming assessment. These interviews will take place in the Auditorium and can be scheduled via PTO in Week 3. We will share more information about how to make these bookings soon. We invite our students to attend these interviews with their parents, as this provides a wonderful opportunity for authentic dialogue between the teacher, parent and student.

Improve

As of the publication of this article, all students will have received their Term 3 Academic and Engagement Report. This report will provide a valuable opportunity for students to evaluate their learning progress so far this semester, and to consider specific opportunities for improvement. We encourage students to document this reflection in their Personalised Learning Plans (PLPs) and to consider sharing these ideas with their teachers and parents/caregivers. Students might like to take these thoughts with them to parent teacher interviews.

Change to school hours in 2025:

Year 7 and 8

Year 9 to 12 (Flexible starts and finishes)

We extend our best wishes to all in our community for a fulfilling term ahead.

Kath Kayrooz, Principal; Kerry Bullock, Associate Principal; Catherine de Freitas Pessoa, Acting Deputy Principal Academic; Sam Weston, Deputy Principal Performance; Jane Manwaring, Acting Deputy Principal Engagement

From the Deputy Principal Senior Years

Welcome back for Term 4. I hope all our families have had a wonderful holiday and are ready for the final term of 2024.   

Year 12 IB Updates

This term brings with it the final IB examinations for our Year 12 students, as well as the culmination of their schooling journey. I am looking forward to celebrating this milestone with our Year 12 students and families towards the end of the term. Before then though, come the final exams – a challenging and exciting time for all our Year 12s. They have prepared for these exams for almost two years, and at this point there are only a few weeks until the exams. The exams begin Monday 21 October, and run until 11 November. I would like to remind our Year 12s to ensure they continue to follow their study plans that they made last term during the Year 12 Conference, whilst ensuring they keep a healthy diet and sleep pattern, so they have every opportunity to be at their best health for the exam period. Maintaining energy levels and a positive mindset over this three-week period is essential. I would also like to thank our Year 12 families for everything you are doing to support your child through this time, they couldn’t do this without your support - it is certainly an important time for both students and their families.

Year 11 Updates

Our Year 11 students continue their Diploma Programme (DP) journey; this term embarking on their Extended Essays and submitting their final Theory of Knowledge Exhibition. Along with CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service), these three elements make up the IB Inner Core, and success in these three elements is essential to passing their Diploma. Block exams will take place in Week 8 this term, so I advise students to start their preparations early by working on their study plans with their subject teachers and House Dean, focusing on areas for improvement and ensuring they keep their goals in sight.

Year 10 Updates

Our Year 10 students continue their Diploma Preparation Programme (DPP), both through their subjects and their Wednesday sessions in the Lecture Theatre. All Year 10 students should now be in the subjects and levels that they intend to study in their Diploma, and if this is not the case, they need to make an appointment with either their House Dean, HOD, the Deputy Principal Performance, or myself as soon as possible. As our Year 10s complete their final term before their Diploma starts, I encourage all Year 10s to reflect on what skills they learn this term which will allow them to flourish next year.

Have a productive Term 4 

At the end of each term, I bring you an update on what I have seen during my walkthroughs over the term, focussing on ATL. I am very much looking forward to seeing what our students and teachers are up to in their classrooms this coming term, and I will report back to you soon. I have already seen some wonderful classes where communication, research and thinking have been at the forefront of the lesson, and where students have been fully engaged in the learning experience.

To all our families, students and teachers - have a wonderful and productive Term 4.

Esme Hatchell, Deputy Principal Senior Years

From the Deputy Principal Middle Years

Welcome back to Term 4. I trust everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable break. Term 4 will be a busy term for our Year 9s as they work towards completing their Year 9 Journey with a Calling ceremony on Thursday 31 October. The purpose of the Year 9 Journey is to strengthen the characters, resilience, perseverance and teamwork of our students and the Calling ceremony allows students to reflect on these.

This term our Year 7s and 8s will have further opportunities to engage with the many activities and clubs QASMT offers - from curriculum and sporting competitions to our Honours Program initiatives and curriculum and non-curriculum excursions. The more our students engage with the many opportunities offered to them at QASMT, the greater school experience they will have.

Finally, I would like to remind all Middle Years’ students, parents and caregivers of the protocols around applying for an assessment extension. To apply for an assessment extension, students are required to complete QASMT’s official extension request form (found on the Academy’s website) and attach the required documentation to support their extension request (for example, a medical certificate). This completed extension request form, and its supporting documentation, is then emailed to the Middle Year Coordinator before the assessment due date. Their email address is printed on the extension request form.

I wish all Middle Years’ students and their families an enjoyable Term 4.

Kirsten Baker, Deputy Principal Middle Years

From the Department of inclusion

The Jacaranda trees are starting to bloom, and in Queensland this signals the start of Term 4, and all that this busy term brings.  It is a season of finishing the year and preparing for the next. Our thoughts and best wishes are extended to our Year 12 students, who are in the midst of their tutorial program and then their final exams.  They have worked incredibly hard over the last six years, and they enter this final season of their school lives with our best wishes for their success.

As all of our students prepare for their exams at this end of this term, we remind both parents and students that any student who feels anxious or concerned about their exams, can find a safe place in the Inclusion space with members of the Inclusion team and their House Deans.  The Inclusion staff and House Deans work closely together to support students during this time and ensure students remain calm and focussed during what can be a stressful time.

This term will see the revision and preparation of updated snapshots for the 2025 academic year.  During this term, we will review how the support accommodations implemented have worked and make any necessary changes.  This review will also give students and parents an opportunity to edit the snapshot to ensure it is a document that works to support the student.  We need to also remember that the snapshot is a living document, one that can be modified, edited and changed at any time, in line with the development and progression of individual students.

