Term in Review - 24 June 2022

Thank you P&C and Parent Volunteers
To our P&C and parent volunteers, thank you for all your efforts and in particular your support at the Festival of Creativity, your offerings were very much appreciated by all in attendance. Thank you also for continuing to support your students in their learning endeavours.

Thank you Students
To our students, thank you for continuing to put in your best effort in your learning every day. Your commitment to your education is evident in every lesson and through the high standard of work you produce. To our student leaders and ambassadors, thank you so much for all you do to enrich student life at QASMT, there have been so many fantastic activities to engage in this term and we really appreciate your efforts for the QASMT community.

We wish all students and families a relaxing and refreshing end of semester break and look forward to welcoming you back for Term 3.

School Opinion Survey
The annual suite of School Opinion Surveys will be conducted in Term 3 and will close on 12 August 2022. All families, school staff and students in target year levels (5, 6, 8 and 11) will be invited to participate. We encourage you to take this opportunity to have your say about what our Academy does well, and how we can improve.

An invitation to complete the Parent/Caregiver Survey will be emailed to one parent/caregiver per family in the week beginning 11 July. The invitation will be sent from the Department of Education, not the school, and it will have the subject line School Opinion Survey for parents and caregivers, 2022. Check your junk email folders if you cannot find it. The survey can be completed as soon as the invitation is received and will take approximately five minutes using a computer, tablet or smart phone. 

Term highlights
The time has finally come when our Year 12 students have finished all of the subjects’ internal assessment. The road to mocks and final exams is almost clear, with only the Theory of Knowledge and Extended Essays left to completed. Our Year 11 students continue with the diploma journey, completing several practice internal assessments across the term. They also enjoyed Year 11 Leadership Camp this term where they developed plans for how they would provide service to their school community and make their mark as leaders. Significantly, our Year 10 students have now completed their Semester 1 courses, including their STEM Futures electives and with the subject selections are now moving towards their Diploma Preparation Program in Year 10.

Spotlight on the IB: The Inner Core, CAS
With the highly successful Festival of Creativity the term, I thought it might be an opportune time to reflect on creativity, activity, service (CAS), which is at the heart of the Diploma Programme. With its well-rounded approach, CAS is designed to extend students’ personal and interpersonal learning from the Middle Years Programme (MYP) through to the DP.

Creativity involves producing and original or interpretive product or performance by developing and exploring ideas.

Activity contributes to our students’ healthy lifestyle through activities that involve physical exertion.

Service involves students engaging with the community to respond to an authentic need.

CAS aims to develop students who:

• enjoy and find significance in a range of CAS experiences
• purposefully reflect upon their experiences
• identify goals, develop strategies and determine further actions for personal growth
• explore new possibilities, embrace new challenges and adapt to new roles
• actively participate in planned, sustained and collaborative CAS projects
• understand they are members of local and global communities with responsibilities towards each other and the environment. (IBO, 2017)

The IB has produced the following video (see link below), with students, alumni and teachers outlining how a DP education is applied in everyday life. The unique experiences of the DP prepare students to be successful for themselves and others. 

MYP Extension process
All students must follow the same process for extensions and that is through myself as MYP Coordinator.
Emails are directed to: middleyearscoordinator@qasmt.eq.edu.au
This inbox is checked at the start and/or end of the school day. Sometimes a response can take up to 36 hours as I need to clarify additional information regarding the assessment with a teacher or Head of Department. Emails are not checked over the weekend. The process for exams and other assessment types is attached to the form. Exams are a ‘return to school’ sitting in most cases, while depending on the type, number of days absent and reason, being given a new date can vary. Extension requests can also be rejected. More information can be found on the MYP Extension form which has been emailed to students.

Be proud of our uniform
My car was recently being serviced so I caught public transport that day. It was very pleasing seeing our students wearing the correct uniform proudly and standing to allow adults seats during the peak hour train. A friendly reminder to students that the blazer must be worn to and from school during Terms 2 and 3 plus all special occasions, formal assemblies and excursions.

I was impressed by the vast panel of speakers but especially the students who shared their stories of multiculturalism and arriving as an asylum seeker less than a year ago, including the struggles they navigated at immigration and trying to enrol in a Queensland school. A First Nation student discussed the importance of cultural education, and the positive impact of sharing his culture and history with students whose heritage is not first nation, and the positive effect this had on him. There was the mother of a child with a disability who spoke of the importance of communication with his teachers as he transitioned through primary school. Listening to these experiences and the barriers people face helps give insight into the importance of ensuring we have an inclusive community.

One of the keynote speakers, Dr Dinesh Palipana, gave an inspirational insight into his journey in becoming a doctor and Lawyer as a quadriplegic. His story included sharing the events of his work in the Emergency Department on the night before the conference! It was quite comical and attested to his profound sense of self belief but also belief in others. His key focus was the importance on having champions in your life; a champion being someone who believes in you, supports you and encourages you, but also stands up for you when you may not be able to do so yourself. His message was profound. He discussed his champions being the educators he had throughout his high school and tertiary years. His determination to continue to study medicine and become a doctor after his accident was one of pure determination, and his focus on the importance of removing barriers was inspirational. 

Tour: Art and this Place
Excerpt from QAGOMA
“Engage with artworks and the stories they tell and reflect on the long history of this place. On this tour, you’ll hear from First Nations storytellers and creatives as they highlight artworks from QAGOMA’s Indigenous Australian Art Collection and explore the complex stories of history, culture and place that they tell. In this season’s tour, explore the work of artists Judy Watson, Doreen Reid Nakamarra, Ryan Presley and Vernon Ah Kee. This season’s facilitator: Sam Harrison. Sam is an emerging Brisbane-based artist and curator of Kamilaroi and Wiradjuri decent. Free, bookings required. Capacity is limited. Held during NAIDOC Week (3 – 10 July) in celebration and recognition of the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.” https://www.naidoc.org.au/

At the Academy on the first Monday of Term 3 we will decorate the courtyard and hold yarning circles. Yarning circles are the place for telling stories of culture and connection to country. Students will have the opportunity to share in the circles where they feel most connected to country.  We will also be giving students a wristband in acknowledgement of NAIDOC week. There will be a mindful activity that involves colouring First Nations drawing templates.

Student Leadership
This term students from Years 7-11 were sent the student leadership application package.  Students have an opportunity to apply for several leadership positions inclusive of Academy Captains, House Leaders and twelve different leadership portfolios. Every year the University of Queensland hosts free student leadership workshops.

Year 10
During Semester 1, all Year 10 students completed Certificate II of Sampling plus Management Certificate III of Laboratory Skills.  Every Wednesday afternoon during period 5 our Year 10 students worked on theory units for both certificates. In Week 7, all Year 10 students undertook the practical component of the certificates here in the QASMT labs, delivered by ABC Training and Consulting. It was a big week for our students but also for our laboratory assistants and we thank everyone involved in ensuring that this week was a success. It was wonderful watching students so actively engaged and the smiles on their faces when they received notification that they had completed the course and were now qualified in both certificates.

