Term Ahead - 23 July 2021

From the Senior Leadership Team

Welcome to Term 3! We hope that all of our school community had the opportunity to rest and relax, despite the lockdown and COVID-related restrictions. 

This term, an area of our school program that we are continuing to develop and expand upon is the suite of resources that our digital library offers to our students. Last term, we trialled the inclusion of audio fiction to our Wheelers database and we are pleased to announce that we will be continuing with this service. We hope that students will take the opportunity to listen to audio fiction as a means of relaxation, particularly on the journey to and from school. This term, we are excited to be launching a further enhancement to our digital library, the introduction of GALE databases which will assist our students with online research in all areas of their learning. There are several databases that the students can explore and most of them offer translation, audio, skill level (3-5) differentiation, citations, critical thinking questions, fast facts and related subjects and articles. We encourage caregivers to explore the different sites with their students. To facilitate the launch of this extensive suite of resources, we have employed the services of teacher librarian, Sharon Mathieson, who will be working with staff on aspects of the planning, preparation, delivery, and evaluation of resource-based programs. 

Staff and Student Wellbeing
We continue to focus on promoting wellbeing for our staff and students and it was wonderful to see our entire community practising a one-minute mindfulness activity at our recent commencement assembly. Our students have embraced the opportunities to practise positive engagement and wellbeing, with the majority of our students participating in our ever growing cross-curricular activities program. We are continuing to develop our CCA program to suit the needs of our diverse student body. One such CCA that will be introduced this term is the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA). This CCA will be run by Ms Wallace, the Da Vinci House Dean. The program for this CCA will be based on the research and resources provided by the GLSEN organisation https://www.glsen.org/. This organisation’s mission statement states, “GLSEN believes that every student has the right to a safe, supportive, and LGBTIQ+ inclusive K-12 education”.

Strategies for Learning
Term 3 is a time to consolidate study habits and strategies for learning. Students received their reports or achievement summaries this week. We encourage our students to reflect on this information and to use the feedback from their teachers to inform their personal learning goals for Semester 2.

If caregivers feel their child may need further support with their learning, we offer a range of programs that students may engage with. All subjects offer a range of support to students, either in the form of teacher-led tutorials, online programs, small group and individual support.

This term is a particularly important term for our Year 12 students as it marks the final stage of compulsory attendance at school. There is no doubt our senior students will have mixed emotions about entering into this final period of learning. They will be looking forward to the celebratory events such as the Senior Formal, final House Assembly, Year 12 Conference and Farewell Assembly. However, they may also experience a sense of trepidation with the upcoming mock exams which commence in Week 6. Mock exams are a vital part of the preparation program for the November exams as they provide important information to students and staff, including:

• Assessment of preparation: Students take mock tests before their final exam so that students, and teachers, can assess their level of preparation for the final exams.
• Getting a feel for how the exam will be: It gives the student a feel for the real exam. Being placed in the same situation and under the same pressure before the actual exam can help reduce anxiety.
• Help revising: Mock tests help in revising the whole syllabus with the feel and environment of the actual exam. Moreover, they help in remembering the topics and concepts while solving the paper.
• Practice: Mock tests are also important because of the practice they provide. They help students understand the kind of obstacles they can face while attempting the final exams.
• Help to understand the paper style: Mock tests help students by giving them an opportunity to know the style and scope of the question papers.
• Gauge weaker performance areas: Mock tests help the students identify the areas to work on.
• Help in time management: Managing time is a very important factor in all the exams. After completing a full set of mock tests, students understand the importance of time and managing it.

A consistent approach to taking tests before the final exam and reviewing the performance in each of the tests is bound to build discipline and give promising results. (Bhavana Singh, BITSAT, Competitive Exams https://www.plancess.com/jee-mag/category/jee-news/)

Student Leadership
Term 3 marks the final term of leadership for our Year 12 student leaders and the commencement of the leadership application process. The new Academy Captains will be announced at the Awards evening in Term 4 and other leadership roles will be announced soon after. There are a number of opportunities for our students to take on leadership roles in their final year of the diploma. The rigorous application process for the selection of these positions started with the Year 11 Leadership Camp in Term 2. The leadership activities undertaken on camp focus on what it means to be a good leader and the importance of building relationships before taking on a leadership position. Our students always come back from this camp with a renewed sense of determination and engagement. Most of the activities at the camp involve teamwork, which is a great way to strengthen established friendships as well as develop new friendships by connecting with students they do not regularly talk with at school. The Year 11 students will take up the role of ‘Seniors’ from Term 4 and it is within this role that they will all have the opportunity to display leadership and school spirit.

Term 3 Events
Term 3 sees a number of events which our students can look forward to participating in. These include the highly competitive Robocup competition, the International Science Schools Virtual Fair and the stimulating activities associated with National Science Week in Week 6, with a theme this year of ‘Sustainability by Design’. During this week, parents and students are also welcome to attend the Year 12 Visual Arts final exhibition. These are just a few of the many events planned for this busy and exciting term, and we look forward to sharing photos of these events with our school community through our social media platforms and Term in Review newsletter.

Kath Kayrooz – Principal, Kerry Bullock – Deputy Principal Enhancement, Tanya Haggarty – Deputy Principal Academic, Russell Hams – Director of School Operations, Jane Manwaring – Director of School Culture

STEM & LANGUAGES PRECINCT OPENING - for QASMT parents

During Week 6 this term, the Academy will be holding its annual National Science Week and as part of that we are hosting a number of activities and events throughout the week, including Science Week Academy Tours for new prospective students and parents.

On Friday 20 August, from 2.30pm to 4.00pm, current parents of QASMT students are invited to come in and see some of our Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) in action. 
Afterwards, from 4.00pm-6.00pm, we hope to finally host a very belated (due to COVID) small opening of the STEM and Language buildings. This event will be subject to COVID restrictions at the time.

We plan to have food and beverages on sale as well as beautiful music performed by our students. The food prepared by our wonderful parents for Arts Showcase was spectacular, so we will be seeking parent volunteers again who might like to volunteer their time to cook and prepare an array of food.  

More information will come out soon, inviting parents to volunteer for this event. Any profit made after costs, will be taken into account and donated to the P&C. 

From the Director of Senior Years

Welcome back to all in our school community.

Spotlight on the IB: IB Learner Profile
The IBO defines the IB Learner Profile attributes as:

“the [IB] mission statement in action; it is central to the IB definition of what it means to be internationally minded and it prompts schools to focus on learning.”

The IB learner profile is a list of 10 attributes that describe the core values of an IB learner.

The attributes are listed below.

These attributes inform and interact with everything we do at QASMT. They underpin our behaviours, actions and policy. For example, students have the opportunity to be balanced through the wide range of CCA and Education Outside of the Classroom (EOTC) activities on offer at school. We are principled when we understand and adhere to the academic integrity policy. We are inquirers and risk-takers when learning new things or participating in new experiences.

Through practising these 10 attributes, the IB learners develop as holistic individuals who are not only gaining knowledge, but also insight, wisdom, balance and social conscience.

Our Year 12 students are entering the last leg of their journey at QASMT and of the IB programme. We start Term 3 with a slight sense of relief, as the majority of the Internal Assessment tasks have been completed - only the Theory of Knowledge Essay and the Art Exhibition are to be finalised! We have already celebrated a major milestone this term as our Year 12 students have completed their Extended Essays. This piece of work represents a full year on consideration, research, experimentation, drafting and reflection, culminating of a 4000 word essay. Through this process, our Year 12 students have demonstrated and developed a number of learner profile attributes, including, knowledgeable, inquirers, reflective and principled. To celebrate, the school organised a pizza lunch for the Year 12 students. In Week 3, we will celebrate the completion of the Theory of Knowledge Essay.

During Weeks 6 and 7, our Year 12 students will be completing their mock exams, which will include the full suite of assessment that students will complete during the November exam session. This is an excellent opportunity for students to practise their time management and study skills through an extended exam period, as well as providing essential feedback to inform their study plans in the lead up to November. After the mock exams, we have more celebrations in store. In Week 8, the Year 12 students will be participating in the conference program, which promises to be three days full of information, motivation and fun!

