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Term Ahead - 13 October 2023

From the Senior Leadership Team

The 2023 academic year has certainly flown by quickly and we are already into our final term.

We are very proud of the unique educational environment provided at QASMT and we are sure you would agree our uniqueness is multi-faceted. The International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum certainly is part of that uniqueness, and we are one of the only schools across Australia with IB as our only curriculum offering. We value sharing with our community what is different about an IB education.

Put simply an IB education develops life-long learners. Throughout all IB programmes, students develop approaches to learning skills and the attributes of the IB learner profile. Students are taught to take responsibility for their own learning and understand how knowledge itself is constructed. They are encouraged to try different approaches to learning and to take responsibility for their own educational progress. An IB education encourages students to ask challenging questions, think critically and develop research skills proven to help them in higher education. The International Baccalaureate is an international curriculum designed to cater for students who wish to prepare themselves for further study at a university.

As an academically selective entry school, our community highly values a secondary education which will prepare our young people for the next stage in their academic journey, a university education. Evidence shows the transition from secondary to tertiary education is an increasingly difficult one for students, recent data indicates approximately one-third of students will drop out before completing their degree. Local education systems across the world are developed to cater for all levels of abilities, preparing students for life across multiple pathways. Preparation for university is, rightly so, not the sole focus of those programs. Without the development of the broad range of skills needed to be successful at university, it is easy to see why so many students become overwhelmed coping with the differences from secondary to tertiary education and make the difficult decision to give up on their aspirations.

An IB education has a strong focus on the international perspective. As our vision includes developing globally minded citizens, we highly value that the IB is an international qualification. The IB Diploma is an internationally recognised certificate – a feature that is no doubt enticing to our community. With the IB, students can have a global education experience – the IB is recognised by prestigious international universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and Princeton.

Locally, the IB continues to result in very favourable translations to ATAR rankings, used for entry into Australian universities. Unlike the QCE, the IB has no internal rankings, which means that students’ marks aren’t scaled against their peers – the only competition for students is with themselves.

So far, we have focussed on the benefits of an IB education as preparation for university but really that is only a small part of the story, it is actually so much more. If you are still learning about the IB, I invite you to read the attached IB publication, ‘Education for a Better World’. IB programmes aim to do more than other curricula by developing inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who are motivated to succeed. They strive to develop students who will build a better world through intercultural understanding and respect. At our heart, that is the reason why QASMT offers exclusively the IB curriculum.

As we prepare for 2024, we are excited to have our foundation Year 7 students as our graduating cohort in Year 12. We relish the opportunities that provides in achieving our vision of inspiring great minds through the provision of a world-class education that nurtures personal excellence and develops young people who are able to contribute positively to an ever-changing world.

We are also pleased to be finalising our new Parent Engagement Framework and will share that with our community once it has been finalised by our Parent Representatives and endorsed by our School Council this term.

Best wishes for a rewarding final term.

Kath Kayrooz, Principal; Tanya Haggarty, Associate Principal Academic; Kerry Bullock, Associate Principal Teaching and Learning; Catherine de Freitas Pessoa, Deputy Principal Performance; Catherine de Freitas Pessoa, Deputy Principal Engagement; Peter Collins, Deputy Principal and Sandy Davey, ISSF Program Manager

From the Deputy Principal Senior Years

Welcome back to Term 4, I hope all our families have had a wonderful holiday and are ready for the last term of 2023!

This term brings with it the final IB examinations for our Year 12 students, as well as the culmination of their schooling journey. I look forward to celebrating this milestone with our Year 12 students and families towards the end of the term. Before then though, come the final exams – a challenging and exciting time for all our Year 12s. They have prepared for these exams for two years, and at this point there are only a few weeks between now and sitting the exams. The exams begin on Monday 23 October, and run until 10 November. I would like to remind our Year 12s to ensure they continue to follow their study plans that they made last term, whilst ensuring they keep a healthy diet and sleep pattern, so they have every opportunity to be at their best health for the exam period. Maintaining energy levels and a positive mindset over this three-week period is essential. I would also like to thank our Year 12 families for everything you are doing to support your child through this time - they couldn’t do this without your support - it is certainly an important time for both students and their families.