For our Year 10 students, a four-day intensive session in the laboratories included some of the following:

• Participating in environmentally sustainable work practices
• Collecting routine site samples
• Planning and conducting laboratory/field work
• Performing calibration checks on equipment and assisting with its maintenance.

Student feedback was positive, with all students enjoying the experiments, particularly the collection of water samples. The opportunities they had to work together in groups and collaborate with peers was welcomed and instructors were informative and engaging.

This certificate supports not only obtaining a QCE but can also support direct entry into some universities as an alternative pathway. It offers students a qualification that can be used to gain employment whilst studying during their senior years and after they leave school.

Staff Update
In May we welcomed two new members of staff to the faculty teaching team. Ms Jane Lister and Ms June Balfour have made wonderful contributions to the study of English Language and Literature for our students. Please join me in welcoming them when the opportunity presents itself.

Dialogues: What's Wrong with TikTok?
On Friday 6 May, we held our inaugural Dialogues event at the school. The purpose of a Dialogues event is to stimulate genuine dialogue about big ideas and issues through constructive and civil discourse. A massive “thank you” goes to Ms Rebecca Jones who coordinated the event and arranged for the discourse to be chaired by Dr Shahar Hameiri, Associate Professor in Political Science and International Studies at UQ. Dr Hameiri moderated a dialogue that addressed the topic: What's Wrong with TikTok?. It was great to see the community engage with the event, with the audience comprising many members of staff, students, and parents.

MYP Curriculum Update
In terms of MYP curriculum, Our Year 7 students completed oral presentations in which they analysed a character from the novel Wonder. Our Year 8 students showed their ability to reconcile complex historical events with literature through a study of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Our Year 9 students creatively completed vignettes in which they demonstrated their knowledge of the novel Life of Pi while showing how they could mould and manipulate language for effect.

DP Curriculum Update
At DPP and DP level, our Year 10 students explored a variety of non-literary persuasive texts in both an examination and through an oral presentation. Year 11 took a significant step in their diploma journey as they performed a “Mini Individual Oral” based on the works of New York photographer Brandon Stanton. Our Year 12 Higher Level students submitted their final Internal Assessment in the Higher-Level Essay while simultaneously preparing for November’s Paper 1. The Year 12 Standard Level students also continued to work toward their final examinations at the end of the course by practicing Paper 1 skills through a study of the work of Kanye West.

Year 7 German Excursion to Lone Pine
On 7 June, Year 7 German students attended German Zoo Day with their classroom teachers, Frau Wilson and Frau Reynolds, as part of the German Year 7 Program. Students were immersed in conversational German throughout the entire day, and they had lots of fun.

Year 12 German End of Studies
Year 12 German students completed their final exams on Tuesday June 10 and Wednesday 11 May 2022. Frau Wilson and her students have worked incredibly hard, and we are very proud of them.

MYP Curriculum
Group 2 is currently working on revising and further embedding the ATL (Approaches to Learning) and ATT (Approaches to Teaching) in our MYP curriculum and we have been working hard on procuring resources, sharing thoughts and engaging in constructive discussions. Staff are consistently engaging in discussions around student achievement data and collective responsibility, to ensure optimal student outcomes, particularly for our lift, push and stretch students.

DPP Curriculum (Year 10)
Our Year 10 students who started with us in Year 10 are preparing for to embark on their SL or HL studies in Language B as of Term 3. Term 1 and Term 2 have proved a challenge to the students as they come to terms with the more advanced level of subject matter and expectations, but they are starting to acclimatize well. All our languages have free lunch time or after school tutorials available to students, they should contact their classroom teacher for more information as to session times and locations.

Teachers Mr Ishii (Japanese) and I (French) are currently completing a workshop in Language B and will ensure to bring back lots of great resources to the faculty for use in further developing the curriculum.

Stay safe over the holidays and remember that if students choose to study, make sure they balance time effectively between revision and relaxation to avoid a burn out.

Music
Year 7 Classroom Music
Year 7 Music students have explored the relationship between human displacement, it’s effect on people, their music, culture and social contexts through Musical Theatre Productions. Many famous music productions explore these themes, and the music of these showstoppers is moving, profound and significant. The cohort collaboratively learned about how the works are put together and what makes them memorable and effective. Students enjoyed performing by singing or playing instruments to fully discover the musical theatre genre and all the elements of music that tells stories. In a culmination of their learning across the term, students conceptualised their own Musical Theatre Production and composed excerpts from original songs. In groups, they pitched their new musical theatre concepts to an imaginary panel of producers from a local performing arts centre.

Visual Art

Working in pairs, the Year 8s have researched an influencer from the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics and sculpted a bust of their hero along with key props. These have been used to create short stop motion animations. The students have gained valuable Media skills in collaboration, storyboarding, time management and creative thinking.

This term the Year 9 Artists as Changemakers students learnt about the world of Still Life painting and its origins. This seemingly innocuous artform has its roots in human's early creation of art. From representing man-made or natural objects, cut flowers, fruit, vegetables, fish and game, to celebrating material pleasures and earthly delights such as food, wine and exotic foods. Overtime, the Still Life genre became embedded in symbolism, often a warning of the ephemerality of these pleasures and of the brevity of human life.

These Still Life paintings are representative of the time in which we live. Our young artists have chosen imagery to denote their lives and the issues we all face in this contemporary era.

This term the Year 12 Visual Arts students have participated in panel discussions reviewing each other’s work and discussing ways forward for their work. They submitted their final Process Portfolio and are busily working toward finalising nine artworks ready for their exhibition in Week 5, Term 3.

Year 9 STEM Futures

What a term! The Maker Space has been buzzing as Disrupting the Market students put their design skills to the test and collaborated on suites of merchandise promoting pivots for Australian businesses. The laser cutter has been working in overdrive as students tested design ideas, conducted market research, trialled new materials and created their prototypes. From sauce and spice racks to ice-cream cone holders and popcorn boxes, to winter comforts of pillows and blankets, the Semester 1 Disrupting the Market students have exceeded my expectations in every way. Well done to you all. We are looking forward to the Semester 2 students matching with creativity and business prowess.

Future of Automation students used their mechatronic skills to automate a system in their homes. Using microcontrollers, they designed, created, and coded a prototype solution to automating that system. Did their system reduce environmental impacts? They will be able to tell you.

Festival of Creativity
On 10 June, our school community came together for a memorable Festival of Creativity - an annual showcase of the arts at QASMT. Staff and student entries were on display at the Visual Arts exhibition complemented by class artwork in K Block. Creative Writing was on display in K Block as well. Through the night, students performed solo and in groups. The auditorium stage came alive with dancing, singing, spoken word and music. Our production team of students and teachers ensured sound and lighting supported the efforts of our performers and the outdoor stage was pumping with rock, pop and jazz with a large crowd gathering around. In the heart of the square outside, parents worked hard to serve delicious food from around the world. The QASMT community participated in a fun night of celebration of our student’s achievements and appreciated the importance of creativity in our everyday lives. This year, we also had a uniform free day supporting the Sheila Foundation, a charity supporting gender equality in visual arts in Australia. Thank you to the P&C, teachers and students who made the Festival of Creativity such a wonderful success and we hope to see you again next year!