I wish all senior students and families a wonderful and productive term ahead.

Rebecca Skarshewski, Director of Senior Years

From the Director of Middle Years

The start of Term 3 marks the official halfway mark of the school year for our Middle Years students! I hope the holidays have provided each of you time to recharge the batteries, and to spend quality time with family and friends. 

Presently, our students are working with their teachers to develop PLP goals and strategies for Semester 2, for each of their timetabled subjects. Goals are time-focused, and based on self-reflection and teacher feedback. Our goals determine our direction and our strategies determine our progress!

How are Grades Calculated in the MYP?
With reports being released in the near future, I thought it timely to explain how your student’s grades are calculated in the MYP. Specifically, what the difference is between the four criteria grades that are scored 1-8, and final semester grades scored 1-7. (Further information is available by reading the school publication, IB Middle Years Assessment Guidance Handbook, also available on the QASMT website.)

1. Assessment Criteria (0 – 8 Scale)
Each subject has four MYP published assessment criterion that are used to assess your student’s achievement.  Every subject has different criterion.

Take for example, Science:

1. Criterion A Knowing and understanding;
2. Criterion B Inquiring and designing;
3. Criterion C Processing and evaluating; and
4. Criterion D Reflecting on the impacts of Science.

Each term, teachers make judgements on student achievement against the subject-specific criteria using summative assessment. Teachers award a grade for each criterion on a 0-8 scale.

2. Overall Achievement for Subject (using Grade Boundaries)
A student’s achievement is based on the Overall Result and is calculated as a total of all four criteria. The student (referred to above) received 28 out of a maximum score of 32. The Overall Result is 28.

The IB Grade Boundary Guidelines Table (refer right) is then used to determine the reporting grade at the end of Semester 1 and for the year. This student received a total of 28, so is in the boundary of 28 - 32 which gives them a final score of 7.

Grade Boundaries are used as part of the IB curriculum.

What are ATL Skills in the MYP?
ATL is an acronym for Approaches to Learning.

The purpose of ATL skills is to help our students to ‘learn how to learn’ and to prepare them for meaningful assessment. They provide a foundation for learning independently and provide our students with a common language to reflect and talk about the process of learning.

The five ATL skill categories and 10 skill clusters are displayed below.

The ATL skills are explicitly taught in all classrooms across the school, with teachers spending time teaching and coaching students on how to best approach the skills. This approach allows and encourages our students to push their own learning and to make a conscious effort to apply them to their studies.

The development and improvement of these skills over time, help set our students up for success in the Diploma Program. It enables our MYP students to develop confidence, versatility and resilience when approaching their learning and to reach their full potential.

In Year 9, our Middle Years students complete the STEM Futures Community Project; a self-directed, inquiry-based project that requires students to reflect on their development of the ATL Skills and leads to a greater understanding of themselves as learners.

STEM Futures Community Project Student Showcase 2021

As part of National Science Week celebrations, our Year 9 students will be showcasing their STEM Futures Community Project work and parents are invited!

Date Claimer: Wednesday 18 August (4.00 – 5.00 pm) in the Auditorium

Keep your eye out for further information closer to the date!

Sandra Davey, Director of Middle Years

From the Department of Language and Literature

Term 3 in the Language and Literature department is bringing many interactive and engaging learning opportunities for our students!

But first to introduce myself, I am David Bracken, the new HOD Lanaguage and Literature:

I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the students and staff of QASMT. English Language and Literature gives individuals the intellectual and emotional tools to understand the world, the people in it, and to express themselves meaningfully in response to what the world throws at them. I constantly seek ways for students to experience texts, engage with deeper meanings, and articulate their understandings. My goal as an educator is to see the study of Language and Literature give every individual the chance to better know themselves by understanding the experiences, victories, frustrations, and voices of writers from various times and places.      

My professional journey has seen me work for the last 15 years in several schools around the world that offer the IBO Programmes. These programmes create the circumstances for students to flourish within a rigorous framework that creates caring and global-minded thinkers. I have seen students from a variety of backgrounds experience success as they engage with the demands of these programmes. Students are able to make progress and excel when they know what is expected of them and what they need to do to improve: I am passionate about using the flexibility and structure of the MYP and DP to empower students to add depth and rigour to their academic analyses of texts. I am delighted to return to my "hometown" of Brisbane to continue this work with the eager, industrious, and creative students of QASMT. 

The Term Ahead L&L
Starting off with something for all our Shakespeare fans, Year 10 students were privileged to watch a live performance of Macbeth produced by Australia’s best Shakespearean theatre company, Bell Shakespeare. Plays feature as a significant part of the English Language and Literature curriculum and the production provides essential preparation for analysing plays by understanding how dramatic aspects and stagecraft help to create meaning. And, of course, it provides a fun and interactive learning experience for our students!

Just as Year 10 are starting their senior journey, Year 12 have nearly finished with us and we are so proud of the hard work and determination they have shown throughout their DP studies. This term, we are revising Paper One skills and working on study plans so that they are equipped for their IB exam preparation study leave. We encourage our families at home to discuss their English goals and strategies and help them to embed their revision practices.

Although Year 12 students are entering the apex of their DP study, Year 11 students are preparing for their IO assessment. This has been such an interesting area of study for them as they have explored significant contemporary global issues in texts such as Adichie’s short stories and Stan Grant’s works. We wish them the very best in their preparation for their practice IO and look forward to hearing their engaged discussions.

Year 9 students are busying themselves researching social justice issues facing Australians today and forming political parties to create a political campaign. Their statement of inquiry, ‘Communication for change appeals to audience point of view,’ encourages them to think about how they craft language when speaking and writing in order to persuade their peers to vote for them. Who knows, we might have the next Prime Minister of Australia on our hands!

Speculative fiction has grown in popularity with our younger students, and so Year 8 have an exciting opportunity to create their own world in a speculative fiction text. Their statement of inquiry involves looking into the global context of ‘Scientific and Technological Innovation’ in order to speculate on what might be the consequence of this innovation in their created world. We cannot wait to read their prophecies!

Last but not least, Year 7 students are involved with one of our favourite units - cultural identity is expressed through creative story telling. We will be studying this statement of inquiry through picture books. Students are encouraged to bring in picture books from different cultures to gain a richer understanding of how visual and written language work together to create meaning. We look forward to reading all the wonderful books they bring in!

David Bracken, Head of Department Language and Literature

From the Department of Language Acquisition

ようこそ! Wilkommen! Bienvenue! Bienvenidos! salvete! Welcome!

Welcome to Term 3! I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Year 12 German students on their wonderful results that were published over the holidays! They should be very proud of their achievement.

We farewelled two staff members at the end of Term 2, so we are pleased to welcome Dianne Williams (Latin), Andrew Haverd (Japanese) and Sharon Mathieson (Japanese) to our strong Language Acquisition faculty.

There have been a few teacher changes across classes, however, with the strong pedagogy and collaborative practices within the faculty, continuity of learning will not be disrupted. Moreover, this continuity of learning is further supported by our language specific teacher aides: Greta Cabot (French and German), Taïs Gamboni (French) and Clive Greenhill (Japanese). They continue to bring detailed Language expertise to the classroom and help students achieve their Language goals. Furthermore, Languages support continues to be provided for in the Alumni tutoring program for the senior years.

International Mindedness
Term 3, Week 1 has kicked off with 14 July celebrations.

It was la Fête nationale – Bastille Day – for France. The French National Day commemorates the Storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789, a turning point of the French Revolution, as well as the Fête de la Fédération, which celebrated the unity of the French people on 14 July 1790. This has provided some great opportunities for all students to engage with the International Mindedness activities organised at lunch. As the day represents the French Revolution, celebrating equality, liberty, and fraternity, the International Mindedness committee celebrated by calling on all budding musicians/singers to bring their instruments to the courtyard to play informally for friends or onlookers. The courtyard was full of music!