Part of the snapshot review will also include a review of the medical documentation that supports the snapshot.  While we know that diagnoses do not change, the way conditions are supported do change, and in order for us to provide the best possible support, we need to have recent medical documentation.  If your child has not had a medical review in the past three years, it may be prudent for a visit to the medical specialist for a review.  For further information, clarification or to discuss your personal circumstances, please contact Ms June Balfour (jabal2@eq.edu.au).

There are many ways the Inclusion and Wellbeing space is able to support students, parents, the wider community and staff.  Keep an eye out for communication from the school in regards to the ways we do this, so you and your child are informed and able to participate, where desired.

We wish you a successful and satisfying Term 4 as we finish the year and prepare for the year to come.

June Balfour, Head of Department Inclusion and Wellbeing

From the Department of Language and Literature

We lack not songs, nor instruments of joy,
Nor echoes sweet, nor waters clear as heaven,
Nor laurel wreaths against the sultry heat.

(William Blake - Extract from To Summer)

As we approach this vibrant time of year, we will soon feel a palpable sense of productivity in the air. Our students will showcase their skills across various Term 4 units, filling our learning spaces with purpose, creativity, and rigour, much like the beautiful summer landscape described by Blake above. Through the planning and sequencing of units, we anticipate that our students will demonstrate the full fruition of the skills that they have developed over their courses of study. As the temperature of the Brisbane suburb of Toowong rises, so too will the metaphorical songs and sweet echoes of our students’ articulation of their learning increase.

Year 7

Our Year 7 students will work toward their first major summative assessment in analytical writing. After a thorough exploration and annotation of various poems from an anthology, they will demonstrate their ability to analyse poets’ authorial choices under timed conditions. This will be a significant milestone, as the skill of analysis is one that they will continue to develop over the course of their studies, all the way to their final examinations in November, 2029.

Year 8

Year 8 students will embark on an exciting project where they will construct persuasive speeches on selected United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each student will make unique linguistic and rhetorical choices, culminating in a group dramatic performance that will bring the day-to-day reality of their chosen SDG to life. Our goal by the end of the unit is not only for our students to be more globally minded individuals, but for them to feel confidence in the way that they modify and utilise their voice to communicate a message to an audience.

Year 9

Our Year 9 students will delve into Shakespearean texts through the lens of “Identity and Relationships”. They will explore how these themes are portrayed in various plays, deepening their understanding of complex societal expectations. As they study and express their perspectives, their comprehension of these important concepts will allow for greater intellectual depth in their timed written responses.

Year 10

Our Year 10 students will choose a literary or non-literary text from an anthology and use it as the basis for an analytical oral presentation. Each presentation will reflect each individual student’s perspectives on a range of issues relating to Migration. We have been impressed by how this cohort of Year 10s have approached the wide range of literary and non-literary texts that they have encountered this year. With a continued “approach towards growth”, the analytical presentations should prove to be a culmination of the thinking, intellectual insight, and creativity possessed by our students.

Year 11

Our students will continue to explore Global Issues and articulate their insights into them that arise from their analysis of two texts that they choose freely. In Week 4 of the term, they will record their final externally assessed Individual Oral – This contributes to their final Internal Assessment mark for the final grade in the November 2025 examination session (30% for Standard Level and 20% for Higher Level). At the end of term, students will have their first experience of completing a Paper 2 under timed conditions. This task requires them to compare two literary texts in terms of the author’s craft and the insights into universal concepts.

Year 12

Our Year 12 students will attend optional tutorials in preparation for their November examination session. During the tutorial program, students can use their Mock Examination performance to attend specific tutorials to develop key areas that our students wish to develop. We are excited about tailoring a program to aim for the best outcomes possible for this cohort of Year 12 students.

Term 4 heralds a season of jubilation and triumph for our QASMT scholars. Daily, we are moved by their boundless curiosity, their relentless pursuit, and their unquenchable thirst for wisdom. May this term bring forth the harvest of joy, as our community basks in the radiant achievements of our students, culminating in the final chapter of this academic year.

David Bracken, Head of Department Language and Literature

From the department of Language aquisition – Chinese, french, german and latin Languages

Welcome to Term 4! As usual, we have a busy term ahead with lots of exciting learning opportunities for all. Term 4 is a timely reminder of why it is so amazing to be a part of the Language Acquisition Department. There are so many cultural events and activities which students will be learning about in classes. It is opportune to reflect on these celebrations, compare to our own cultures and remind ourselves what they truly mean. On the other hand, Term 4 is also a time to support and care about the Year 12 students as they undertake their final exams in November. We wish all student’s good luck!

STEM tour to Europe

Our recent STEM tour to Europe was a great success! To celebrate, we will be hosting a STEM Tour Expo on Thursday 31 October, from 4:30pm - 5:30pm. During the event, our Year 11 students will share their incredible experiences with the students and parents who are interested in joining future tours.

IML- UQ summer school

UQ IML High School Language Enrichment Programs are for students who wish to further their study of Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Japanese or Spanish in Years 9 and 10 or Years 11 and 12 in 2025. The goal of these programs is to increase students’ proficiency and fluency by using the language for communicative purposes. The focus will be on enjoyment in an assessment-free environment. Please search UQ IML High School Enrichment Program for enrolment. 

International Mindedness/Oktoberfest

The German teachers have already started the term with a mini-Oktoberfest for the students on 8 October. Students experienced some aspects of German culture here at school, such as German music, German games and German food. I hope all students were able to participate in this great lunch time event.

MYP
For our Latin students, Years 7 and 9 have a cultural assignment and a Grammar and Translation exam. However, Year 8 have an in-class Grammar and Reading exam and a Cultural and Text Analysis Exam in Week 8 exam block. For Chinese, French and German students, the skills being assessed this term are reading and writing.