Instrumental Music
Congratulations to our students and teachers who travelled to Creative Generation Fanfare 2022 State School Festival of Bands and Orchestras on Wednesday 8 June at Kenmore. Our musicians represented our school to a very high level with a high level of effort, behaviour and dedication across all groups. Ensembles were Chamber Strings, Vivace Strings, Bravura Strings, Percussion Ensemble, Wind Orchestra, The Red Jackets Big Band, Percussion Ensemble II and Big Band. Conductors were Rebekkah Baumgartner, Sue Berti, Dean Fanning and Greg Thompson. Some remarks from the adjudicator include:

• What a treat to hear a new Australian piece for strings - a joy!
• An immensely enjoyable performance today.
• Great opening balance in the rhythm section - terrific subtle drumming! Very pleasing saxophone blend.
• Good focus, so well done to you all...you are ready to play some more challenging music.
• Awesome trumpet colour in the solo - wow!
• What a beautiful, thoughtful opening! Some fine listening skills on display.
• Thank you for your beautiful soft playing.
• You are clearly skilled musicians, with many years of combined experience.

Travelling to Fanfare gave our students a memorable experience of performing off-campus and we look forward to planning future opportunities for our students to represent our school.

Thank you to our loyal audience who braved the weather to attend our Instrumental and Vocal Music Evening Concert in May. It provided a fantastic opportunity for our musicians and their conductors to share music for an appreciative audience. Our next concert is on Tuesday 9 August starting at 6:00pm in the QASMT Auditorium.

On Friday 15 July, our students are involved in the Queensland Symphony Orchestra finals presentation of the 2022 Connect Compose Project, directed by Craig Allister Young. The QSO Connect Ensemble, conducted by Katie Betts, will present new compositions by our next generation of student composers – 7:00pm - 8:30pm QSO Studio, ABC Building, Southbank. Other schools attending are Brisbane State High School, Narangba Valley State High School and St Augustine’s College. Kanak R (Year 12) has composed 'Cacoethes' which will be performed separate to a combined piece by Year 7 students Jessie F, Abby H and Ting L.

Congratulations to students who were successful in their nominations for Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University State Honours Ensemble Program South-East QLD 2022. Joy C (Clarinet), Ian L (Violin), Terrie S (Viola), and Noah Z (Viola) will spend three intensive days in rehearsals, workshops and performances in July.

Year 7 Individuals and Societies
Grade 7s spent Term 2 learning about what makes cities liveable, as well as a range of geographic skills. Teachers took the cohort out to South Bank to practice field work and gather data; students did field sketches, observed demographic groups, recognised liveability features, and used these findings to inspire a recommendation to enhance liveability in their own neighbourhood. The students enjoyed the Brisbane sign and exploring the different precincts.

Year 9 Cultural Revolution
Students spent much of Term 2 engaged in a historical inquiry into movements for change in Australia during the post-WWII period. Students investigated noteworthy events including the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement. In the final weeks of the term, students explored the messages of Australian rock’n’roll, discovering some new sounds along the way. The 2022 Year 9 History students have excelled across their assessments, and it has been a pleasure to guide them through an exploration of Australia. I hope to see them all continue their study in the discipline of history into the future.

Gen (In) Innovation Challenge
The Gen (In) innovation challenge is a competition run through UQ Ventures to encourage high school students to develop real-world skills in becoming an entrepreneur and an innovator. The competition is run each year and this year we had two teams totalling five students from Year 10 reach the final round of ten teams.
The students spent two days with UQ Ventures this term. The first day was to further develop and refine their business idea and work on their pitch for their proposed product. Mentors from UQ Ventures worked with the students throughout the day. The second day was the finalist teams completing their pitches in front of a panel of experts including staff from UQ Ventures. Despite all their best efforts, our students did not reach the final three teams but gained a wide range of skills from this experience.
Congratulations to Akanksha, Tanisha, Saanvi, Aadi, Joshua.

Year 10 Inside Your Head
This term the focus has been on exploring intelligence and different neurotypes. Students explored historical understandings of intelligence and more recent iterations that consider different types of intelligence such as, Howard Gardner’s Multiple intelligences and Emotional Intelligence. More recently we looked at Savant ability and have been exploring Theory of Mind using research by Baron-Cohen. One interesting task we did was to complete a similar ‘reading the eyes’ test using the following link, try it, see how you go.

Year 12 Economics
Congratulations to all Year 12 Economics students for submitting their final IA as part of their portfolio. We are proud of your efforts given the circumstances of the last two years. Well done too for dealing with the new rubric requirements of the portfolio. This term we learned content on International Economics, covering international trade, protectionism, exchange rates and the balance of payments. We wish you all the best for the coming exams.

From the ToK Coordinator David King

DP1 TOK
This term in DP1 Theory of Knowledge, we considered the theme of knowledge and language and the importance of this in terms of knowledge acquisition and production. We also started to look at an area of knowledge, The Arts, which has strong connections to this theme as our students’ study Language and Literature and an Ab initio language subject.

The assessment this term was another practice commentary of 350 words in preparation for their final exhibition task. We will commence this task later in Term 3.

DP2 TOK
This term in DP2 Theory of Knowledge, the students submitted their draft essays and have received feedback on their work. They now can obtain more feedback from their family and friends and gain more perspectives which can be used in their essays. The final essay is due for submission in early Term 3.

Year 9 – 10 STEM Future students
Our Year 9 students have now completed their semester courses in Biochemical Solutions, Fuelling the Planet, Medical Physics and World of Reactions. It has been wonderful to walk through classrooms and see students learning about biochemical reactions, calorimetry, the electromagnetic spectrum, and how to balance chemical equations. Well done to all our Year 9 students and their families for a successful start to the Year 9 STEM Futures Science courses, and we look forward to seeing the students in their chosen courses next term!

Our Year 10 Future Materials students have focussed on polymers this term. Students delved into the differences between natural and synthetic polymers, and to understand these they have learned about the chemistry involved, including covalent bonding, polarity, intermolecular forces and ionic bonding. Students were treated to a guest lecture by UQ lecturer Bronwyn L who spoke about biodegradable polymers and their role in the circular economy.

Year 10 Journey to Earth X
Our Year 10 Journey to Earth X students completed their course this term covering the concepts behind traveling in interstellar space, and landing on Proxima b. Their learnings took them through observing stars, stellar evolution, Hertzsprung-Russell diagrams, finding exoplanets, energy and momentum. One of the highlights of the semester for these students was the trip to Dreamworld to collect data for their investigation!