Year 12 Important Dates

3 to 20 October: IB exam preparation tutorials
23 October to 10 November: IB exam block
10 November: Final date to return Year 12 Clearance Form and collect Valedictory tickets (Clearance Forms should be returned as soon as possible after a student’s last exam)
10 November: Final school assembly and Valedictory Dinner
3 January 2024: 4:00am staggered release of results to candidates
6 January 2024: Final date for EUR requests to be processed during summer holidays, any requests after this date will be processed upon the return to school.

Year 11 Updates

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

Year 10 Updates

Our Year 10 students continue their Diploma Preparation Programme (DPP), both through their subjects and their Wednesday sessions in the Lecture Theatre. Last term the focus in our Wednesday sessions was on the Inner Core, research, study skills, academic integrity and tips for a successful IB journey. The focus this term is university and career education, with a range of presentations organised by UQ, QUT and Griffith under the organisation of Ms Judge, Guidance Officer Career Planning. I remind Year 10 students and families that attendance is required, and that students should as always follow the QASMT protocols and maintain the Academy’s high expectations for behaviour during these sessions.

Have a productive Term 4

At the end of each term, I bring you an update on what I have seen during my walkthroughs over the term, focussing on ATL. I am very much looking forward to seeing what our students and teachers are up to in their classrooms this coming term, and I will report back to you soon. To all our families, students and teachers - have a wonderful and productive Term 4.

Esme Hatchell, Deputy Principal Senior Years

From the Deputy Principal Middle Years

Welcome back to Term 4. I trust everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable break.

Term 4 will be a busy term for our Year 9 students as they work towards completing their Year 9 Journey with a four-day camp to Moogerah Dam during Week 2 of this term; followed by a Calling ceremony on their return to school. The purpose of the Year 9 Journey is to strengthen character, build resilience, perseverance, and teamwork of our students.

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

On Thursday 19 October we will celebrate the academic achievement of many of our Middle Years’ students at our annual Awards Night. This year we will have a Middle Years ceremony that will start at 4:30pm and conclude at 6:00pm in the Auditorium. It is very important that all students receiving an award on the night stay for the entirety of the Middle Years ceremony.

In recent weeks, our Deputy Principal of Senior Years, Dr. Hatchell, and I, communicated to all students the expectations around academic integrity and the ethical use of any Artificial Intelligence (AI) in school assessment. These presentations are in line with the IB’s stance on AI as per the IBO’s Academic Integrity Policy. It is important that all students follow the detailed protocols set out for them, which includes keeping records of all work, feedback and research completed across a unit of work and referencing any use of AI appropriately. All students have been given full access to this PowerPoint presentation that clearly outlines all protocols.

Again, I’d like to remind all students and parents/carers of the protocols around applying for an assessment extension. Students are required to fill in the Academy’s official extension request form (found on the Academy’s website) and email it (before the assessment due date) alongside the required documentation to support their extension request. It must be sent to the Middle Year Coordinator or Senior Year Coordinator’s email address that is printed on the extension request form.

On a final note, a reminder for all Middle Years’ students that attending school every day counts. Regular attendance at school is imperative for the continuity of learning, working alongside peers and building relationships. It is important that we are all striving to come to school regularly and on time.

Kirsten Baker, Deputy Principal Middle Years

From the inclusion team

Welcome all to Term 4

This week is Queensland Mental Health Week. It is a perfect time, if you have not already done so, to engage with our Wellbeing Framework and resources on the Academy website. On the website, you will find a number of examples of how we create opportunities about awareness of ourselves and others, plus opportunities for us to have a sense of belonging and connectedness by what we offer and what we do.