DPP and DP
For Year 10 students, our Latin students have only one exam this term, a Paper 2 style exam. For Year 10 Chinese, French and German students, the skills being assessed this term are listening and writing. Our Year 11 Latin SL and HL students have a Paper 2 style exam, and HL students also have a Composition Draft. For our Year 11 French and German students, the skills being assessed this term are listening, reading and writing.

For all the examination and assessment due dates, please check the Assessment Calendars that were emailed home at the beginning of this term.

Our Year 12 students will soon be facing their November exams and are currently attending tutorial classes run by their teachers in preparation.

If you have any questions regarding your child’s language learning, please do not hesitate to reach out to their teacher or me. I wish everyone a successful Term 4, and special “good luck” for our Year 12 cohort in their November exams!

Fei Xue, Head of Department Language Acquisition – Chinese, French, German & Latin Languages

From the Department of Asian Language Acquisition and The arts

This year, 44 Year 11 students and six teachers embarked on an unforgettable STEM tour to Japan. The trip began in Hakata, where students immersed themselves in language classes and experienced homestay with Japanese families, offering them a unique cultural exchange. The group then travelled to Hiroshima for an overnight stay, visiting the Hiroshima Peace Museum and Park, and enjoyed trying Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. In Osaka, students explored the fascinating Osaka Kaiyukan Aquarium and marvelled at Osaka Castle. A day trip to Kyoto included a hands-on sweet-making experience, where all students received a diploma and strolled through the traditional streets of old Kyoto in yukata (summer kimono). On our way to Tokyo, we stopped along the way via Mount Fuji to visit the World Heritage Centre, with stunning views of Japan’s tallest peak. In Tokyo, students toured the National Museum of Emerging Science (Miraikan) and ascended the iconic Tokyo SkyTree.

Throughout the tour, students planned and executed their own activities in each city to work on their Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) projects, an integral part of the STEM tour. We eagerly anticipate seeing their experiences come to life at the upcoming STEM CAS Expo on 31 October. We look forward to their insightful presentations!

Visual Arts

Media Arts - Year 7 and 8

In Term 4, our Year 7 and 8 Visual Arts students are exploring Media Arts. Year 7 students will be devising and creating a one minute silent film. In groups they will be learning about camera angles, storyboarding, filming and editing, applying silent film conventions to a story based on fables. In Year 8, our students will be creating a stop motion Claymation about a STEAM Influencer. Students will learn three-dimensional construction techniques and basic editing to create their Claymation animations.

Year 9 Visual Art - Artists as Changemakers

After a great Term 3 exploring different artmaking techniques and processes, our Year 9 Art students are learning about developing meaning and materiality. Students will then apply this knowledge to conceiving and creating their own artworks that communicate a message to an audience.

Music

Year 7 Music

Year 7 Music students will study Musicals as part of the Showstoppers Unit. They will perform their own choice song from a musical, and in groups create a new musical theatre production concept that they will pitch to an imaginary panel of producers from a local performing arts centre.  They will each compose a song for their own musical, using correct chords to match their melody lines using music software.

Year 8 Music

Students will develop their music theory and practical skills by the reimagining of pieces of music.  They will study specific elements of music such as motif, sequence, form, in context of genre.  Through arranging pieces of music into a different genre, students will present their final work using notation software.  Students will also perform a solo piece of music in front of the class demonstrating technological innovation, sustainability or inclusion. 

Year 9 Music

In Soundtrack, Year 9 music students will learn about the world of Video Game music and how music can be used to set a scene, or represent certain characters, enhancing players' interactions. They will compose music to a chosen video game clip and perform a solo piece of music to peers from this genre.

Instrumental Music

The term started with a lovely string’s performance conducted by Ms Teena Sullivan at the Term 4 Commencement Assembly. We have a busy term ahead in Instrumental Music, including Awards Night performances, the Jacaranda Festival, and a Christmas themed String Concert. Well done to all those students that represented the school at SHEP and AHEP over the school holidays; we are very proud of your achievements in instrumental and vocal music.

Fiona Scarth, Head of Department Asian Language Acquisition and The Arts

From the Department of Individuals and Societies

Firstly, on behalf of all teachers we wish the Year 12s all the best with their final exams for all subjects. During Week 1 of Term 4, we have seen about 50% of students coming in to engage in the tutorial program. We hope to see you all at some point in the remaining two weeks.

This term Mr Richard Bent has joined our teaching team with Mr Jeff Cao departing to take up a new challenge in education. We sincerely thank Mr Cao for his contributions during 2024; he was a highly valued member of the faculty and Mr Bent looks forward to sharing his extensive knowledge with students.

Year 7-9 MYP

This term our Year 7 students are exploring the global interactions between societies of the past, from Ancient Rome through to just before the Industrial Revolution. The IB MYP allows students to focus on concepts and global contexts rather than just content. Therefore, we can cover such an expansive time period, and it allows for student choice with assessment. In the opening weeks of the term, students have explored our Virtual Reality room on either Ancient China or Ancient Rome. Students have built an understanding on how through studying history, we learn about how past societies operated and how they made decisions based on economic resources. The location of societies was dependent on the local geography, and politics influenced their rise or fall. These concepts build on the three previous terms that align to the Australian Curriculum Humanities: Civics and Citizenship, Geography, Economics and Business. Students will embark on their own individual investigation through time, using primary and secondary sources, to find answers on how these global interactions have affected identity and culture. 