Extracurricular Science Updates
A huge celebratory shout-out must go to all the students and teachers who participated this term in Astronomy club, Crystal-growing club, Art in Science club and in the Regional RACI Titration Competition. Although there has been record rain this season, the students in Astronomy club met regularly and still caught this wonderful image of a rainbow over our R2D2 telescope.

Regional RACI Titration Competition
A few weeks ago, Mr Pearce took 18 Year 10 students (in self-chosen teams of three) to the Regional RACI Titration Competition at Griffith University and we are extremely excited to announce that Kelvin C, Gabriel P and Aiden T placed second, and Agnes C, Lillian N and Riddisha U placed third.

All our students were exemplary at the competition, and we are looking forward to hearing how our students go in the next phase – the National Competition!

Crystal Growing Club
Over the course of Term 2 we have had two science specific CCAs running with great success: Crystal-growing club and Art in Science club. Our Crystal-growing club has produced some fantastic crystals, and we are currently carefully wrapping them in bubble wrap to send off to compete in the state competition - we will report back to you how they go. Our Art in Science club has been chasing the perfect representation of art in science, and the students seem to have been having a lot of fun as they go!

STEM Seminars
This term we were lucky to have four outstanding STEM Seminars from UQ guest speakers:

Year 7 Science
Year 7 students compared renewable and non-renewable resources this term. They looked at needs versus wants with regards to the resources that they consume, and they explored different renewable energy resources. During the second half of the term Maths and Science combined for the interdisciplinary unit (IDU). Students explored the solar system, investigated the Earth’s rotation and applied this understanding to interpret seasonal 

Year 9 Sustainable Futures
Year 9 Sustainable Futures became future city developers this term. They had to identify a current issue that their chosen city aspect has. For example, students that chose water management explored concepts around water production through desalination and greywater recycling. They also looked at affordability for the consumer. Each group then developed a ‘mini build’ that focused on solutions to their current issue. Students evaluated their solutions to see whether it would work on a larger scale. They all put their builds together to make one big city of the future.

Year 10 Medical Biotechnology
Year 10 Medical Biotechnology students worked through the immune system this term. They learned about different types of pathogens, how they infected their hosts, and how our immune systems fight these unwanted visitors. They investigated the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria over time and used this knowledge to analyse the WHO antimicrobial resistance report.

UQ Women in Engineering
On Thursday 5 May, a group of Year 9 students attended the UQ Women in Engineering annual explore day. This was an opportunity to experience different engineering disciplines in fun hands-on way, with workshops like ‘Giving Movement Back’ where students look at building a prosthetic limb, and ‘Sun Smart Code’ where students develop a code for a UV detection device. Helly P has written about her experience on the day:

“A day at UQ was a great opportunity and experience that we will never forget. We began the day with a range of activities such as working with renewable energy or creating better pathways to health. As the day went by, we learnt so many things about engineering, its benefits and much more. Such as cryptography and the different parts of civil engineering. It was an awesome time for all of us. It really taught us a lot about how we can take engineering in university after school.” Helly P Year 9

UQ Laureate Future Forum
QASMT were privileged to receive an invitation to the inaugural UQ Laureate Future Forums event on Monday 23 May. Two enthusiastic students, Felix C and Rakhita F, made their way to Customs House to listen to Professor Hugh Possingham, Queensland Chief Scientist, talk about ‘Five reasons why environmentalists and scientists annoy me, even though I am one.’ They were accompanied by Dr Gabriela Shuster and me. The presentation was followed by a panel discussion facilitated by ABC Radio National Broadcaster and journalists, Cathy Van Extel. The panel consisted of Environmental Consultant, Imogen Zethoven, Environmental Lawyer, Revel Pointon, and UQ ARC Laureate Fellow and Economist, Professor John Quiggin. The presentation was engaging and thought provoking, and made the audience consider other perspectives on how to tackle the current big environmental issues. The panel discussion was followed by a networking event, where Felix and Rakhita had a great discussion with Professor Possingham. The event was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone attending, with discussion continuing afterwards. The evening was recorded for the ABC Big Ideas podcast if you wish to hear what was discussed. Felix C has written about his experience on the day:

“On Monday 23 May 2022, we visited The Customs House near the Brisbane River to attend the Inaugural UQ Laureate Future Forum. We both loved the experience as we could chat with environmental professionals such as Professor Hugh Possingham, Queensland Chief Scientist, and listen to an open-minded discussion about environmental change and ‘five reasons why environmentalists and scientists annoy me, even though I am one.’ Throughout the three hours of interesting conversations and questions, we both could gain a deeper understanding and a more critical and flexible view regarding the environment. The atmosphere was lovely – with finger food and drinks, as well as being surrounded by A LOT of professionals in the field. After Professor Hugh Possingham’s presentation, followed by a panel discussion, we were able to ask questions to Professor Possingham as we were eager and curious about how we, as students, could make a beneficial change to the environment. Overall, the night was spectacular and if anyone has the opportunity to attend a forum or panel held by professionals, take it!” Felix C Year 10

Sustainability Week
Week 8 was Sustainability Week. With the theme of “Life on Land” and a focus on the Sustainable Development Goal #15, the Environmental and Biodiversity team and Plastic Oceans team planned a lot of great activities. The week started with sew less bag making, where students recycled old t-shirts and singlets into reusable bags. Throughout the week, a biodiversity scavenger hunt was on! Students were given riddles to see if they could find different environmental and sustainable themed items. We also had an environmental lawyer come in to speak as part of the STEM seminar series. Dr Chris McGrath talked about what he did, how he got to where he is now (which included some really interesting cases), and how students could make a difference towards environmental issues. Overall, the week was fun and interesting. It raised awareness of environmental issues and engaged students in sustainable activities.

What else has been going on in Mathematics classrooms in Term 2
Year 8 students have been considering the costs involved in running an online business in the ‘Money, Money, Money’ unit. They have had to work out the costs involved if they mark up their product by 40% and try to find out how many items, they need to sell to make a profit of $400. This project has allowed them to see the use of mathematics in real-life contexts and improve their communicating skills.

The Year 7 classes started the term working on fractions and decimals. The students demonstrated the knowledge and skills they have gained since the beginning of the year in their first Criterion A (Knowledge) test in Week 6. Following this they started the Interdisciplinary Unit (IDU) with science where they have considered aspects of Earth and space sciences, and data representation and interpretations during their Science and Maths lessons.

Trigonometry, measurement, statistics and quadratics have been the topics that have engaged the Year 10 students. They will complete two exams in the exam block in preparation for the move to their new subjects (Maths AA or AI) next term.

In DP, our Year 11 students have been busy learning new coursework while the Year 12s finalise what they need to know for November exams. This term has also been a busy one for Year 12 students who have worked very hard to complete their final IA – a Maths exploration on a topic of their own choice.