Japanese Festival
Term 3 Year 10 Japanese students will continue to expand their language skills, describing their own surroundings and learning about cultural differences. In Japan, Tanabata, or the Star Festival, is held on the evening of 7 July. The festival traces its origins to a legend that the Cowherd Star (Altair) and Weaver Star (Vega), lovers separated by the Milky Way, are allowed to meet just once a year - on the seventh day of the seventh month. Children and adults write their wishes on narrow strips of coloured paper and hang them, along with other paper ornaments, on bamboo branches placed in the backyards or entrances of their homes. They then pray that their wishes will come true. Some areas of Japan celebrate Tanabata a month later, on 7 August, since this is closer to the seventh day of the seventh month on the traditional lunar calendar. Such communities frequently perform the services for Bon, a period in mid-August when deceased relatives are thought to return, together with the ceremonies for Tanabata.

We wish everyone a successful Term 3.

 Auf Wiedersehen, valete, au revoir, adíos, さようなら 

Kate Oxenford, Head of Department Language Acquisition

From the Department of Technology and the Arts

Welcome to Term 3 from the Technology and The Arts faculty. As you may know, all our MYP courses are run over a semester which means that our Year 7 and 8 students swap from Design into The Arts or vice versa. Additionally, we welcome our Year 9 students into the second cycle of our STEM Futures electives.

The Arts 
Term 3 is THE TERM for our Year 12 Visual Arts students with their Graduate Exhibition being installed in Week 4 and a soft launch in Week 5. The exhibition will showcase for four weeks in J Block before we celebrate with a Closing Ceremony on Friday of Week 8 (2 September).

Year 9 Artists as Change Makers students will collaborate to research an issue of their choice to present a group approach for a public artwork proposal. They will make and respond to artworks to develop knowledge and skills in design, digital imaging and sculpture for the purpose of persuading audiences towards positive change.

Year 8 Visual Art students will investigate how portrait artworks express identity with a range of creative approaches, with influences from Australia's annual Archibald Prize winning artists. They will make and respond to self-portraits and portraits of others to make drawings designed with digital photography and collage plus mixed media on paper (e.g. graphite, pen and ink, watercolour paint).

Year 7 Visual Art students will explore the representation of animals and their habitats in artworks to inform their design of a hybrid animal to survive a researched environmental issue. They will use traditional and digital media to make drawings influenced by styles of other artists.

Students in Years 7 to 12 Art Club will make artworks using a range of 2D mixed media on paper and using digital tools to combine drawing, painting and collage and digital photography and editing. For inspiration, students will explore a variety of styles and techniques from other artists.

In classroom Music, our Year 7 classes are discovering and questioning how composers manipulate the elements of music to create 'bold' or 'beautiful' music. Students will delve into the stories behind the music, its context and elements. Year 8 classes will start a new unit tracking the development of Jazz & Blues, Rock 'n' Roll and Pop music, the role of society's influence on these genres and the associated characteristics and forms. All students are building on their theory knowledge and putting into practice their performing skills to prepare for a live performance experience on stage in the Auditorium as part of their assessment.

In Year 7 Drama, we start with the unit “Whose line is it anyway?” and have already begun playing a variety of structured games in our Drama lessons this week, enjoying the creative experiences that this wonderful subject has to offer. The style of drama that we are studying this term is improvisation, with students working in teams to create their own improvised theatre performances at the end of the term. Learner portfolios will document students’ dramatic learning and experience over the term and will be brought home at times to be worked on for homework. To learn more about the exciting things that we do in Drama, ask your child to show you their wonderful work in this portfolio.

The Year 8 Drama students have been busy exploring the Statement of Inquiry: “Personal and cultural narratives are engaging to audiences when creativity, innovation and aesthetics are included in presentations” for their unit “Tell me a Story!”.  We are looking forward to exploring various cultural stories and working out which story would be the best story to pitch to QPAC (fictitiously) for a theatre production to be staged. They will then design a Children’s Theatre Production in teams based on a story of their choice. The students will also be required to document their planning of this pitch in their learner portfolios, which will be brought home at times to be worked on for homework. You may even get a peek at their work when they are busy completing these tasks. 

Technology and Design

Computer Science
How do we model the world in a computer program? Our Year 10 Computer Science students will apply algorithmic thinking and object oriented principles to create a text based game in Java. Year 11 Computer Science will be examining the design and implementation of GUI's and the algorithmic thinking behind them. Students will develop a small project allowing them to experience the development of programs with intricate GUI's and the processing that allows modern computer programs to function. Year 12 Computer Science will be consolidating the knowledge they have learnt over the course, in preparation for their mock exams.

ITGS
In Year 10, this term we will become multimedia producers. Using Adobe Animate, students will produce an animation to share their technical understanding of one concept. Year 11 ITGS will be exploring the nature of networks and the internet. We will examine how networks are constructed and the technology that allows the flow of information around the world. On top of this, students will be developing the projects for their real-world clients. In Year 12, our focus is on the case study, 'Our Social Media Lives', where we continue to explore concepts such as 'virtual influencers'. We are in exam mode with a focus on refining our critical thinking skills. 

Design
A new semester, a new "delusion" of designers. Year 7 students will use the Design Cycle to design a prototype mobile app for their client. Year 8 students are investigating questions such as "Who are we online?", "How does the rest of the world perceive us?", "How can we ensure we are seen in a positive light based on who we appear to be online?", and will follow the design cycle to design their own portfolio websites.

Year 9 Future of Automation
This term, students will be re-introduced to programming Arduino based micro-controllers, developing fundamental skills they will utilise in home automation projects. Students will investigate the capabilities of sensors and display components to design proof of concept mini-automation projects.

Year 9 Disrupt the Market
For our first project, students will learn how to use the laser cutter and design prototypes of 'gimmicky giveaways' for National Science Week.

Year 9 Biomedical Engineering
This continues to be a very popular elective as students learn about 3D printers and their application in regenerative medicine. This elective is very much a collaboration with the Queensland University of Technology.

What a busy term of packed full of exciting, innovative learning engagements!

Madeleine Brookes, Head of Department Technology and The Arts 

From the Department of Individuals and Society

Welcome back to all students and staff after the mid-year break. I really hope it was a chance to recharge the batteries and reflect on the first half of the year. At the commencement assembly, Ms Kayrooz discussed the concept of being grateful and appreciative of others. I would like to acknowledge the hard work and positive work environment of the 11 teachers in the I&S team and thank them for their efforts so far this year. 

“Year 12 is a marathon, not a sprint” was a quote I heard as a student myself and then repeated by my first principal when I started my teaching career. I used this analogy again in Week 1 when I visited the Year 12 classes as they commenced their PLP reflections and built in revision over the next five weeks before mock exams. Good study habits must start now - so that success can be achieved with reaching individual goals of being successful and achieving higher level points in the external exams.

With semester reports being received, I encourage all students to be reflective and adopt a growth mindset with their results. Look not only for the areas that you must strive to improve, but also your areas of strength, to maintain and consolidate in the second half of the year.

Year 7 and 8 students will spend the first part of Term 3 studying economics and business before progressing to history and geography respectively. Parents and caregivers should be prepared to be interviewed by your children as they investigate the changing nature of work. The Year 7s are particularly excited as we commence ‘The Game of Life’. Year 9 students have all transitioned into a new STEM Futures elective, while Year 10 students continue to gain an understanding of what the senior DP course is like. As a teaching team, we will be continuing to collaborate with UQ on the development of new engaging Year 10 subjects.

Psychology Department
The following two pieces of news are exciting updates from Ms Carrington regarding two engaging activities for Psychology students.

On 3 August, the Psychology department are hosting 'Lunch with a Psychologist'. Ten psychologists have been invited to talk to students about their careers. We have a range of specialisms including; educational, clinical, forensic and psychiatric. This will be a very informative event that will allow psychology students to apply what they have learnt in the classroom and also consider a range of different, potential careers. We are really excited to host this event and are very much looking forward to it.