Year 8 students are studying Geography with their focus on planning for population growth of Australia and how to manage finite resources such as water and land space. Students in the three Year 9 STEM Futures subjects: Forensic Psychology (Psychology-Biology), World in Your Pocket (Economics-Business) and Future Global Cooperation (General Humanities), are continuing work on assignments started last term, before an exam during the Week 8 block exams.

Year 10 Diploma Preparation Programme

The content and skills that are taught in Semester 2 of Year 10 are designed to prepare students so that they are well prepared for the start of next year. As teachers, our planning considers areas that the IB has advised in subject reports, or we have noticed is challenging for previous cohorts. Economics will be doing a practice internal assessment, with the focus on how to locate an appropriate article. Psychology students have just spent Term 3 practicing Paper 3 skills. While students struggled in Term 3 to have success in their exam on this paper, Year 10 students will have more opportunities to keep practising the approach needed to succeed on this paper come the final November exams in 2026. Business Management students have explored social enterprises which is the foundation of the newly introduced Paper 3 exam. Students will be working on balance sheets, ratio analysis and circular business models. These topics are always assessed in the DP but can take time to master.

Some students may have been disappointed with their Term 3 result. I visited classes in Week 1 of the term to discuss the importance of study routines for all subjects and noted that all three of these subjects are HL subjects. Students should adopt a growth mindset and success will happen. The track record of these subjects for of Year 12 graduates has been outstanding the past three years. For Year 10s to continue this success in two years’ time, they must have a regular and consistent study routine in place for all subjects.

Year 11-12 DP

All three subjects have IA drafts due this term. Business Management students are finding five supporting documents to then put a conceptual lens of “Change, Creativity, Ethics or Sustainability” to the business decision making. Economics students are selecting a current newspaper article to write an 800-word commentary on how the article represents macroeconomics, while Psychology students have just conducted their own study as a group and are compiling the results into a report. All the best to students; a high-quality draft typically leads to a high quality final, due mid Term 1 of Year 12.

This term Year 11 are submitting their final exhibition assessment and completing an exhibition of their work. This assessment contributes toward one-third of the final grade for Theory of Knowledge in the award of the Diploma. It is imperative that students perform their best on this task. The previous three terms they have done formative assessment to give them feedback on appropriate object selection and addressing their chosen prompts. The students will then spend four weeks of the year considering how History, as an area of knowledge, influences our knowledge moving forward.

Joshua Kiehne – Theory of Knowledge Coordinator

Lyle Fredericksen, Head of Department Individuals and Societies

From the Department of Physical Sciences

Welcome to Term 4, the last term of the year. I hope you and your families all had a restful break after a very busy Term 3, and that you are all ready for the final term for the year.

STEM Futures subjects

This term sees our Year 9s move into the second term of their semester STEM Futures subjects. Biochemical Solutions, Fuelling the Planet, Medical Physics and World of Reactions students will find themselves immersed in their contextual learning as they continue their MYP journey. Year 10 students continue to progress through their chosen DPP subjects and are now in either Higher Level or Standard Level classes. At this point it is important that our Year 10 students reflect on the level that they are currently taking for Chemistry or Physics. We openly invite discussion around this in our department as we want to ensure that each of our students are in the level which will allow for them to best succeed as they move into their Diploma Programme.

Diploma subjects

Our Year 11 students are already approaching the end of their first year of the IB Diploma. This is also a significant milestone for us as a department as this signals the first full year of our roll out of the new curriculum resources for both Chemistry and Physics. I would like to take this opportunity to whole heartedly thank all members of the team who have been instrumental in the preparation of these resources. They have given hours of their time to ensure that our Physical Science students have access to the best resources that we can provide for them, and I have been very pleased with our progress so far.  

Our Physics students have started their final Individual Investigations. By now they should all have begun to collect data and, in some cases, have already finished. If you have a Year 11 Physics student in your family, be sure to ask them what their experiment is about. I have thoroughly enjoyed walking through some of these lessons to witness these investigations in action. The atmosphere has been very positive with students really engaged in what they were investigating.

Year 11 Chemistry students are now in the planning stages of their Investigations. This is a challenging stage, where students must make sure they have researched the area they intend to investigate before they finalise their topics. Teachers will be working closely with our Year 11s to ensure they have finalised their ideas and completed their risk assessment this term, ready to start their experimentation in Term 1 next year. In the meantime, teaching of new content will continue in all Chemistry classes.

Our Year 12s are now preparing for their final IB exams, and we will be supporting them all the way with our IB Exam Preparation Tutorial program (‘SWOTVAC’) for both Chemistry and Physics. These tutorials occur during the normal Year 12 rostered Chemistry and Physics class times and any student is welcome to attend if their lessons fall at that time. With their final IB exams approaching in Week 4, please know that we are all here to help.

STEM Research Project Programme (STEM RPP)

And, finally, it is a good opportunity for me to update you all on the status of our, ever popular, STEM RPP. During National Science Week we had two of our students present their work in front of staff and students from three other schools. We are sending three students to the Japan Super Science Fair (JSSF) this term, as well as another group of students to the Australian Schools Science Fair (ASSF) in Melbourne at The John Monash Science School. Meanwhile, our next wave of students coming through on the programme for 2024-2025, are already coming to the end of their projects and should now be considering what fairs they would like to apply for that are coming in 2025. There is a huge amount of work that goes into making these trips possible for our students and so I would like to extend my gratitude to Dr Kate Slessor for all of her hard work so far this year.

On that note, thanks to everyone for their hard work so far this year and now let’s finish it out strong!

Robert Hughes, Head of Department Physical Sciences

From the Department of Life Sciences

Welcome back to Term 4, our last term of 2024. I hope all families have had a restful break after a very busy Term 3, and that all our students are ready for another science-filled term ahead.