Year 7, 8 and 9 Wellbeing Days, Term 4 Week 10

During Week 10 this term, our students in Years 7, 8 and 9 will be involved in a number of activities across the week. They will focus on learning about e-safety and their digital footprint, safe travel, anti-bullying, leadership and respectful relationships. The activities will be presented by some outside providers such as Character Builders, Bop Industries and Burn Bright, as well as our House Deans, Heads of Departments, Guidance Officers, Directors and other teaching staff.

As our Academy year and calendar can be extremely busy, this will be a wonderful opportunity for our students to spend some time building on their personal development and appreciating their own strengths. They will also learn to appreciate and understand diversity, to accept and not judge, to include and not ignore, understand the world we live in and develop empathy. They will do this by engaging in a number of problem-solving activities, exploring being respectful in relationships and attitudes, plus developing skills in positive communication and e-safety. More information about this week will be sent out to parents in the coming weeks.

Requests from External providers

Staff from both the Inclusion and Counselling and Support areas have been receiving a number of requests to fill in information regarding some of our students. Please note the guidelines below from the Department of Education regarding requests made to schools involving use of online data entry from external providers.

Requests by external providers for school staff which involve test materials being completed online by DoE staff have a range of implications in terms of information privacy and security. At this time, only limited and very specific approval exist for DoE staff to use online web-based scoring platforms, as many servers are located overseas. Given the current constraints, the recommended practice at this time is for a physical (paper copy) of the test proforma to be completed by the school and returned to the external provider. It is essential that a copy of the completed proforma is made and retained by the school.

For all requests from providers for DoE staff to complete tests there should be a clear expectation, accompanied by parental consent, for a summary of results or a copy of the ensuing report to be provided to the school.

Jane Manwaring, Director Inclusion and Wellbeing

From the Department of Language and Literature

Jacaranda.

The softest mauve carpet
That ever was spread,
The deepest mauve canopy
Over my head.

A haze in the warm air
Of loveliest hue
That seems to envelop
The garden and you.

Source:
A.S.H - The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW), Saturday 11 April 1931, page 9

The Jacarandas are in full bloom already and this marks our progress into and through Term 4. As expressed in the poem above, this time of year has a certain “feel” to it as we go about our daily business in Brisbane. This is also true within the English classroom at QASMT: This time of year has a certain productive feel as we see the fruition of student skills being expressed across the various Term 4 units. After a year of learning, with the emergence of the mauve jacaranda blooms, our students fill the learning spaces with a sense of purpose, creativity, and rigour.

Our Year 7 students are about to experience their first significant piece of summative timed assessed analytical writing. After closely annotating and exploring a variety of poems from an anthology, they will demonstrate their understanding and ability to analyse poets' authorial choices. Students have demonstrated these skills previously, but this will be their first opportunity to do so under timed writing conditions. Just as a flowers bloom in the morning sun, their skills and knowledge will flourish and thrive during this assessment.

Our Year 8 students are embarking on a unique and exciting project: To persuasively construct a speech in which they present a selected United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). This presentation will incorporate a variety of linguistic rhetorical choices made by each individual student, combined with a group dramatic performance of the day-to-day reality of their chosen SDG. Like the various stems that make up a bouquet, each student's individual contributions will come together to create a beautiful and moving presentation.

Year 9 students are taking an inquiry-led approach to studying a range of Shakespearean texts through the lens of “Identity and Relationships”. They will explore how the concepts of identity, relationships, and societal expectations are portrayed in the play. Their understanding of these complex themes will blossom and develop as they study the various plays and works and express their perspectives on these important concepts.

Year 10 students are completing a unit that culminates the skills they have learned in the receptive mode throughout the academic year. They will choose a non-literary text from an anthology and use it as the basis for an analytical oral presentation. Their presentations will be as unique as a bouquet of wildflowers, with each one reflecting the individual student's unique perspectives on a range of issues relating to Migration.

Year 11 students are continuing to explore global issues and articulate their insights into them. In Week 4 of term, they will record their final externally assessed Individual Oral, which will incorporate a non-literary and literary work. We are proud of the dedication and engagement that our students have already put into preparing for this task. Like a gardener tending to their prized blooms, our students have carefully cultivated their insights and are ready to share them with the world.