Maths Enrichment
During Term 2, students have been able to participate in several enrichment opportunities. The lunch time CCAs, Maths Challenge club and Maths Problem Solving club, have been well attended. One hundred students also worked for four weeks through the Maths Challenge booklet from the Australian Maths Trust. Results for this will not be known until Term 4. A small number of students who entered this challenge have been invited to join the Maths Enrichment Challenge in Term 3.

We do, however, have results for some of the competitions that we offered in Term 1, and we are very excited to announce the following great news:

UQ/QASMT Problem Solving Challenge
This two-hour competition required students to solve five challenging questions and was held in March. We have received results, but certificates are yet to arrive.

Congratulations to:    

C Loughlin (Year 11)              First Place

I Chan (Year 8)                       Second Place

A Ding (Year 7)                       Third place

Tiffany T (Year 7), Nicole G (Year 8), Katherine L (Year 9), Kelvin C (Year 10), Tom W (Year 11), Kieran T and Sam R (Year 12) – Highly Commended

KSF (Kangourou Sans Frontieres)
179 students competed in this online competition, held during Term 1. Two of these students received High Distinctions – congratulations to Aratrik (Year 11) and Ian (Year 9). Twenty-nine students were awarded Distinctions, which is also a great achievement.

Metropolitan West Team Challenge
QASMT students competed at this annual event, held at Indooroopilly SHS in May, with great success. Our Senior Teams placed first and second and our Intermediate Team also placed first. Congratulations to Kelvin, Victoria, Siddarth, Ian and Katherine (Intermediate Winners), and Jessica, Emrys, Sam, Aratrik and Richard (Senior- First place). Our junior team performed admirably in a very tight field. Thank you also to Tom for supervising the Junior Team.

Co-curricular Activities Program
Our CCA club continues to grow, with our amazing teachers and volunteers offering some great opportunities for students to take risks, be open minded and try something new. It was pleasing to see our Quidditch club gaining momentum, with students engaging in creative and challenging ways to get active. Run club was also beneficial in preparing students for the upcoming carnivals of the term. We also welcomed back our Model United Nations club, providing opportunities to further learn about the United Nations and educate participants about world issues. What a terrific way to foster international mindedness.

Representative Sport
Term 2 saw the very successful cross-country and athletics carnivals, and war cry competitions. The cross-country competition in Week 1 saw a new course around the school that really pushed the students. There wase also a range of fun games for students to participate in such as water balloon throwing and dodge ball. Well done to Curie house for winning the cross-country competition.

The athletics carnival was held off-site at UQ for the first time in QASMT history and proved to be a great success. Once again QASMT students showed their adaptability by participating in a range of activities such as shot put, high jump and 100m and 200m sprints. The spirit and enthusiasm on display was excellent and some of the athletic endeavours were outstanding. Congratulations to Da Vinci house for winning the day.

There have been several notable efforts in representative sport in Term 2. In particular, Toson A and Ella K made the Regional Met West football and cross-country teams, respectively. This is an outstanding effort. District representatives are shown below.

Curriculum – Year 8 and 10 Spotlight
This term, our Year 8s entered the realm of personal training, learning about the fundamentals of fitness. Students love engaging in our fitness-based games including fit-opoly and baseball fitness. Planning and embedding a personalised training program and partaking in fitness challenges was a great way to emphasise the importance of fitness in many facets of their life, now and in the future.

In Peak Performance, students have been getting a small taste of what it is like to conduct research in the context of sport, health and exercise. They conducted valuable field research on our Year 9 Healthy Futures students. With this curriculum cross over, our Year 9s were able to learn about their strengths and weaknesses in volleyball and our Year 10s gained valuable clinical experience working with human subjects. Their research was then compiled in a culminating project write-up, providing excellent preparation for the coming years, whilst engaging students in collaboration and communication skills that can be used beyond the classroom.

Year 11 Leadership Camp
Year 11 Leadership Camp at Mapleton was a great success. Students engaged in all the activities, and it was great to hear Agnesi students laughing and cheering one another on. I think the future of Agnesi House is in capable hands judging by the number of students who have indicated they will be applying for a leadership position. I wish them all the best of luck.

Year 7 Camp
Year 7 Camp at Camp Warrawee provided an opportunity for Year 7 Agnesi students to get to know one another. I hope the connections made through their shared experiences and challenges on camp will allow them to form bonds that will last through to Year 12 and beyond.

NAPLAN
Year 7 and Year 9 Agnesi students embarked on NAPLAN testing in Term 2 and sailed through all aspects of the national test without any problems. Well done to everybody involved.

Festival of Creativity
Agnesi has Talent! Students from Agnesi House participated in all aspects of the recent Festival of Creativity. From what I saw on the night there is a huge wealth of talent in Agnesi House. I went through the list of students involved and was inspired by the sheer number of students involved. In particular, Liesel A gave a very moving performance on the cello.

House Communications
Term 2 saw the Agnesi Angle newsletter resurrected from lockdown and rebranded as The Fortnight Ahead. The Agnesi Angle allows to us to share house news and provide a timely update on upcoming events and important announcements. I look forward to seeing how it grows.

Positive Education
Year 8 have focused on developing compassion and empathy through the module ‘Walking in Other People’s Shoes.’ This has provided students with an opportunity to discuss how to interact with one another in more meaningful ways and how to follow the QASMT protocols of Showing Respect, Maintaining Safety and Taking Responsibility.

Year 9 Agnesi students continue to prepare for the journey and have been unpacking the concept of the ‘Iceberg’. This involves understanding our perception of what we see above the water is only a fraction of ourselves and that what lies beneath the water holds greater meaning should we take time to explore it.

Welcome to Curie Year 10 and 7 students
Due to COVID restrictions that were in place for most of Term 1, this term was the first opportunity for us to come together and have our first physical house assembly for 2022. During the assembly it was lovely to take time to welcome the new Year 10 and Year 7 students with a warm round of applause and present them with their Curie badges.

Athletics Carnival
After a few years of COVID disruptions, this year saw the Athletics take place on the tartan track at the University of Queensland. After a few weeks of wet weather, the clouds cleared to reveal stunning blue skies and glorious sunshine on the day. The day started with each house performing their war cry before students were able to participate in 100m, 200m and 400m sprints, as well as an array of field events including long jump, shotput and high jump. To conclude the day on a high note, the much-anticipated house relays took place. Thank you to the EOTC department for making the day such an enormous success!

Congratulations to Toson and Antonio who won numerous events and were awarded male age champion for their year levels. I am pleased to announce that Curie House placed second for the war cry and fourth overall for Athletics Carnival.

This term, QASMT held its annual Athletics Carnival at the University of Queensland. This was a new experience for us all, but it was so amazing to show up on the day and see the bright pink colours of Curie everywhere. Curie started the day strong with the amazing war cry that we worked tirelessly on practising. Throughout the day there was a variety of track and field events that we could all do, such as long jump, sprinting and shot put. It was amazing to see all the Curie students participate in each event whilst having fun with their friends at the same time. In addition, I saw countless Curie students cheering and encouraging those that were participating in events, and which no doubt definitely helped Curie gain points towards the house cup! Overall, the high end facilitates of UQ and the hard work of both Curie students and the QASMT staff resulted in an exciting and fun athletics carnival this year! Nicole

“This is your Captains speaking”
Hello Curians, what a great first half of the year it has been!