Curriculum

Year 7

Year 7 students are finishing the year with their ecology unit “Circle of Life”.

Their statement of inquiry for this unit is: “Understanding interactions in the environment enables humans to develop global and local solutions.”

In this unit they will explore biomes and ecosystems. Students will understand the different adaptations that animals have to live in their habitats and analyse the different relationships animals have from predator prey to symbiotic relationships. They will finish with a case study investigating human impacts on ecosystems and analyse a specific Australian ecosystem.

Year 8

Year 8 students are finishing the year with their geology unit “From the Earth”.

Their statement of inquiry for this unit is: “The Earth is made of rocks, which over time undergo a cycle of change and transformation which can be modelled scientifically.”

Students will be looking at the rock cycle, plate tectonics and geological time scale. They will then use this knowledge to explore and evaluate the human impacts on Earth’s geological time scale, in particular the impacts of mining. They will finish the term with a STEM challenge in building an earthquake proof tower.

Year 9 Sustainable Futures

Year 9 Sustainable Futures students are exploring Sustainable Development Goal #11 “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. They will be doing this by researching, designing and building one aspect of a sustainable city. Students may look at energy production, or inner-city development, or even educational settings. Through this, students will develop a deeper understanding of the current problems with these city areas and look at current and future solutions to these problems.

Year 10 Diploma Preparation Programme

Biology students are learning about human body systems, particularly the nervous system and endocrine system to explore their roles in communication and homeostasis. Students will also learn about the kidneys and their role in excretion and the respiratory system and its role in gas exchange. They are also analysing the data they collected at the end of last term for their practice Internal Assessment to give them a sense of what the IA will be like in the Diploma Programme. 

Environmental Systems and Societies are investigating the socio-economic disparities in different London boroughs of the United Kingdom and whether there is a correlation with carbon dioxide emissions. Students will learn how to collect and analyse secondary data as a practice for their Internal Assessment. They will also study ecosystems, biodiversity and evolution to end the term.

Diploma Programme

Year 11 Biology students are in the thick of their final IAs. They are currently conducting their experiments and collecting data. It is important that they meet all checkpoints and that they are constantly checking in with their teachers.

Year 11 ESS students are learning about food production systems from aquaculture to farming. They will explore sustainable practices and evaluate various case studies. Students will also start planning for their final IA.

We wish our Year 12 Biology and ESS students the best of luck as they continue their study and revision for their final exams this term. You can do it!

Wishing everyone a happy and productive term ahead!

Saengdao Philavane, Head of Department Life Sciences 

From Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC)

Before we look ahead to the exciting EOTC activities planned for Term 4, I want to congratulate all the students selected to represent QASMT at the WBSSS Gala Day in Week 10 of Term 3. I would also like to express my gratitude to the incredible staff members who generously dedicated their time to support the students and ensure their participation in the Gala Day.

Volleyball Extension: Junior School Cup

Our talented Year 7 and 8 students are eagerly preparing for an exciting challenge at the Junior Schools Cup, taking place on 19 – 21 October. These dedicated young athletes have been putting in countless hours of training, and their coaches are excited about their potential. The Junior Schools Cup is a prestigious event that gathers schools from across Queensland to highlight the skills of young volleyball players. This is a fantastic opportunity for our Year 7 and 8 students to showcase their abilities and skills on a larger stage.

Our Volleyball Extension Program has played a key role in preparing these students for the tournament, and we are eager to improve our state rankings with this being the last tournament of the year. Best of luck to our outstanding athletes!

School Sport

We are excited to launch our first year of social rotational games, along with a Round 2 offering for badminton, as part of our much-anticipated Term 4 Sports Program, kicking off in Week 2. With the Gala Day schedule having wrapped up, this term offers a fantastic way to end the year on a high note with a fun and engaging program that encourages students to stay active and compete against one another.

We are also thrilled to host a cricket scrimmage in Week 6, where we will welcome Indooroopilly SHS for a friendly match. This will further build on the continued success of our cricket program.

Please note, the Year 8 and 9 programs will merge this term, with sessions held on Fridays from 2:15pm to 3:15pm. Additionally, there are some minor changes to the Year 7 schedule, which have been communicated via email.

We look forward to a term filled with skill development, respectful and friendly competition!

Chess Program

In Week 6, a group of Year 7–11 students will represent the school at the Brisbane Individual Age Chess Championships, taking place from 7 - 11 November. This prestigious event serves as the culmination of our chess program for the year, and after checkmate-worthy performances in the lead-up tournaments, we have high expectations for our team.

Additionally, the Gardiner Chess Girls State Finals will be held in Week 2, and we wish all competitors the very best of luck. We are confident that the dedication and effort they have shown throughout the Friday chess program will be rewarded.

CAS

As we approach Week 5, our Year 11 students are gearing up for their second interviews.  In the lead up to this, they have been diving headfirst into some fantastic CAS experiences that have not only enriched their lives but also helped them grow as individuals.  We look forward to hearing all about their reflections as they discuss their experiences so far.

Our Year 10 students are about to dip their toes into the world of CAS during a series of induction activities as part of their PEP curriculum. It is the start of a journey that promises to be filled with meaningful experiences, personal growth, and a whole lot of fun.  We are excited to introduce our Year 10s to the realms of creativity, activity, and service!

Yanah Floridis, Head of Education Outside the Classroom

From the Department of Mathematics

Welcome to the last term for the year. It will be a busy one with Year 12s completing final exams, Year 10 and 11 students only having seven weeks of learning before their exam block, and our MYP students having a little longer to complete the learning of new content.

In the classrooms…….

Our Year 12 students are working very hard on their exam preparation program with many opting to come into school as they review concepts, practise past papers and discuss exam strategies. We wish them every success in the upcoming exams.