Our Year 12 students are attending optional tutorials in preparation for their November examination session. We have been impressed by the enthusiasm shown for these tutorials. During the tutorial program, we aim to prompt further growth and confidence in our students as we support them to reach their full potential.

Term 4 promises to be a time of celebration and achievement for our students. We are inspired daily by their curiosity, drive, and thirst for knowledge. We hope that the term sees the culmination and cultivation of joy for our community through the performance of our students throughout this final term of the academic year.

David Bracken, Head of Department Language and Literature

From the Department of Language Acquisition - European Languages

Wilkommen! Bienvenue! Bienvenidos! Salvete! Welcome!

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

This term we also welcome a new Teacher Aide into the German team, Idil, who is already coming into the German classes.

IML-UQ summer school

For those wishing to further engage with their language, IML-UQ is calling students in Years 9 and 10 or Years 11 and 12 in 2022 studying French, German, Spanish or Japanese to make applications through the IML-UQ website for their summer school program.

Oktoberfest

The German teachers will be putting on a mini Oktoberfest for German students. They will experience aspects of the German culture here at school. I encourage students to watch for updates on this and ensure that they sign up to participate in this great lunch time event.

Assessment

Remember to keep an eye on the Assessment Calendar for all the upcoming assessments in Term 4. It is a valuable idea to mark out any due dates on a calendar, so students know when their assessments are due. This way they can work towards each assessment slowly and with purpose, and they can build regular focussed practice into their routines in their chosen language.

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

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

Kate Oxenford, Head of Department Language Acquisition - European Languages

From the Department of Language Acquisition - Asian Languages

Term 4 is already upon us and will be over before we know it!

During the end of Term 3 and the holiday break, I attended the STEM Tour Japan with 50 Year 11 students and 7 teachers. It was really wonderful to be able to travel internationally again and for me it had been four years since I have been to Japan. Students started the trip in Hakata city, Kyushu, where we had Japanese language and culture classes for the first week. We then began touring Japan heading to Hiroshima, Osaka, a day trip to Kyoto and finished up in the bustling city of Tokyo. Some sights that the students enjoyed were the visits to Hiroshima and Osaka Castle, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Park, Kaiyukan (Osaka Aquarium), the Museum of Nature and Science, Miraikan (Museum of Emerging Science) and the views from Tokyo Sky Tree. A valuable and unforgettable experience was had by all! I would like to personally thank all the staff that helped with planning and implementing the trip as without you it would not have been possible.

Global Youth Forum

As mentioned in previous newsletters, we have 10 students participating in the inaugural Global Youth Summit. Students have now completed four online workshops where they have been looking at the International Sustainable Development Goals, participation in communities, and identifying challenges in their own communities. Students have been actively participating in all sessions and have provided insight and gained valuable understandings of the challenges faced by peers in other communities. The culminating event is being held at the Royal International Convention Centre in October, where the students will meet face-to-face with peers from around Queensland that they have been working with online. Each year level group will present an outline of a challenge that they have identified in the school community and pitch possible solutions.

Lunchtime tutorials

Tutorials for students will be back up and running this term for all Japanese students. There will be Japanese teachers available throughout the lunch breaks on Tuesday and Wednesday this term. Come along to ask questions of your teachers, have a little extra help on any Japanese language challenges you may be having or even have the chance to talk with your peers in Japanese to maintain or boost your speaking abilities. If you are not able to attend either of these sessions but require the assistance, please speak with your Japanese teacher or Mrs Scarth.

Consistent use of language is the best way forward for success in all aspects of language learning. Keep up the good work and I wish you all the best for the term ahead.

Fiona Scarth – Head of Department Language Acquisition – Asian Languages

From the Department of Technology & the Arts

Welcome to Term 4 in the Technology and The Arts Department. As usual, we have a busy term ahead with lots of exciting learning opportunities for all.