So far, we have undertaken numerous events including the Cross-Country, Athletics Carnival, and most recently the Sustainable Fashion Parade. We, along with the leadership team have been so happy to see everyone getting in and having a go, and we wish to continue this for the remainder of 2022.

Running into next term, we want to focus more on Curie’s more charitable side now that we have completed a few of the sporting events. This will continue to develop the sense of familiarity and friendliness that is foundational to our wonderful Curie house spirit that is running strong! Xavier and Jess

Sustainable Fashion
Each year the school support Sustainability Week, where we participate in a huge range of events to support sustainability. Each year all InSteps work to create a sustainable fashion piece. As you walked the J block halls, each InStep was hard at working creating impressive outfits free of plastic and inclusive of 100% recyclable materials. Once outfits are completed, the school stops for the annual Fashion Parade. Special acknowledgement needs to go to our eight InStep models, who were very entertaining – well done! Overall, we were thrilled by winning the entire competition with our IND03 outfit. Congratulations.

Harmony Week
A key part of what makes QASMT so special is our diversity and inclusion and we all got to celebrate this during Harmony Week. The Da Vinci student leaders led by our locker room ambassadors Merin M and Emilia L, created notice boards that celebrate Da Vinci’s unique languages, cultural identity and welcome to country.

Festival of Creativity
I had the pleasure of attending the Festival of Creativity. This event is hosted by the P&C and is an opportunity for the entire community to celebrate its creativity. As I lined up for the amazing food on offer, I was in awe of our one and only Yijing L entertaining the crowd. All our performers were superb. Well done!

Grade 11 and 7 Camps
In Term 2 our Year 11 and Year 7 students participated in their annual camps. The Year 11s focus was on leadership. Each night we participated in a range of fun games and judged a competitive Shark Tank. These opportunities were all led by our aspiring Year 11 leaders. Year 7 embarked on their camp (postponed from Term 2) this week. Despite already having formed solid friendships, this camp provides the opportunity to build on those relationships and secure new friendships, while developing their IB Learner Profile attributes through participation in a variety of activities.

Sport Carnival
The Franklin war cry for the carnival set the standard for the other houses, especially with our banner. It was great to see our leaders in action after many war cry rehearsals with the house. The other houses will never forget that ‘winning is in our DNA’ after such a spirited performance.

Well done to our year levels that demonstrated the highest Franklin attendance.

Uniform Reminders
As Term 2 closes, it is important to consider the uniform requirements for our commencement assembly next term. Please take time to revisit the Dress Code Policy as students will be required to abide by these requirements from the first day of Term 3.

Below are some key areas:

Franklin House DNA Project
Our DNA mural project will be completed next term with the installation of our DNA strand win 3D, using acryllics to for each student in Franklin House.

School TV
SchoolTV is a resource for parents regarding practical strategies and resources. It is a platform containing reports, analytics, interviews and wellbeing tips that engages with hundreds of schools and organisations. If you would like to know more then please head to the SchoolTV website at the link below.

2023 Leadership applications
I highly encourage student to apply for house leadership positions. It is always thrilling to see the number of student applications for positions across the Academy each year. The quality of applications also seems to increase. There are wonderful, motivated individuals who are keen to make a difference to their community and I am always pleased to work with them. I believe leadership in any capacity is a worthwhile endeavour and I encourage your child to apply should they have even the slightest interest in a leadership position. They can find the leadership application guide in the email sent to them recently by Ms Jane Manwaring.

Tiger of the Term
Hopefully, you hopefully already know about Tiger of the Term, which is an initiative exclusive to Hawking House and is awarded to one junior student and one senior student each term. This term the Junior Tiger of the Term went to Year 7 student Tiffany T for her outstanding leadership and contribution to InStep 2s Sustainable Fashion creation. InStep 2 finished second in the competition for their creative design, which can be seen later in this article. Our Senior Tiger of the Term went to Year 11 student Rig V who was nominated for being a wonderful and supportive friend. I have had the pleasure of working closely with both Tiffany, who is part of the newsletter team, and Rig, as a House Ambassador. Both are superb students and worthy winners of this award, well done!

Athletics Carnival Recap
The Athletics Carnival was an absolute highlight of the term! On Friday of Week 6, students participated in several track and field events at UQ Athletics Stadium, including the 100m, 200m and 400m sprints, as well as shot putt, long jump and high jump. The event was a resounding success, and I was extremely proud of the house spirit that was on show. Students did an excellent job belting out our war cry, and although we did not place, it set the scene for the rest of the day. I was so impressed by the number of students who nominated to participate in every single event. The house gets one point for every participant, and across all year levels, almost every single student joined in to get points for the house. Even the Year 10 girls, who were reluctant at the beginning, were running the 400m by the end of the day (you know who you are 😊)!

Athletics Carnival Recap Contd...
Hawking ended up coming second overall in the Athletics Carnival, which is a fantastic achievement. We are a smaller house than most, and every student that contributed to getting points for the house on the day should be proud of this result. A special mention must go to Tanish S who won age champion for Year 12 Boys, essentially meaning he was the best athlete in this category. Congratulations Tanish!

Eat Up Charity Event
Year 11 students from Hawking and some additional volunteers gave up their lunch time in Week 7 to make sandwiches for the charity, Eat Up. We made 1500 sandwiches that were delivered to local school children. This is a wonderful initiative that the house has been part of for a few years now. The charity also attends workplaces. They can come to your workplace, set up on-site, introduce Eat Up, and guide your participants in making 1,000+ sandwiches for hungry school children in just 60 minutes! If you are interested, please access their website on the link below.

SchoolTV
There is a fantastic resource available to you on our school website called SchoolTV. In our recent fortnight ahead newsletter, I flagged the ‘Exam Jitters’ topic as one to watch. There are numerous other resources on this platform to support you and your child with their wellbeing, including topics covering cybersafety, mental health, school survival tips, healthy body, positive parenting and more. Please do peruse the website, as I really do believe parents and students can benefit from accessing it. See the link below.

Winter Uniform
Towards the end of Term 2 the weather started to cool significantly, and the start of Term 3 will be no different. It is timely to remind everyone of the uniform expectations in this cooler weather.

• Students are required to wear their blazers to and from school everyday (which will aid in keeping them warm).
• Students can wear a white undershirt or singlet that is not visible to add an extra layer to keep them warm.
• Students are required to wear their school hats to and from school everyday, and during break times at school.
• Students are permitted to wear optional items to assist in keeping them warm, including a winter scarf and/or black, opaque stockings with no patterns or embroidery.