In Year 11, the students studying HL courses will have their first practise of a Paper 3 this term, which is a more investigative style of exam. Year 11 AI (Application and Interpretation) SL students have begun work on their Internal Assessment (IA) with the draft due in Week 4. The other courses – both HL and AA SL – are beginning to consider topic choices for their IAs but will not begin working on this until next year.

All Year 10 students have bridge designs on their mind, as they use their knowledge of quadratics to model a function for their bridge using technology and some algebraic skills. This assignment serves as a chance to learn the skills they will need to complete an IA in the Diploma Programme.

Probability, consumer arithmetic (percentage, interest, depreciation), rates, direct proportion and statistics are the concepts to be covered by Year 9 in their unit “How Likely”. They will complete a Criterion B (Investigating Patterns) task early in the term and then a Criterion A (Knowledge) test in exam block in Week 8.

Criterion C (Communication) and D (Real life context) tests are the focus for both Year 7 and 8 students this term. Year 7 students will then begin their final unit, “Can mathematics be beautiful?” which applies knowledge of the cartesian plane, algebra and transformations to the real world. Meanwhile the Year 8 students are busy learning about data literacy and statistics which will form the basis of their assessment, as they consider the Statement of Inquiry: Health and wellbeing information can be communicated using a variety of equivalent forms of representation. The second half of the term will focus on algebra and all things quadrilateral with a final Criterion A test in Week 9.

Enrichment Opportunities

Only a few competitions are left this year:  

• 38 students have almost completed the Maths Enrichment program offered by the Australian Maths Trust. Over the last 16 weeks they have been solving 12-16 difficult problem-solving questions.
• We have three teams in the second round of the QAMT Year 7/8 Maths Quiz; hopefully one of them will qualify to represent the school in the state finals.
• A number of students have entered in the STAQ Contest (Mathematical Investigation Division).

We are still waiting for some results from earlier competitions. These will be delivered to students when they arrive.  It is always encouraging to see the number of students who stretch themselves mathematically outside the classroom by taking on extra tasks and challenges.

An update from the Mathematics Ambassadors:

This term, the maths team are putting together a new edition of our beloved escape rooms, including new puzzles and new clues up for challenge. This will take place during lunchtimes in Week 2 and Week 3. Also, we are hosting the annual jellybean guessing competition. Please come along in Week 2 lunchtimes and take your guess. There's a chance of winning a whole jar of jellybeans!

An update from the Robotics Ambassadors:

This term our Robotics Ambassadors will continue to deliver workshops to the school community. These are designed to develop skills in our junior students by offering 3D modelling, 3D printing and 2D modelling with laser cutting. In addition, various programming workshops for Robotics students and others with special interest, will be offered during lunch breaks and after school.

The new FTC season for 2024-25 commenced on Sunday 8 September; the teams have analysed the game for strategy and have created designs and plans to meet the new challenges presented. The eight teams we currently have preparing for this competition, have already made great progress in building their new robots for the season and in the next few weeks will be finetuning their robots. The senior teams have been mentoring our new members (rookies) to prepare them to be competitive the State Qualifier Match to be held at St Peters Lutheran College on 16 November. After this we hope that some will be successful in achieving a place in the FTC Nationals Competition held in the final week of school this year.

I wish everyone a rewarding term and a special “good luck” to the Year 12 cohort for their final exams.

Russell Hams, Head of Department Mathematics and Senior Robotics

From the Department of Technology

Welcome back to a very busy and exciting Term 4. This term promises lots of involvement with new and exciting designs, creative programming, the use of advanced technology applications, memorable activities, interesting topics and new experiences.

MYP Programme for Year 7 and 8

Year 7 Design

In Week 9 and 10 of Term 3, Year 7 students explored the fundamentals of algorithms and flowcharts through activities. They also have begun experimenting with the basic functions of micro:bit. In Term 4, students will design their own autonomous vehicle (AV). The advancement of AVs is rapidly evolving, opening up a wide array of possibilities. AVs find utility in various domains, including self-driving taxis, robotic delivery services for parcels and food, long-distance trucking, lunar and hazardous terrain exploration, entertainment attractions in theme parks, and numerous other applications. In our current academic term, our students are delving into the realm of autonomous vehicles as part of our Robotics unit, guided by the principle that feedback enables a system to operate independently. As part of their assessment, students are tasked with researching present and future applications of autonomous vehicles, fostering their creativity and imaginative thinking.

Year 8 Design

In Year 8 Design, students will be developing algorithmic thinking skills through problem solving. Students will learn how to create flow charts and understand the importance of using them to develop reliable successful solutions. Students will develop pseudocode before coding their solutions in Python. By developing an application for their peers, students will recognise the importance of human-centred design as they need to focus on the people they are designing for by determining what their user needs and then finding a solution that is tailored for them.

Year 9 and 10 STEM Futures Program

Year 9 Future of Automation

Our Year 9 students will code Arduino microcontrollers to automate a variety of sustainable tasks in the home. Some projects to be built include controlled liquid-crystal displays (LCD), automated heating, and cooling systems, monitoring security cameras, locking/unlocking doors, and windows, sensing motion or other environmental changes, and even more complex projects such as automating irrigation systems, ultrasonic opening bins, animal feeders, smart compost bin monitoring systems, weather monitoring systems, and radio frequency keypad locking systems. The highly customisable Arduino platform will be used to create a variety of projects that are tailored to specific needs and open endless possibilities for solving sustainable solutions.