Psychology Book Club

Ms Carrington has launched a Psychology Book Club for students who study the subject at QASMT and who love to read. The Club meets once every four weeks to decide on a book to read and  after reading it, we meet to discuss it. The first book we have read is ‘The Skeleton Cupboard – stories from a clinical psychologist’ by Dr Tanya Byron, which details her training as a Clinical Psychologist. If you would like to join the Psychology Book Club, but don’t study psychology, please email Ms Carrington (Vldar0@eq.edu.au).

Lyle Fredericksen, Head of Department Individuals & Societies

From the Department of Physical Sciences

Term 3 is always very busy for Science teachers and students at QASMT. From a curriculum perspective, this is the term our Year 12 students sit mock exams, while their teachers determine predicted Extended Essay and IB subject grades. 

Year 10 students will soon choose the subjects they intend to study in Year 11 and 12 for their IB Diploma. Students will receive subject selection information, including a recommended level of study (HL or SL), based on their achievement to date in Year 10 courses. Chemistry and Physics are offered at both Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL) at QASMT. SL Chemistry and SL Physics satisfy requirements for all Queensland and Australian universities, and are equivalent to, or a bit more advanced, than their respective Australian Curriculum subjects. It should also be noted that for most science and health related degrees at UQ, one of Biology, Chemistry or Physics satisfies the prerequisite requirements. Check the UQ website for up to date information about specific degrees.

QASMT Science Week Fair
National Science Week occurs in Term 3 each year. This year, National Science Week runs from 13 to 20 August and the theme for QASMT Science Week is Sustainability: Different by Design. QASMT will be involved in a variety of activities across the week; one of the biggest activities is the Group 4 Project workshops, which will take place at QASMT on Wednesday, 18 August. To satisfy the Group 4 Project requirements of their IB Diploma Science subjects, all Year 11 students will plan and deliver hands-on workshops to QASMT Year 7 students. These workshops are always a wonderful opportunity for our Year 11 students to share their passion and enthusiasm for Science with younger students.

This year, we are excited to be holding the inaugural QASMT Science Week Fair from Wednesday 18 August to Friday 20 August. Travel restrictions permitting, we look forward to hosting students from John Monash Science School who, along with QASMT students who have been involved in research across 2020 and 2021, will be presenting their research posters at the QASMT Science Week Colloquium on Wednesday evening in the Lecture Theatre. There will also be a range of activities for Fair participants, including workshops at Sparq-ED and UQ.

ISSF
The 2021 International Students’ Science Fair (ISSF) is being hosted online by Beihang Experimental School, Beijing from Friday 16 July to Monday 19 July. Year 11 students, William Su, Rahul Nair and Joshua Thomas, will be presenting their research on cancer treatments.

Over the holidays, Luna Shin, Sophia Ryan and Angelina Tijo also participated online in the Korea Science Academy of KAIST Science Fair (KSASF). Their research on calculating the Sun’s rotational period by measuring sunspot movement was awarded with the Passionate Research Award. Congratulations!

This term, all Year 10 students are invited to participate in a STEM research project with the opportunity of participating in either a national or international science fair. The ISSF 2022 is being hosted by Lewiston Porter High School, USA. In addition, QASMT students are invited to attend other fairs in Thailand, Japan, Melbourne and Adelaide in 2022. Participation at fairs will be either in person or online, depending on the COVID19 situation.

If you have any questions, please see Dr Hogg during breaks in L09 or email kxhog2@eq.edu.au.

Catherine de Freitas Pessoa, Head of Department Physical Sciences

From the Department of Life Sciences

From Life Sciences - Foundation
We are halfway there! Welcome back to Term 3. I am so excited by the events and opportunities that are coming up across the school.

Year 7
Year 7 students are embarking on a Project Based Learning journey in the ‘Water fit for drinking’ unit. The unit combines Chemistry, Earth Science and Humanitarian Engineering to allow students to explore the ‘Water Crisis’.

The statement of inquiry for this unit is, “Finding solutions for the impact of pollution on our natural systems is a global responsibility”.

The unit follows an Engineering Design process to develop a portable water filtration system. First students will define the problem, then they will then ideate and develop solutions. Next comes the fun part, prototyping and testing. Finally, they will communicate their solutions. At the end of the process there will be a mini Engineering poster presentation where students will be able to see how their peers approached the problem.

Year 8
Year 8 students will be studying Chemistry this term. They will explore states of matter, look at compounds and mixtures, examine physical and chemical changes and investigate different types of chemical reactions.

Their statement of inquiry for this unit is: “Chemical change involves interactions that occur at an atomic level and is always accompanied by an energy change”.

They will be doing an experimental investigation around physical and chemical properties of materials used for protective clothing. The students will first be exploring future materials and how they are developed in order to create their own research question to test.

Science Ambassadors
Our Year 11 and Year 9 Science Ambassadors helped out with the Inspiration Day for the Kids STEM convention at UQ. They did the school very proud in representing what it means to be a QASMT student. Their maturity, leadership and willingness to help was greatly appreciated by the event coordinators. The term looks to be a busy and exciting one for the Ambassadors with National Science Week fast approaching. They will be running several exciting and engaging activities.

In an inquiry-based learning environment. The teacher’s job is not to provide knowledge, but to help students along their process of discovering knowledge.”

Vanessa Bermingham, Head of Department Life Sciences Foundation

From Life Sciences - Biology

Welcome back to all our science students, teachers, parents and caregivers. I hope you had a restful winter break, and are ready for an exciting term of curricular and extra-curricular science activities! This term promises to be extremely inspiring as we lead up to a highlight of the year for our school, National Science Week. 

In Week 2, our entire Year 10 cohort headed off to UQ for a bespoke program designed especially for our school entitled Experience Scientific Research Day. Over the course of the day students had the opportunity to work in the Faculty of Science at UQ and undertake a series of hands-on workshops in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Scientific Literacy. It was one of the most exciting cohort experiences in our science calendar.

During Week 3 many of our students have self-nominated to be a part of the ASI Olympiads, and these will be running after school during the week - students involved will be notified via email. In Week 5 we have the next Science Seminar Series – this one will be for budding scientists who want to not only make important scientific discoveries, but who also want to be able to work through the minefield of legal and logistical steps to take the product to the people who need it the most. Students, I hope I’ve sparked your curiosity, please come along if you are interested! 

This year, National Science Week in Week 6 and will have activities for everyone. The QASMT National Science Week theme for 2021 is: Sustainability: different by design. We will have Science in the Courtyard lunch-time activities on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday of that week, including:

• pipetting art,
• a more technical pipetting competition,
• build a sustainable periodic table, and much, much more.

On Wednesday of that week we will have our famous Group 4 project taking place, where during the day our Year 11 students will teach our Year 7 students science relating to the QASMT National Science Week theme. On that same Wednesday night, we will host the STEM Futures Project Exhibition, and the QASMT Science Week Colloquium, where our students will have an opportunity to present their work to a live audience. Throughout Weeks 5 and 6 we will have several invited scientists speaking at different times. Students, please look out for advertising in the coming weeks for your opportunities to join in!

Biology
This term, our Year 10 students will delve into their first IA! This is an important up-skilling opportunity for our students; their teachers are ready to work with them to develop essential skills in data collection and scientific writing. Following that, we will be focussing on ecology and evolution, where students will learn about energy transfer in ecosystems, how natural selection has led to different bone structures in mammals, and some of the more technical aspects of zoology and botany classification systems.

Our Year 11 students are well and truly into the Diploma Programme now, and are doing a fantastic job at keeping up with the content and pace. This term, our students will be learning about genetics and inheritance patterns before their exams. We begin to demystify the structure and content of chromosomes, meiosis, inheritance of alleles, and begin to unpack what it means to live in a world with genetic modification and biotechnological advances. Year 11 students will also begin to plan for their final IA, with the majority of the planning done this term, and the lab work undertaken next term.

Year 12 students are on the final stretch now – our SL students have begun their revision program in class already, and our HL students only have two sub-topics left to study. If you have a Year 12 student in your family, ask them to tell you about some of the most interesting parts of the Biology syllabus. You might hear some of the intricacies of how a nephron in a kidney works, how to do a chi-squared statistical test with the results from a dihybrid cross, or how the pressure changes in the atria and ventricles in the heart during a cardiac cycle. To the Year 12s: keep up the amazing effort. Your Biology teachers and I are very proud of what you have achieved so far, and we are looking forward to supporting you through your mock exams in Week 6.