Harmony Week
Harmony Week and the harmony parade during Week 2 was impressive. Special mention must go to Sammy T, Amlan N and Anushka S for organising their cultural dance which sent the crowd wild. Perhaps there are Bollywood producers already knocking on their door to sign them up!

English Dialogues at School 
Congratulations to Baran E in Year 11 who represented QASMT with grace and professionalism in the English Speakers Forum. Participants had to engage with topics of social importance and present thought-provoking messages of education around important topics related to social responsibility.

Athletics Carnival
Hollows major success in the athletics carnival was how we were able to turn our last place war cry performance from the cross country into a fourth-place finish in the athletics carnival. We finished eighth for the day but importantly, as a house, we recognise why that occurred and can improve next year. Congratulations to some impressive individual performances from Cody A (age group champion), Oliver A, Halle G, Stella T, Mareya T, Lena S, Ardra A, Cindy M, and Madhura B for getting on the podium and many others for consistent effort across the track and field events.

Year 11 Camp
The Year 11 Leadership Camp at Mapleton was another successful event and many Year 11 students came back experts in abseiling, archery, canoeing, rock climbing and crate staking. Students were encouraged to be everyday leaders and make a positive impact to those around them.

Festival of Creativity
Hollows House has plenty of talent and special mention must go to the following Hollows students: Megan V, Prabha T, Jessie F, and Naisha S for outstanding performance in the Festival of Creativity. It was a great night showcasing many students’ talents.

Attendance Reminders
Please ensure that starting and during Term 3, students do their absolute best to be punctual to school. Every day counts and every minute of each lesson is important. Please ensure all students strive to achieve our targeted 97% attendance for Semester 2, 2022.

There are a variety of modules on topics such as: Cyber Safety, Mental Health, School Survival, Healthy Body and Positive Parenting, all with associated resources, videos, short quizzes and topical information. I invite you all to navigate around the site. A prize will be given to the first parent to email me their top five video links and the reasons why the links make good viewing for parents and students.

Athletics Carnival
It was encouraging to see so many Academy students participating at our athletics carnival. Despite being stationed at the Jackson House area in the stands at UQ, it was clear to see support and encouragement break house boundaries as we came together as a school. Anyone observing the carnival from the outside would have noted the crowds of students desperately cheering competitors at events like high jump and long jump, despite the colour of their shirt. If our goal was to reach success together then we accomplished that goal this Term.

Sustainable Fashion
Given how busy it was this term, it was a significant challenge to come together as an InStep class in the last remaining weeks to construct a piece of sustainable fashion. This event has given us, as one of QASMT’s newest houses, an opportunity to reflect upon how effectively we work together. I have no doubt that each of us has some ideas on how we would like to improve as we prepare for two more inter-house competitions at the start of Term 3 (inter-house Olympics and trivia competition).

I would like to commend our parents and caregivers, who ensure that our students arrive at the Academy on time and in the correct uniform, looking neat and tidy. Regular attendance is critical for student success and every minute and everyday counts. The uniform is one of the front-line aspects of our public profile and with a new term beginning, it would be timely to address any uniform issues that are outstanding. Also, a reminder, in Term 3, students must wear their Formal Uniform, including their blazer and hat, to and from school.

Sam K (Year 11) and Aaron D (Year 7); were awarded Shark of the Month for May and June, respectively. Both students were voted for displaying a 'Caring' IB learner profile attribute.

Athletics Carnival Results
Dominic J (Year 10) – first in shot put, long jump and high jump; Mati S (Year 10) - second in 100m and shot put; Jimmy L (Year 10)  - third in 400m and long jump; Alea R (Year 8) – third in the long jump; Randima G (Year 12) – third in 400m; Mia P (Year 9) third in the long jump; Ziqi Z (Year 11) – second in the shot put; Ella K (Year 10) – first in 400m and second in 200m; Seb P (Year 11) – second in the high jump; Jemma G (Year 8) – second in shot put.

Ms Monsour's InStep, INN07; their sustainable outfit was the best design from Newton, and they achieved an overall fourth at the Interhouse Sustainable fashion parade.

Kevin Y (Year 11), for winning the Highschool Super Mario Bros. Ultimate at the Gold Coast Esports Cup 2022.

Positive Education week
House Deans took the curriculum outside the classroom to continue engaging and building on the understanding of Positive Education within the school community. It was an excellent opportunity for all to be involved in various activities such as the Staff and Students' Volleyball game (staff team eventual winners) and spotting character strengths to build positive health and relationships, plus talent shown by staff and House Captains promoting gratitude by getting students to write positive messages and creating a chain of colourful ribbons.

Exam Block
As our Year 9 to12 students prepare for Exam block, it can be stressful as they try and cram information. To achieve personal growth and success in the exams, students are encouraged to be organised, reflect on teacher feedback and maintain a solid home revision program. I would also like to emphasise the importance of taking breaks, eating well and getting enough sleep (Australia’s Sleep Health Foundation (2015) recommends 8-10 hours of sleep each night for improved health and wellbeing).

Upcoming House events – Term 3
We have two House events next term with dates to be confirmed; the first event is a mini-Olympics-themed Interhouse activity, where students in InSteps will participate in various physical activities. We also have the Interhouse Trivia, which Newton House won last year in a nail-biter, and we are looking forward to defending it again this year.

We will also be launching our Newton House charity and continue to support the Miracle Babies Foundation. The charity is Australia's leading organisation supporting premature and sick newborns, their families and the hospitals that care for them. To help them, during InStep, students will be crocheting and knitting beanies. Last year with your support, we donated close to 80 beanies to the foundation, and your effort would be appreciated again this year.

Finally, I wish all our parents/caregivers, students, and staff as we move into our winter holiday, a wonderful break, hopeful you will all have some time to spend recharging. Our Year 12 students, in particular, are encouraged to use this time in a balanced way as they begin to prepare for their Mock Examinations. It is just a short hop and skip from the Mocks to Graduation.

Guidance Officer Careeer Planning and Inclusion Update
During Term 2, our students accessed various career education initiatives. Students were invited to engage with our two parent/student seminars. We are very grateful to our partners from the University of Queensland who presented on the opportunities in the field of Advanced Finance and Economics (BAFE), offering individual support to our students. A great number of students and parents then attended our UQ Scholarships Seminar with tips on maximising opportunities. The insights at both seminars were informative and valuable, assisting students with their career research and planning.

All Year 11 students attended the annual UQ Career Pulse event, choosing from many electives to engage with various faculties and career fields while experiencing a day of university life. Meanwhile, most of our Year 12 students have now completed their pathways interview, each receiving individual support with their planning for the future after high school. I would encourage parents to discuss these experiences with their students.

UQ St Lucia Campus Tours
Experience life at UQ! Students interested in studying at UQ in 2023 can take a tour of the UQ St Lucia campus with a student ambassador over the school holidays.