Let's start with our Year 9 STEM Futures offerings:

Year 9 Future of Automation

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

Year 9 Disrupting the Market

As part of the 2023 International Student Science Fair (ISSF), our students will be tasked with designing corporate gifts for QASMT guests and visitors. As the theme for this year's ISSF is "Sustainable Futures", students were encouraged to prioritize sustainability while designing their products which will be fashioned from eco-friendly materials like acrylic, cork, wood, and leather.

Year 9 Biomedical Engineering

This term, our Biomedical Engineering students will be investigating the emerging field of personalised medication. Each student research and develop a use case based on a real world client. Their objective is to design and construct prototypes of 3D-printed medication as a means of demonstrating proof of concept.

Year 9 Soundtrack

Classroom Music students are composing music for video games as well as performing solo for a live audience incorporating gaming music and technology. Students have been developing their theory skills by analysing genre-specific techniques to compose for Soundtracks that support the narrative of gameplay and enhance player experience. By participating in industry related activities, students are gaining a greater appreciation of the many facets of the gaming industry whilst building on their life-long learning in music researching, creating and presenting.

In the Year 10 Diploma Preparation Programme:

Year 10 Digital Society

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

Year 11 Digital Society

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

Year 10 Computer Science

Our students will continue to dive deep into the world of Java programming, culminating in the completion of a challenging Java project. They'll harness their coding skills to create innovative software solutions, solidifying their grasp of this versatile programming language.

In the second half of the term, students will immerse themselves in a captivating cyber security case study. Here, students will investigate real-world cyber threats and vulnerabilities, dissecting cybersecurity strategies and tactics employed to protect digital assets. This hands-on exploration will not only sharpen their analytical thinking but also empower them to make informed decisions in an increasingly interconnected world.

Year 11 Computer Science

Rescue robots are a developing field that has had many major developments in recent years. It is also the topic for this cohort's Case Study! Students are commencing this exploration this term, and they will examine how these machines can navigate dangerous, unpredictable and potentially impassable situations and how they can identify people to be rescued and hazards to avoid. Students are also commencing their Internal Assessments, where they will plan, design, develop and evaluate an IT solution for a real-world client.

And in our Middle Years Programme offerings:

Media Arts Year 7 and 8

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

Year 7 Design

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

Year 8 Design

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

Year 7 Music

Students are pitching a new musical theatre concept to a panel of producers - working as a team, groups will develop presentation skills by articulating industry related aspects such as budget forecasts, marketing outlines and production notes. Each student will compose a song in the style of musical theatre from this group pitch and publish it on notation software. Students will also perform solo in a musical style for others.

Year 8 Music

Students are developing orchestration and arranging skills by composing a reimagined piece. By doing so, they are researching genre-specific musical elements and demonstrating creativity to compose melodies and harmonies whilst considering texture, form and tonality. Students are presenting through music performance whilst justifying decisions exploring areas such as inclusion, sustainability and technological innovation.

And finally, a note from our Technology Ambassadors

This term we are excited to announce that we will be organizing a coding competition. Don't be concerned – anyone with coding skills is welcome to participate and expand their knowledge! Whether you're studying Computer Science and need some extra practice for your upcoming exam, or you're simply curious about programming, this coding competition is tailored for you.

You may have come across famous challenges like the Towers of Hanoi, the travelling salesperson problem, or even capture the flag! We also have an information security challenge where participants are tasked with discovering and decrypting hidden flags within a computer system. Stay tuned for further details, as we will be sending out more information via email to those interested!

Yes, a busy, yet exciting, term ahead!

Madeleine Brookes, Head of Department Technology & The Arts

From the Department of Individuals and Societies

In the first week of Term 4, it was pleasing to see so many Year 12 students engaged in the tutorial program. On behalf of the entire I&S team we wish all Diploma Programme (DP) students the best of luck with their external exams. Consistent and regular revision across all subjects is the key.

This term our Year 7 students are exploring the global interactions between societies of the past, from Ancient Rome through to the Middle Ages. They will embark on their own individual investigation through time, using primary and secondary sources, to find answers on how these global interactions have affected identity and culture in a place of their choice. We end the year with students reproducing an artifact which will be presented in an informative and exciting exhibition. Mr Scutter, Year 7 Individuals and Societies Coordinator.