To all of our scientists across all of our cohorts and subjects: have a happy and productive term!

Esme Hatchell, Head of Department Life Sciences Biology

From the Department of Mathematics

Welcome to Term 3 which is already shaping up to be full of exciting Mathematics competitions and engaging learning. 

In the Classroom
Year 7 students will be considering the inquiry question “Mathematical principles and discoveries allow us to find complex relationships and generalise our finding using patterns and equivalence". They will use the skills covered in class for their Criterion B (Investigating Patterns) and C (Communication) assessment early this term. “You Better Shape Up” is the unit Year 8 students are working on. They are engaged in measurement investigations around surface area and volume of prisms, indices and algebra. Year 9 students are hard at work considering the statement of inquiry “Human Impact on the environment can be understood through valid models and spatial forms” through their current project where they are repackaging a product to be more sustainable.

In Semester 2, our Year 10 students are reorganised into new classes - Mathematics and Mathematics Extension. Both of these courses go beyond the work covered in ACARA schools, and will provide our students with a strong foundation for their Diploma courses. Year 10 students will soon be receiving information about the courses on offer in the Diploma Programme – Mathematics Analysis and Approaches (AA) and Mathematical Applications and Interpretation (AI), both of which are offered at standard and high level.  

Year 11 students are reviewing their exam results by reflecting on exam strategies, approaches in the different types of exams, topics that are their strengths and weaknesses and what they need to work on moving forward.  Coursework has been completed by Year 12 Maths students so they now move into an intensive revision program until mock exams.

Australian Maths Trust
https://www.amt.edu.au/stimulate-minds   

Finally, congratulations goes to Ian L (Y8), Elizabeth L (Y9), Kelvin C (Y9), Zakariyya V (Y10) and Callum L (Y10) for being invited to sit the 2021 Australian Mathematical Olympiad Committee (AMOC) Senior Contest. This is a significant achievement, as it will serve as part of the selection process for the AMT School of Excellence and other Olympiad-level competitions. We wish them good luck in the four hour paper that they will sit on 17 August.

Jane Gorman, Head of Department Mathematics

From Education Outside of the Classroom (EOTC)

Before we look ahead to Term 3, I’d like to send out a HUGE congratulations to our Year 9 girls volleyball team who went back to back to back, winning the West Brisbane Junior Gala Day for the third year in a row!  All teams did QASMT proud.

Below is information about what our students will be getting up to in Term 3!

Curriculum
In Year 7, cultural aspects of physical activity will be explored, with students having opportunities to explore indigenous games as well as some from their own culture too.  Students will explore the inquiry that “culture plays a role in the development of relationships and can be expressed through movement and interactions”. Through this inquiry, students will delve  into the historical significance of a chosen game or dance from a particular culture, and they will investigate the relationship between culture, games and wellbeing. During practical lessons, students will learn about various culturally significant games, and through these, develop their practical skills. Students are encouraged to continually reflect on their practical performance during lessons, to identify their strengths and pinpoint opportunities for improvement.

Our Year 8s will be hitting the dance floor, showing off their moves in our 'So You Think You Can Dance' unit. The practical component of the unit will explore movement concepts through the medium of dance. Students will work in small groups to choreograph and perform their own dance routine to music. Concurrently, essential first aid skills will be learnt in the classroom. Students will be given scenarios to respond to, and will be provided with some great skills that can be used outside of the classroom in years to come.

With IAs in and all topics covered, our Year 12s are in revision mode and will be busy preparing for their mocks this term. Mock exams will match the style and length of the final IB exams, providing useful feedback for their final preparations. Students are encouraged to continue their good study habits, and set goals in preparation for their mock exams and exam preparation period.

CCA
Our CCA Program continues to grow and we look forward to spotlighting a few new clubs this term!  We have been fortunate enough to secure a great Pickle Ball coach, who is keen and eager to teach students about this new up and coming sport. Pickle Ball is a fun sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong - three very popular activities at QASMT! Year 12 students have created an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander History Club for their CAS project, giving students an opportunity to develop respect and an understanding of the cultural differences. This Club will encapsulate ancient and modern history of the peoples of Australia, and take a step towards providing all students with a rich and well-rounded knowledge of Australia’s history.

Sport (by Mr Conway)
Our Spring Sport Program has seen some excellent results over the years, with our badminton program taking out back to back pennants and our AFL girls and ultimate disc teams finishing in second place two years running. This term, we hope to continue our reign in badminton and secure a flag in AFL and ultimate disc. Our coaches are keen to teach our students some new skills and foster a fun and inviting environment for students who may be new to these sports.

Yanah Floridis, Head of Education Outside the Classroom

From the House Dean of Agnesi

House Spirit
Term 3 is shaping up to be a very exciting time. Agnesi House is on the brink of winning the House Trophy for 2021. We are 12 points ahead of our closest rival! We need to consolidate our lead – I am calling on all Agnesi students to do your part by maintaining 100% attendance for the next term as an easy way to win House points.

Participation in and winning the upcoming Trivia competition is an opportunity for points, as is earning academic awards. You will be delighted to hear that the Athletics Carnival trophy now occupies pride of place in Agnesi HQ. We also have two new wolf mascots to protect it and hopefully we will have a new Agnesi House flag to fly by the end of term.

Agnesi Leadership Opportunities
Term 3 is when Academy leadership roles are open for applications. I would like to encourage all Agnesi students to apply for the many leadership and ambassador positions. Not only is this a great opportunity to give back to the school community, but also a great way for students to make a difference to school life and to lead Agnesi House. Please come and see me if you have any queries.

I would like to introduce Agnesi House to Coach Fredericksen. Mr Lyle Fredericksen is the HOD of Individuals and Society and is a member of Agnesi House. Mr Fredericksen is very keen to get to know the students in Agnesi and will do this by being a roving coach during InStep. Mr Fredericksen will be available for advice and mentoring to support Agnesi students in reaching their potential. Welcome Coach Frederiksen!

Year 12 Agnesi students are starting to get excited with only one week to the Year 12 Formal. The Year 12 Formal is one of my favourite events on the school calendar, and I look forward to seeing all the students in their glamorous dresses and suits.

Year 7 Agnesi Pitstop Club
This term, I am going to run a Year 7 Pitstop Club on Wednesdays at lunchtime. Year 7 Agnesi students may come along and get some help with their assessment tasks or use this time to check in with me as House Dean, and get some tips and strategies on time management and homework. If the Club is successful, we can continue with it in Term 4.

Agnesi House Charity - The Smith Family
Finally, towards the end of the term we will start gearing up to launch the Agnesi House Charity initiative. I will be looking for volunteers to help organise a toy and book drive. Students will be asked to donate toys and books for Christmas to the Smith Family. Details will be shared with you later this term.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me via email adavi581@eq.edu.au.

Aileen Davis, House Dean Agnesi

From the House Dean of Curie

Welcome to Term 3 and the start of Semester 2. It has been delightful seeing the students’ smiling faces over the last weeks. It appears that everyone has had a good break and is prepared and ready to face the second half of 2021.

Term 3 is looking like it will be a busy term for our students as they get involved with the different aspects of the Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) program. The sports and music programs are up and running, CCA groups are back in full swing and there is a real energy around the school with different lunchtime activities taking place in the Courtyard. Remember to spend time doing activities you are passionate about as well as trying new ventures. Get involved in all the school has to offer! 

House Spirit
The Curie train isn’t quite winning the race at the moment, but we are not far behind Agnesi, who are currently winning the inter-House competition by 12 points. Even though Curie hasn’t been as dominate this year, I have appreciated the energy, excitement and enthusiasm which everyone has shown by turning up and participating in the different inter-House events and competitions. The final inter-House competition for 2021, the Trivia Competition, will take place in Week 4. Working collaboratively as an InStep will be the key to success. Keep turning up each day and giving it your all, fingers crossed we will be able to claw our way back to the top and bring home the silverware!