Year 9 Disrupting the Market

As part of learning about business and marketing strategies in the design industry, our students will be tasked with designing a suite of corporate gifts for a specific sector of QASMT. Some of these include: thank you gifts for guest speakers at QASMT, welcome gifts to new Year 7 students and creating gifts to promote a QASMT elective subject for younger students. As it is crucial that today’s designers are environmentally aware, students are encouraged to prioritise sustainability in designing their products which will be fashioned from eco-friendly materials like acrylic, cork, wood, and leather. Students will be utilising Adobe Illustrator and the Trotec Laser Cutter to create their designs.

Year 10 Computational Thinking (Computer Science) (HL)

Our students will continue to dive deep into the world of Java programming, culminating in the completion of a challenging Java project. They will harness their coding skills to create innovative software solutions, solidifying their grasp of this versatile programming language. In the second half of the term students will immerse themselves in a captivating cyber security case study. Here, students will investigate real-world cyber threats and vulnerabilities, dissecting cybersecurity strategies and tactics employed to protect digital assets, with the aim to code some basics of these processes. This hands-on exploration will not only sharpen their analytical thinking but also empower them to make informed decisions in an increasingly interconnected world.

Year 10 Digital Society (HL)

Students will embark on an exciting journey into the realm of driverless vehicles and their profound impact on society. Our students will analyse the broader societal implications of driverless cars, including their potential to reshape urban planning, transportation systems, and even the job market. To finish off the term, students will begin to engage in understanding backend processes of data management and databases. This fundamental concept is integral to all technological advances from mobile app design to driverless vehicles.

Diploma Programme

Year 11 Computer Science (HL)

This term in Computer Science, students are starting their 2024-2025 case study. For this cohort, large language models (LLMs) and machine learning will be the primary research topics as they prepare for their Paper 3 exam next year. In addition to this exciting research, the students will investigate real-world scenarios to identify a suitable client for their final Internal Assessment (IA). This assessment is an exciting opportunity for students to reach out to the community, ideally developing a project that will have a sustained and lasting impact. So, if you have a digital problem, be sure to get in touch with the Year 11 Computer Science team!

Year 11 Digital Society (HL)

A key focus this term is internal assessment, which is an inquiry project, comprising a 10-minute multimedia presentation, along with a process document, where students explore the effects and consequences of digital systems on individuals and communities.  At the heart of this project lies an essential inquiry question that students will for example, “How can virtual try-on technology enhance the overall shopping experience for customers". Each student will develop their own inquiry based on their interests. There will be two key checkpoints this term to ensure students are on track, and the project will continue into Year 12.  

Year 12 Computer Science (HL) and Year 12 Digital Society (HL)

Good luck to our Year 12 students with their upcoming final exams. Their hard work is sure to pay off.

Middle Year Robotics program

Our Year 7 to 10 students will have the opportunity to strengthen their design, building, coding and collaboration skills in Robotics, by testing their skills in competing at the RoboCup Junior Australia 25th Annual National Championships 2024 at the University of Queensland. We have 10 teams competing, comprising 33 students. We wish all the teams the best, after coming off a very successful RoboCup Junior Queensland State Championships 2024, where we achieved first place in the Queensland State Championships Soccer Standard League, and were awarded the Spirit Award in the Open Rescue Line.

We have a busy term ahead with lots of exciting learning opportunities for all.

Larry Vint, Head of Department Technology and Middle Years Robotics

From the House Deans

Welcome to Term 4, 2024.

House fundraisers

In Week 6, Da Vinci House will be coming together for a very significant cause, and in a very delicious way! At lunchtime on Thursday, from 10:45am to 11:45am, Da Vinci dragons will be selling pancake desserts and ice cream sundaes with multiple toppings on offer. All proceeds will go to Canteen Australia, which provides life-changing support to young people navigating the challenges of cancer. Don’t miss out on this sweet opportunity to make a real impact!

Year 12 Farewell Assembly and Valedictory

The end of an era is fast approaching for our Year 12s. QASMT will soon farewell another successful group of Year 12 students after their final IB exams this term. The hard work and determination employed to undertake final IB exams is sure to pay off very soon.

Year 11 Semi-formal

On 4 October 2024, Year 11 students gathered at Victoria Park Function Centre at Herston for their Semi-formal. An important rite of passage, students had a fun time together, with everyone dressed in ‘smart casual’ outfits. Thank you to all the teachers and organisers for this wonderful event. Students are looking forward to the Formal next year for Year 12.

Aileen Davis, House Dean Agnesi; Marc Wheeler, House Dean Curie; Zoe Kirby, House Dean Da Vinci; Ross Bray, House Dean Franklin; Jae Morris, House Dean Hawking; Kate Oxenford, House Deans Hollows; Dean Aspland, House Dean Jackson; and Deva Prasad, House Dean Newton.

From the Guidance Officers

Greetings everyone! Looking ahead at Term 4 is always very rewarding with many opportunities to celebrate the year.  Our Year 12 students should now have submitted their university applications and be preparing for their final exams.  Be sure to contact me if I can support the application process in any way.  Year 10 students participate in a series of career planning lessons entitled “How to choose”, building on their previous career work and revising their SET plans as they move into their Diploma Programme.

Adjustment Factors

Adjustment factors may boost your selection rank and can improve your chances of gaining a place in your preferred degree at university.

Adjustment schemes are intended to recognise various backgrounds and experiences.  They may also reflect a student’s unique skills and talents.

Schemes vary between universities and individual courses but may be awarded for studying particular subjects, such as a second language, for rural or regional backgrounds, for disadvantage, for elite performance (athletes, performers, leaders) or other criteria.  UQ, Griffith and QUT offer adjustment factors in recognition of the rigour of various IB subjects with specific details on their websites.

Some assistance schemes are automatic while others require students to indicate their eligibility in their application process.  Further information can be found on university or Tertiary Admissions Centre (eg.QTAC) websites.