Year 9 STEM Futures Forensic Psychology will be visiting St Helena Island in Week 5 for an all-day excursion as part of their ‘Crime and Punishment’ unit. The jail and psychology punishments of prisoners from the early days of Brisbane will be explored.

The focus for Diploma Preparation Programme (DPP) Economics this term is to equip our students with the knowledge, and more importantly, the skills to attempt a ‘full-blown’ commentary in the style of those required for the DP course Internal Assessment (IA). DP Economics has three commentaries over the two years, with each one focussing on a different unit of the course. Each one is 800-words, where students select a current news item and then conduct an economic analysis and evaluation of it, applying the economic models they have learnt. Our DPP students will be supplied an article on the removal of Chinese tariffs on Australian wine and look at this through the lens of one of the economic key concepts, ‘intervention’. Mrs Tyler, Year 10 Economics Coordinator.

Lastly, I implore students on my regular walkthroughs to focus on the process, not just the result when receiving assessment back. If students can reflect then refine with their learning, it will create good habits that will likely lead to desired results in the future.

From the ToK Coordinator David King

This term, Year 11 students are submitting their final exhibition assessment and completing an exhibition of their work. This assessment contributes one third of the final grade for Theory of Knowledge in the award of the Diploma. The students will also consider History as an area of knowledge.

Lyle Fredericksen, Head of Department Individuals and Societies

From the Department of Physical Sciences

Welcome to Term 4, the last term of the year.

I hope you and your families all had a restful break after a very busy Term 3, and that you are all ready for another science-filled term ahead.

STEM Futures subjects

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

Diploma subjects

Our Year 11 students are already approaching the end of their first year of the IB Diploma.

Our Physics students have started their final Individual Investigations. By now they should all know what they are doing and have begun to collect data - if you have a Year 11 Physics student in your family be sure to ask them what their experiment is. I am certainly looking forward to walking through classrooms in the coming weeks to see how their experiments are going.

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

This term our Year 11s that have chosen a science Extended Essay will begin their research. With guidance from their supervisors, our EE students will develop a research question, and towards the end of term will start their investigations and experimentation. The Extended Essay process involves both primary and secondary research and culminates in a 4,000 word essay which is submitted in Year 12.

Our Year 12s are now preparing for their final IB exams, and we will be supporting them all the way with an IB Exam Preparation Tutorial program for both Chemistry and Physics. These tutorials are on during the normal Year 12 rostered Chemistry and Physics class times. There is provision for both in-person and online support. With their final IB exams approaching in Week 4, please know that we are all here to help.

Laboratory update

As we mentioned above, there is a lot of extra practical work happening this term - this is on top of the normal volume of practicals that our lab techs organise on a day-to-day basis. Despite this huge amount of work, our lab techs manage to deliver to an exceptionally high standard on a continual basis. A big thank you to Shona, Kaz, Kate and Lan, for everything you do to support our teachers and students in performing experiments!

ISSF 2023

And, finally, we must not forget the large involvement that the sciences will have in the International Schools Science Fair at the end of this term. In Week 10 up to 30 different schools will visit QASMT for the annual ISSF. Our department has been involved in developing multiple, exciting, workshops for the visiting students. I’d like to recognise the work that has been put in to plan and develop these workshops by each team. Many hours have been put in to make these workshops a possibility - and this work has not gone unnoticed! We are very busy preparing for this huge event and are looking forward to ISSF 2023!

In closing, I remind myself each day how quickly Term 4 will pass by – to all our families and students, please make sure you make the most of it, and enjoy each learning moment.

Robert Hughes, Head of Department Physical Sciences

From the Department of Life Sciences

Welcome back to Term 4 to all of our QASMT families. Lucky last term of the year looks to be another engaging and exciting term.