Feel the Fury, Here Comes Curie!

Setting Yourself Up for Success
Across these first two weeks of the term, students have been taking time to complete their PLPs (Personal Learning Plan) and writing a goal for each subject along with three strategies that they will implement to achieve their goals. I have appreciated being involved in discussions with students across the week, as they reflected on Semester 1 and the challenges that they had to face and overcome. It is encouraging to know that our students are developing resilience and are learning the skills required to manage change and flourish in these situations. The ability to rise to meet the challenge and bounce back when things don’t go according to plan, are crucial to our students achieving their goals. I would encourage parents to have a chat with your child about the goals they have set themselves for Semester 2 and how you can support them in achieving these goals.

Upcoming Events
Key events that are taking place across the term:

Ownership
I encourage Curie students to take ownership of their learning and have confidence in themselves. Be prepared, be on time, be in class and be at school every day.  This is your education and your journey! 

Have a wonderful and successful term. 

Please don’t hesitate to contact me on dfann6@eq.edu.au. I am looking forward to the term ahead and working with you and your child to support them to flourish!

Yours in pink,
Dean Fanning, House Dean Curie

From the House Dean of Da Vinci

"He who loves practice without theory is like the sailor who boards ship without a rudder and compass and never knows
where he may cast." - Leonardo da Vinci

Welcome to Term 3, 2021
As we enter the second half of the year, many of us new members of the community are finding our feet. Our Year 7s and 10s have begun leadership positions within the school as ambassadors and have completed their first semester of reporting. Our student leadership team, InStep mentors and myself have planned a relaxing, reflective InStep program for Term 3. We hope to have fun, celebrate our achievements, acknowledge and support our Year 12s and continue to build our community.

PEP
This term is our last term of PEP for Year 11. Our focus will be to ensure that our students are well prepared for their final year of the DP. Following PEP, Year 11 will move towards one on one meetings to ensure that they are supported.

Year 9 have begun their preparation for 'The Journey' they complete at the end of Term 4. Our focus is on preparing them for both 'The Journey' and their transition into the senior school. We look forward to seeing them grow, reflect and flourish this semester.

The Year 8 unit this term is “The Meaningful Life”. To empower their understanding, each group has been provided a key content area in conjunction with a research booklet. Once the group has researched and collated the information they will mediate this with their peers.

This Wednesday saw many Year 7s leaving PEP with cut out brains attached to their heads. This was the conclusion of a fun lesson discovering how we can rewire, relearn and develop our brains. The Year 7s will look at the correlation between basic habits and neuroplasticity this term. 

Golden Paddle Week 2 / Inter-House Trivia Week 4 /  Ultimate Disc Week 5
Let’s get ready for more fun ways to build community and compete against our other SMT Houses. Week 2 marks the beginning of Golden Paddle. I already have seen many DaVinci players out practising. Good Luck to all our table tennis participants.

Inter-House Trivia this year is a week long event where 64 InSteps will compete for the Honour of SMT Trivia Champion. Each InSteps' points will be added to the overall House point tally. Make sure you are updated with all areas of general knowledge.

The final event for Term 3 is the infamous Week 5 Ultimate Disc. I look forward to participating in this fun sport. Please make sure you are up to date with the schedule and required equipment.

Attendance/Organisational Support
Congratulations to many of our students on improving their attendance and decreasing the amount of times they are late to school. SMT expects a 97+% attendance rate. This term, we will continue to offer organisational support meetings on Tuesdays at 11.15am. Students who have attended these meetings have seen a reduction of extension requests, a decrease in assessment anxiety and an increase in attendance at school. This opportunity is welcome to all Da Vinci students.

CanTeen Charity
The 2021 DaVinci Charity this year is CanTeen. CanTeen is a charity organisation that became formally operational in the year 1985. It is an organisation that was purposely formed to ensure that each and every young person who is diagnosed with cancer gets provided with medically proven support services, in order to help ease the effects that such conditions have on a person. The DaVinci student leadership team will be organising a number of events to help advocate and support this cause.

Year 12
Our Year 12 students have a very important term ahead. We look forward to celebrating their time at QASMT with the Formal and House Farewell assembly. In preparation for final exams, students will be supported through the Year 12 Conference in Week 9.

This term includes the ever important R U Okay Day – Thursday, Week 9. Despite this day being later in the term, it is a kind reminder for us all to check in with ourselves, friends and families. To help our students check in, our DaVinci mentors will be providing workshops during InStep to support our students' wellness toolkits and celebrate International Self-Care Day.

Yours in green,

Stacy Wallace-Cunningham, House Dean Da Vinci

From the House Dean of Franklin

Welcome back Franklin House. I am excited about the opportunities that will be available to all students for Term 3 and the continual humble success of Franklin House in inter-House competitions.

Term 3 is traditionally a busy term for all however, maintaining a healthy work life balance should always be at the forefront of your mind in order for you to achieve the best you can.

Term 3 presents many milestones for Year 12. Preparing for final IB exams, the Formal and a trip to Movie World are but a few of the ‘rites of passage’ for the end of compulsory schooling at SMT. We are also excited to consider the leadership applications and selection process for the current Year 11 students taking up the mantle of leaders for 2022. Equally as excited are the current Year 8s, who have applied to be Middle Years leaders for 2022.

Week 1 and 2 will cover the completion of all students’ goal development for the PLP process. This important process is no different to scientific experimentation: reflecting, hypothesis (goal), testing (strategies) and reflecting again. Rosalind Franklin is perhaps most famous for saying “science and everyday life cannot and should not be separated” and the PLP process compliments this perfectly.

The inter-House point competition will continue this term with the annual Trivia Competition. The organisation and creation of the trivia will be thanks to our dedicated Year 11 volunteers. Following this, there will be some friendly games of ultimate disc (ultimate frisbee) between the Houses and the Golden Paddle table tennis competition for individual students.

Finally, this term will see a collective effort by all Franklin students to raise money for our House charity, the RSPCA. There will be a cupcake sale and snuffle toys will be created to donate to animals in care at RSPCA Brisbane facilities.

“Life is measured in achievement, not in years alone” – Bruce McLaren

Ross Bray, House Dean Franklin

From the House Dean of Hawking

Welcome to Term 3 Hawking House!

Kick starting the Hawking Olympics was a bake off!

InSteps were given the brief to bake Brownies (my all-time favourite!). Some of the Hawking House staff were judges in a blind taste test this week. I LOVE baking, and was so excited to see your creativity and taste some delicious food!

Later on in the term we will have juggling and a balance task!

At the Commencement Assembly, it was revealed that Hawking House is in third place. The House has worked so hard to progress up the points ladder and there is more opportunity this term to get more House points! 

InSteps will be preparing for the inter-InStep Trivia competition this term.
All InStep groups have the opportunity to take part in weekly trivia and it is a great event for all of the House to participate!

Year 12s embark on their final journey at SMT so we will be farewelling them with a heavy heart. We have a special celebration planned for them in Week 9 but we wish you all the best of luck this term with your studies. We are all behind you Year 12! Before our farewells, we get to celebrate at Formal - I’m looking forward to seeing you all in your fanciest get up, I know you will have an incredible night.

Leadership opportunities have opened up for students to apply for many positions in the school. I am in need of two new House Captains, one from Year 12 and one from Year 9, as well as two to three ambassadors from each year level.

It is exciting to see so many opportunities become available to all year levels and I am looking forward to seeing you shine. 

In the meantime, should you need anything please do not hesitate to contact me on rbrow477@eq.edu.au or extension number 382.

I wish all Hawking students a great Term 3!

Rebecca Parker, House Dean Hawking  

From the House Dean of Hollows

Welcome to Term 3! A new term and semester presents another prime opportunity for students to move forward with great determination and intent.  