Career Planning Resources and Events

Information Sessions:  Throughout the year, Career Information Sessions are held focussing on timely information for career planning.  Sessions will have a target audience (e.g. parents or a specific year level) but others are welcome to attend.  Topics will include application processes, university specific information and study field focus sessions.  During Term 4, sessions are exploring Careers in Health. Why study health? What are the options and pathways? What is the difference between courses? How to prepare?

QUT - START QUT (STEM Intensive)

START QUT (STEM Intensive) delivers a first-year QUT STEM unit in a two-week intensive study program during the summer holidays in January 2025. This unique program is designed for current Year 11 students entering Year 12 in 2025.

STEM Intensive courses:

• Spatial Materiality (Architecture and Built Environment)
• Engineering Design and Professional Practice
• Design of Computer Systems
• Grand Challenges in Science

Applications open                               1 August, 2024

Applications close                               31 October, 2024

Orientation                                          December, 2024

Class timetable                                   TBC (2 weeks in January 2025)

Course details and further information: https://www.qut.edu.au/study/options/start-qut-stem-intensive

Study Work Grow – Scholarships Guide 

The next publication from Study Work Grow has just been released.  Expanding their popular guide series, you can now access their Scholarships Guide.  It includes:

• Equity Scholarships
• Merit Scholarships
• Co-op Scholarships
• Industry Scholarships

Plus, who they are for, eligibility, benefits, and how to find and apply for them. The Guide now links to our new Scholarships Database, which ensures it stays current all year long.

Use the Career Hub details below to utilise our Academy subscription for free access to Study Work Grow newsletters, guides and resources.

Careers with STEM – Parent Portal (2 images in K drive – Parent Portal and Engineering mag)

Free magazines, job kits and guides exploring all you need to know about the job you always wanted, and some you never knew about!  If you would love to learn about what potential STEM career paths are available, make sure to try the Careers with STEM parents’ newsletter.

Check out a previous edition of the newsletter here. 

Sign up for the parents newsletter here. 

I am looking forward to a productive and rewarding final term for 2024!

Katrina Judge, Guidance Officer Career Planning

Welcome to the final term for 2024. Term 4 always disappears in a flash, so it is important that we all take the time to be present along the way.

To support students and our wider QASMT community, during Term 4 I will share the following strategies to encourage moments of ‘pause’ for us to focus on our own, and each other’s wellbeing this term:

• Student wellbeing tips and strategies
• Staff wellbeing updates from Happy Schools
• Strategy spotlight to whole QASMT community
• Action for Happiness Calendar of daily tasks and reminders.
  

In addition to these resources, SchoolTV have a fantastic Positive Parenting Series that includes resources in the following:

• Understanding adolescence
• Friendship and belonging
• Happiness and gratitude
• Resilience
• Blended families
• Positive Parenting

https://qasmt.eq.schooltv.me/channel-newsletter/318

Strategy Spotlight

The joint student, staff, parent and community learning opportunity with the ‘Strategy Spotlight’ always receives a great response from those who have engaged with the resources.

This term, the ‘Strategy Spotlight’ will include strategies that focus on:

• Tactile sensations
• Strengths-based and solution-focussed methods
• Optimism
• Positive psychology
• Mindfulness
• Interoceptive awareness
• Association and dissociation techniques
• Distraction
• Humour and imagery

I hope you enjoy exploring these strategies with your family.

It is important to remember that we all have two key parts to our minds; the part that worries and freaks out, and the part that cleverly calms us down with its words of wisdom. Our wise mind is often very present when we are helping others with their problems, and we could all benefit by accessing this wise mind for our own inner thoughts as well. The third stick figure is useful for somebody else’s helpful words; a little objectivity can be very useful in times of worry. This activity draws on the powerful externalisation technique of creating an observer or audience for our experience. Drawing stick figures and thought bubbles to represent the different modes of thought is a great way to get it out of the head and onto the paper, making it easier to see what effect  thoughts have on us. Maybe it can even look humorous when we see the difference between the voices of the stick figures. Drawing from cognitive behavioural therapy, voice dialogue and art therapy methods, this process helps us to be more aware of the voice of the wise mind, and perhaps more easily access its helpful dialogue in times of need. 

One of the key aspects of optimism or positive psychology is to know that all unwanted experiences are temporary. When things are difficult it’s easy to think it will be like this forever, which feels awful, scary and unbearable. But it won’t always be that way because this too shall pass. There’s a reason why this concept has been part of all key belief systems for centuries. It’s because it is true. This will pass. Use this cognitive (CBT), solution-focussed method for all intense states. Repeat the phrase ‘This too will pass’ over and over if you need to. In neuro linguistic programming (NLP) moving to a more abstract or wider perspective like this is called ‘chunking up’. It is helpful and normalising to see our own individual experience in the context of wider human experience, which, like the seasons, includes a natural flow of smooth and not so smooth. It’s ok. 

External supports and assessment requests

In this current climate, the number of students accessing support for social/emotional wellbeing and other types of psychosocial support is increasing. The importance of looking after wellbeing has been highlighted in recent years. Accessing supports to maintain wellbeing, and not just respond to poor wellbeing, is becoming more accessible. At times, support providers working with our students may request information from schools to support their hypothesis for diagnosis and treatment options. Please be aware that QASMT take the privacy of our students very seriously. There are strict protocols to follow when sharing or providing external supports for any information. If specialists are requiring additional information from the school, please direct any request directly to either Tara Le Pla, Guidance Officer or June Balfour, Head of Inclusion and Wellbeing. Please do not approach your child’s teachers with such requests. This will ensure correct and appropriate sharing of information with informed consent from all parties.

Tara Le Pla, Guidance Officer Student Support