Tours run from 10:30-11:30am on the following dates: 

• Tuesday 28 June 
• Thursday 30 June 
• Tuesday 5 July 
• Thursday 7 July

Register now

Griffith University Year 11 and 12 Experience Days 

Tuesday 5 July and Thursday 7 July 2022, Nathan 
Wednesday 6 July and Friday 8 July 2022, Gold Coast  

Registration for Griffith University's Year 11 and 12 Experience Days is now open. Taking place in early July, Griffith University's Experience Days are a chance for Year 11 and 12 students to explore Griffith campuses, tour lecture theatres and labs, and get hands-on with the ability to choose from a range of interactive sessions dedicated to different study areas.

• Tuesday 5 July, 9:00am-2:30pm | Science and Health | Nathan campus
• Wednesday 6 July, 9:00am-2:30pm | Science and Health | Gold Coast campus
• Thursday 7 July, 9:00am-2:30pm | Business and Arts, Education and Law | Nathan campus
• Friday 8 July, 9:00am-2:30pm | Business and Arts, Education and Law | Gold Coast campus

Register now

QILT:  The Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) are a suite of government endorsed surveys for higher education, across the student life cycle from commencement to employment. All 41 Australian universities and around 90 non-university higher education providers take part in the QILT surveys.
https://www.compared.edu.au/ 

Good Universities Guide: The Good Universities Guide will help students find courses at Australia's top universities, TAFEs and training colleges. The ratings provide independent five-star performance ratings for every university in Australia, based on student-relevant criteria such as graduate salaries, teaching quality, learning resources, graduate employment rates and much more. 

Shanghai Ranking: Since 2009 the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) has been published and copyrighted by Shanghai Ranking Consultancy. Shanghai Ranking Consultancy is a fully independent organization on higher education intelligence and not legally subordinated to any universities or government agencies. ARWU uses six objective indicators to rank world universities.
https://www.shanghairanking.com/rankings/arwu/2021 

Further information can be found on university websites or use our QASMT subscription (code “QASMT”) to log in using the link below.

Be sure to peruse the Options Career Bulletin for other career planning opportunities and information. Use the Options Career Information app available through the Apple store and Google Play: access code “QASMT.”

Guidance Officer Student Wellbeing Update
There have been some common themes in the areas for which students have been accessing support from the Guidance Officer this term, these include:

• Workload pressures.
• Time management stressors.
• Scheduling for success to balance all areas of life.
• Brain health as it relates to stress.

I continue to support students at school around complex wellbeing and mental health concerns. Parents and community play a key role in supporting our young people during times of need. The addition of SchoolTV as a resource for our QASMT community has been wonderful. Parents are engaging with the resources and reporting to me the usefulness and relevance of the materials.

Please explore SchoolTV as a great reference point to start engaging with resources around some of the challenges our young people face.

This resource can be accessed through the link below.

Community Support Services to access during the break:

For your children:

• Talk to your parents – they are your biggest advocates and think you are wonderful – they will listen to you and support you.
• Kids Helpline: 1800 551 1800  www.kidshelp.com.au/teens/
• Lifeline: 13 11 14  www.lifeline.org.au/Get-help/Online-Services/crisis-chat
• E-Headspace: 1800 650 890 www.eheadspace.org.au (e-headspace is not for crisis support).
• Youth Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636 www.youthbeyondblue.com/hel-someone-you-know/what-to-do-in-an-energency/get-immediate-support
• Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 551 800 suicidecallbackservice.org.au

For parents and community:

• Parentline: 1300 30 1300 https://parentline.com.au/
• Family and Child Connect: 13 32 64 https://familychildconnect.org.au/
• Lifeline: 13 11 14 lifeline.org.au/
• Relationships Australia: 1300 364 277 relationships.org.au/
• Butterfly: https://butterfly.org.au/
• Griefline: 1300 845 754 https://griefline.org.au/
• 1800Respect: 1800 737 732 https://www.1800respect.org.au/

Fanfare
Congratulations to our students and teachers who travelled to Creative Generation Fanfare 2022 State School Festival of Bands and Orchestras on Wednesday 8 June at Kenmore. Our musicians represented our school to a very high level with a high level of effort, behaviour and dedication across all groups. Ensembles were Chamber Strings, Vivace Strings, Bravura Strings, Percussion Ensemble, Wind Orchestra, The Red Jackets Big Band, Percussion Ensemble II and Big Band. Conductors were Rebekkah Baumgartner, Sue Berti, Dean Fanning and Greg Thompson.

Some remarks from the adjudicator include:

• What a treat to hear a new Australian piece for strings - a joy!
• An immensely enjoyable performance today.
• Great opening balance in the rhythm section - terrific subtle drumming! Very pleasing saxophone blend.
• Good focus, so well done to you all...you are ready to play some more challenging music.
• Awesome trumpet colour in the solo - wow!
• What a beautiful, thoughtful opening! Some very fine listening skills on display.
• Thank you for your beautiful soft playing.
• You are clearly skilled musicians, with many years of combined experience.

Travelling to Fanfare gave our students a memorable experience of performing off-campus and we look forward to planning future opportunities for our students to represent our school.

Queensland Symphony Orchestra
On Friday 15 July, our students are involved in the Queensland Symphony Orchestra finals presentation of the 2022 Connect Compose Project, directed by Craig Allister Young. The QSO Connect Ensemble, conducted by Katie Betts, will present new compositions by our next generation of student composers – 7:00pm - 8:30pm, QSO Studio, ABC Building, Southbank. Other schools are Brisbane State High School, Narangba Valley State High School and St Augustine’s College. Kanak R (Year 12) has composed 'Cacoethes' which will be performed separate to a combined piece by Year 7 students, Jessie F, Abby H and Ting L.

Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University State Honours Ensemble Program
Congratulations to students who were successful in their nominations for Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University State Honours Ensemble Program South-East QLD 2022. Joy C (Flute), Ian L (Violin), Terrie S (Viola), Noah Z (Viola) will spend three intensive days in rehearsals, workshops and performances in July.

The School Marketing Team regularly posts to our social media networks. Keep up-to-date with all the happenings and achievements at QASMT by following:

• Instagram: @queenslandacademysmt
• Facebook: Queensland Academy for Science Mathematics and Technology
• LinkedIn: Queensland Academy for Science Mathematics and Technology (SMT).

The School Marketing Team can be contacted via email communications@qasmt.eq.edu.au.

School Marketing Team -  Chelsea Hardman-Denning and Samantha Haggarty

Term 2 update
On behalf of our Academy community, I would like to thank all our volunteers who worked tirelessly to make our events a great success. Term 2 was busy with the Mother's Day Stall, Instrumental Music concert and finally the Festival of Creativity that saw us fundraise over $5000 for our students. We are looking forward to more events in Term 3 with an opportunity for more socialising. Keep a look out for details of the upcoming Trivia Night.

Our next P&C Meeting is on 15 August 2022 at 6.00pm.
This meeting incorporates the Annual General meeting as well as the General meeting.
If you are not a member already, please email qasmtpandc@gmail.com for a membership form.
We look forward to seeing you there.

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).