The results of Semester 1 are in the past and cannot be changed. Personal habits and study applications of the past cannot be undone. What is important for students now is that they recognise that they have another opportunity to refine work habits and implement learning strategies in order to make additional learning gains. Acting on personalised teacher feedback is paramount to student success, and I would encourage all students to ask questions, seek clarification and hold themselves accountable to set targets and learning outcomes. Before you know it, it will be Christmas holiday time. I wish all students, a happy and prosperous Term 3. 

Learning Goals
In Week 1 and 2, students were held accountable by creating subject goals with strategies on how they will achieve these goals. This is an important exercise for students as they are forced to think maturely on how they can make learning gains in each of their subjects. At SMT, we advise students that their learning goals and strategies must not be vague or broad. Rather, they must be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely (SMART). Parents, please encourage your child to take the time to seriously plan out how they intend to be successful this term, and ultimately Semester 2.  

Year 12 Mock Exams
Our beloved Year 12s will face mock exams in Weeks 6 and 7 and will need to bring their “A” game, as it will be their final indicator on how they may perform in their November exams. In preparation for this, students will need to implement a study timetable that makes use of all available times that they may have in order to deliver their very best and consolidate their learning. Students that recognise their weaknesses and actively plan on overcoming them, always do better - past students have testified that the more seriously you take mock exams, the better your final exam performance will be. 

House Key Rings 
Last term, Heidie P as part of her Year 9 design subject assessment, took on the important task of designing and building a prototype keyring for Hollows House. Her design was so good that we decided to roll it out and gift every Hollows Hawk student a functional and useful keyring to put their keys on, or proudly hang off their laptop bag.  Thanks to Heidie, over 150 students now have Hollows Hawks branded keyrings, setting them apart from the other Houses.

Hawks Nest Locker Room Signage 
Our Hollows leaders have now finalised some good work in making our locker room a little more special and branded as it was historically the old gym workout room. Using the school’s laser cutter, they designed and manufactured a big Hollows Hawks logo board, a Hawks Nest sign board, and from the slogan competition that we ran in Term 1, chose a range of emotive and inspiring words to put up above the lockers. The words on display have reduced the amount of blank white space, and importantly, serve to instil a set of values for students to consider each day, as they move in out of their locker room.   

Uniform Compliance
The start of a new term is great for making changes in habits and displaying an energised attitude. This not only includes academics, but also in the wearing of correct uniform. Students must ensure that they comply with the Academy’s uniform policy, particularly in regard to jewellery and the wearing of blazers and hats to and from school. Parents, please encourage your child to uphold high standards of personal presentation that support the school values of Showing Respect, Maintaining Safety and Taking Responsibility.  

Queensland Representatives
Fred and Alexi R have both been accepted to compete for Queensland in the Tetrathlon National Championships, to be held in Victoria this September.  Tetrathlon involves swimming, running, laser pistol shooting and equestrian. What a great achievement for these mighty fighting Hollows Hawks, and we wish them much success as they prepare for these championships.

Looking forward to a great Term 3 and of course, please don’t hesitate to email me at mjcol3@eq.edu.au if you have any concerns or questions. 

Michael Colquhoun, House Dean of Hollows

From the House Dean of Jackson

A huge thank you to Ms Snell for her hard work and care whilst leading Jackson over the past Semester. She has been an inspiration and great support for all.

My name is Sam Weston. I am so tremendously pleased to be named the House Dean for Jackson and inspired by the work of our namesake, Mrs Mary Jackson.

Mary was a true leader, one of those rare people that drive positive change through a resolute focus on vision and values. When reading about Mary, one gets a clear understanding of the strength of her virtues of wisdom, courage and humanity. Throughout her work as a teacher, receptionist, book keeper, secretary, mathematician, and NASA engineer, Mary demonstrated her unwavering love of learning and curiosity. By driving change as the first African American female NASA engineer she demonstrated her bravery, persistence and zest. But, most importantly (at least in my view), was her overwhelming love and kindness for helping others. Despite her many hard-won achievements, despite any prestige she may have felt from her accomplishments, she continued to support young women in the fields of mathematics and science and worked as Girl Scout troop leader for more than 30 years.

There are a wealth of lessons one can glean from such a life as that led by Mary Jackson – and I invite you all to learn about her and her work. After doing a little reading myself, I am excited by the prospect of using Mary’s example to nurture and foster my own character strengths – particularly ‘love or learning’ and ‘kindness’. If you have other examples of people who have displayed outstanding strength of character as it relates to learning and/or kindness, please come and share them with me. I would be equally pleased to hear your goals as they relate to developing your own character strengths, or even hear about those people that have inspired you. This being particularly important as we define, monitor and evaluate our PLP goals.

I wish you all a challenging term, one filled with bravery and kindness. I look forward to meeting you all soon.

Samuel Weston, House Dean Jackson

From the House Dean of Newton

Welcome to Term 3, I trust you were able to enjoy the break, wherever you were, even with the ‘lockdown tradition’ coinciding with our school holidays. I hope families got to spend quality time together, away from packing lunches, washing uniforms and helping with homework. Once again, I was pleased to be greeted by students on the first day back with such a positive and friendly attitude. 

Be Prepared: Uniform and Attendance
Uniform is one of the front-line aspects of our public profile and it is evident that the majority of our students wear their uniform in a fashion that demonstrates pride in their school. Acknowledging that some of our students are very ‘hard’ on their clothes, it would be time to address any outstanding uniform issues. A reminder that students are required to wear their Winter Formal Uniform during Term 3, so please make yourself aware of the expectations.

Research shows that attendance is the single biggest influence on grades. So, every day counts! In particular, I encourage our Year 12 students, to use this time in a balanced way - socialise and renew energy levels to ensure that they are preparing for their mock exams which commence this term. It is just a 'short hop and skip' from exams to graduation. 

Be Reflective: Goals and strategies
Einstein once said, ‘It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer’. This is a key message that supports the work of Carol Dweck regarding ‘mindsets’ which we have been learning about in our Positive Education lessons. As we enter the second half of the year, students will need to reflect on their Semester 1 results and in consultation with their classroom teacher, create a new Semester 2 goal for each subject with supporting strategies. By committing and continually engaging with the PLP goals, students can take ownership of their own achievements and outcomes. PLP goals are due Monday 26 July and will be emailed home shortly after.

Be Involved: House Spirit and Celebrations
The leadership team will be selecting student representatives to lead the Academy in 2022. With several positions on offer, I look forward to receiving nominations from students, who are willing to work together in gaining valuable soft skills and challenging themselves in fulfilling their duties to further develop our Academy.

This term offers an abundance of opportunities for students to get involved, and where possible, earn House points. In particular, we have the Inter-InStep trivia for the House competition and the Inter-House Ultimate Disc competition.  The overall House leadership board is still too close to call, so every Newton student counts, and every participant can contribute to moving us closer to the top of the leader board.

Term 3 is an eventful period for our Year 12 students, as they commence their final school term. On behalf of Newton House, I wish them the very best and to everyone, thank you for all your work in Semester 1. Please stay safe, get involved and look after one another. 

‘Success is all about persistence and doing the right thing for the long term.’
- Bruce Rauner

GO NEWTON!

Deva Prasad, House Dean Newton

From the Guidance Officers

Guidance Officer (Career Planning & Inclusion)

Welcome to Semester 2 in the guidance office!  

Already this semester, many students have met with me individually to discuss personal development and career pathways. Those Year 12 students who have not yet attended their pathways interview are encouraged to contact Mr Baker to arrange a time for discussing their career plans for next year and beyond. All Year 9 students are also engaging with discussions around career planning as they work towards creating their Senior Education and Training (SET) Plans, culminating in individual career interviews to support their upcoming subject selection process.

Medicine/Dentistry Entry and UCAT Information Session

Date: Thursday, 26 August
Time: 3.30pm – 6.00pm
Location: Lecture Theatre, QASMT
Cost: Free
Presenter: Michael Tsai, iCanMed co-founder
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/25-hr-icanmed-workshop-ucat-interview-medical-admissions-process-tickets-163131768511

All interested Year 10 and 11 students and their parents, are invited to learn about the selection process for courses in Medicine and Dentistry. Issues covered will include:

• An introduction to the UCAT, including the question types found in the 2020/21 exam
• Sit a short mini mock test to gain perspective on the difficulties of the UCAT test
• Most common mistakes made by students in UCAT 2020/21 and how to avoid them
• Recommendations for efficient UCAT preparation, including time allocations and study milestones
• What medical/dental interviewers are looking for in candidates
• Interview structure and sample questions
• Entry criteria and cut-off scores for local and interstate medical/dental schools
• Key dates and application processes.

Options Career Bulletin
The latest edition of the Options Career Bulletin is below, containing many updates, links and ideas to help with pathway preparation. Be sure to have a look and take note of any points of interest.

NCCD
The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) provides all Australian schools, education authorities and the community with a clear picture of the number of students receiving educational adjustments because of disability in schools, and the levels of adjustment they are provided, to enable them to participate in education on the same basis as other students. The Australian Education Regulation 2013 (Cth) requires the operators of all government and non-government schools that receive Australian Government schools funding to provide information to the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment (the Department) for the purposes of NCCD. This data is submitted to the Department as of the first Friday in August each year.

Data collected through the NCCD is used:

• To support evidence-based policy development and future planning related to school students with disability;
• To inform Australian Government recurrent funding for schools;
• For national reporting related to schools.

I'm looking forward to a productive and rewarding term!

Katrina Judge, Guidance Officer (Career Planning)

From Instrumental Music

Instrumental Music students started the term with a Masterclass led by Dr Robert Davidson, Head of Composition, School of Music, University of Queensland, who provided an inspiring workshop with Chamber Strings.

Chamber Strings are rehearsing an original composition by Dr Davidson - so it was invaluable to gain first-hand insight into approaches to performing it, in addition to tips for high-level ensemble playing and encouragement for budding composers. 

A big thank you to our percussion specialist, Tania Savage for her efforts at our school this year. She will be going on extended leave mid-Term 3 so we wish her well and congratulate her on her long service to music, in particular, percussion.

Expressions of Interest will soon be open for private tutor instruction - in voice, guitar and piano/keyboard - so keep an eye out for communications about this. Any student wishing to start or recommence group lessons at school in strings, woodwind, brass or percussion this semester should notify one of our Instrumental Music staff as soon as possible.

Robert Davidson is Head of Composition at the University of Queensland. After studying composition with Terry Riley, he formed his quintet Topology, resident at the Brisbane Powerhouse, with whom he regularly tours internationally in venues including New York's Lincoln Center and London's Barbican. His music is focused on stylistic pluralism, intersections between music and language, and improvisation. His research focuses on modelling musical intelligence, qualitative studies of creativity and collaboration, music's relationship with language, and practice-based research.  All of Australia's professional orchestras and many leading soloists and ensembles have commissioned and performed his works. He has received many commissions for major works from festivals and venues including the Barbican Centre, Lincoln Center, Qld Music Festival, Brisbane Festival, Sydney Festival, Olympics Arts Festival, Canberra International Music Festival and many others. With Topology he has released twelve albums and a DVD. He has collaborated widely, with artists including The Brodsky Quartet, The Kransky Sisters, Gerry Connolly, Kate Miller-Heidke, Katie Noonan, Ed Kuepper, the Southern Cross Soloists, Trichotomy, The Australian Voices, William Barton and Abhinaya Theatre (India).  One of Davidson's areas of interest is in making music from the intonation of recorded speech. Well-known works in this area include Not Now, Not Ever! for choir with Julia Gillard's Misogyny speech, and Big Decisions narrating the events of the Whitlam Dismissal. An album of Prime Minister speeches, The Singing Politician, was released in 2016 with The Australian Voices and Topology. His 2017 work Stalin's Piano for pianist Sonya Lifschitz has been featured widely in festivals around the world, including at London's Barbican Centre where it received 4-star reviews. 

 

Robert Davidson studied composition with Terry Riley in California and New York, and completed a PhD in composition at the University of Queensland. He previously studied South Indian vocal music in Kerala, India. He was a bassist in the Australian Opera, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and Queensland Symphony Orchestra, taking up a role as Senior Lecturer in Composition at University of Queensland, following a similar role at Queensland University of Technology.

 

“Elegy” is an attractive and popular work that has been used in film and theatre, with soaring overlapping melodies and an obsessive, ruminating triadic figure creating a sense of sweet melancholy.

Upcoming event
Our next evening concert will be held at the Auditorium on Thursday 2 September starting at 6.30pm (straight after the closing event for the Senior Visual Art Exhibition). Large ensembles will be featured, alongside chamber music groups, so we look forward to seeing you there.

Gregory Thompson, Instrumental Music Coordinator
gdtho0@@eq.edu.au

From Corporate Services

Facilities Infrastructure News
During the holiday break, the facilities team were busy upgrading and improving areas around the school including:

• Additional shade shelters F, G and H Block
• Resurfacing of the Miskin Street drop off area
• New face lift for the Year 12 Senior Area  (refer to photos below)
• New House boards in the Courtyard
• Upgrade of classrooms in H1, H2, G1 and G2
• Upgrade of network cabling and AV equipment in D Block
• Internal painting of the Lecture Theatre
• Rejuvenating gardens in front of the school.

We are very excited to see our students utilising these new and improved areas.

Refectory/Tuckshop
The Refectory/Tuckshop is open every school day from 7.00am to 3.00pm. We recommend students jump the queue and order online through Flexischool. Click here to log in or register a new account for Flexischool 

The Corporate Services Team values feedback about our facilities, so if you or your child has anything to report or advise, please email facilitiesrequest@qasmt.eq.edu.au.

Corporate Services Team - Sharon Prentice and Kelli Gallagher

Do you know any families who are considering joining our QASMT community?

During August's National Science Week, QASMT will be showcased to the wider community via two events:

1. Science Week Academy Tours:

1. • Led by QASMT students, there are seven different tour times available, 16-19 August - for families considering Year 7 entry in 2023;

2. Science Week 'On Display' (18 August 3.30pm):

• • Visitors will witness QASMT students present their science and community projects designed to solve real world problems. 

All visitors to our campus during National Science Week, must register first. Visitors should refer to our website to register, or email the School Marketing Team via marketing@qasmt.eq.edu.au.

Experience National Science Week at Queensland Academy for Science Mathematics and Technology, Queensland's top performing secondary school.

Be inspired as QASMT students  present their very own science and community research projects designed to solve real world problems. 

School Marketing Team - Kirsten Smallcombe and Katie Casey

From the P&C

Message from the P&C President

Welcome to Term 3!

It is fantastic to see so many parents involved with our P&C activities. With our membership on the increase, we are in a really strong position to support activities in the school community.

This term, we will be inviting volunteers to help out with events. The first of these will be the STEM and Languages Precinct Opening on Friday, 20 August. Further details will be communicated shortly.

Thank you to all who lobbied for our Translink QASMT school bus. It has been great to see a large number of students using the service (refer to the bus route below). More details on the Brisbane City Council bus service S744 can be found on the Translink website.

Another big thank you goes to our Facilities team for the surfacing of the Gate 7 area off Miskin Street. Everyone will agree that this is a massive improvement to the drop off facilities and I would encourage parents to use Gate 7 as the preferred drop off/ pick up point.

I would also like to request the community to sign a petition to Council for a footpath on Miskin Street. Please follow this link to the petition:

https://www.epetitions.brisbane.qld.gov.au/petition/view/pid/1064

All parents are welcome to our P&C Meetings. Below are General Meeting dates for the rest of the year:

• Monday 2 August
  
• Tuesday 5 October
• Monday 15 November.

Tea/ Coffee and refreshments are available from 5.30 pm, with the meeting starting at 6.00pm.

Thank you for your continued engagement and support for our wonderful school and we hope to see you at one of our upcoming events.

Thank you for your continued engagement and support for our wonderful school.

Winand D’Souza, QASMT P&C President

QASMT P&C FUNDRAISING

The QASMT P&C would like to thank the sponsors below,
who pay to advertise their services at the back of our newsletters.
All advertising queries should be directed to the P&C via email (qasmtpandc@gmail.com).