Curriculum

Year 7

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

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

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

Year 8

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

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

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

Year 9 Sustainable Futures

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

Year 10 Diploma Preparation Programme

Biology students are learning about evolution, human physiology and plant physiology. They are also analysing the data they collected at the end of last term for their practice IA. Environmental Systems and Societies students are collecting data for their environmental investigation. Over the holidays they each collected water samples relevant to a chosen environmental issue on urbanisation and water systems. They will finish the term learning about soil and atmosphere systems.

Diploma Programme

Year 11 Biology students are in the thick of their final IAs. They are currently conducting their experiments and collecting data. It is important that they meet all checkpoints and that they are constantly checking in with their teachers. Year 11 ESS students are learning about food production systems from aquaculture to farming. They will explore sustainable practices and evaluate various case studies. Students will also start planning for their final IA.

We wish our Year 12 Biology students the best of luck as they continue their study and revision for their final exams this term. You are almost there!

STEM Enrichment

Lord Mayor’s Young Environmental Leadership Network

The Lord Mayor’s Young Environmental Leadership Network (LMYELN) is a program run by the Brisbane City Council. Each year groups of Year 10 students from schools across Brisbane participate in this unique program. Through a project-based, active learning model, students are empowered to create positive environmental change in their school and community. Aaron W, Sara S and Claire K have been actively involved in the LMYELN program this year. They have participated in multiple meetings and workshops to develop their leadership skills. Their project, on waste management, has involved doing a waste audit on our bins, speaking at the Sustainability Assembly and developing custom targeted educational resources that support students in making the right decision when disposing of their waste. They will present their project at the Graduation Showcase in early November. We look forward to seeing how they have done.

“In a changing world, education is the best preparation for being able to adapt” – Bill Gates

Vanessa Bermingham, Head of Department Life Sciences

From the Department of Mathematics

Welcome to the last term for the year.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Only a few competitions are left this year:

38 students have almost completed the Maths Enrichment Program offered by the Australian Maths Trust. Over the last 16 weeks they have been solving 12-16 difficult problem-solving questions.
Our team of three students from Year 7 and 8 are hopeful to make the state finals in the QAMT Year 7/8 Maths Quiz in Week 4.
A number of students have entered in the STAQ Contest (Mathematical Investigation Division).

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

The Maths Ambassador team are running another Escape Room this term. This team, led by Callum, and comprising of Sonya, Katherine, Victoria, Tiffany, Aditya, Hans, Siddharth, Keyuan, Arshia, Tom and Nicole have done an excellent job of bringing exciting, fun and challenging maths experiences to engage all students next year. Well done!

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

Jane Gorman, Head of Department Mathematics

From Education Outside of the Classroom (EOTC)

Before we look ahead and see what exciting EOTC activities there are to look forward to in Term 4, let’s celebrate some amazing results from the end of last term.

Congratulations to the following teams who won premierships!

Year 8 Girls’ Badminton – WBSSS Gala Day
Year 8C/D Mixed Netball team “The Nerd Ballers” - QASMT Year 8 PHE Intra grade Netball Tournament

Special mention to:

Year 7/8/9 Girls’ Ultimate Disc – WBSSS Gala Day Spirit Award (three years running)

A huge thanks to the magnificent staff who kindly gave up their valuable time to help out and ensure students could participate in our Gala Day. Thanks to these legends, Ms Liebchen, Ms Potter, Ms Wallace-Cunningham, Mr Zhu, Mr Doherty and Mr Vasco.

Also, a big shout out to all of our coaches for their dedication, enthusiasm and professionalism.

Volleyball Extension: Junior School Cup

Our talented Year 7 and 8 students are gearing up for an exciting challenge as they head to the Junior Schools Cup on 21 and 22 October. These dedicated young athletes have been putting in hours of hard work in preparation for this event, and their coaches are very excited about their prospects. The Junior Schools Cup is a prestigious sporting competition that brings together schools from across the state to showcase the talents of Queensland’s young volleyball athletes. It's a fantastic opportunity for our Year 7 and 8 students to demonstrate their skills and sportsmanship on a larger stage.

The continued success of our Volleyball Extension Program has been instrumental in preparing our Year 7 and 8 students for the upcoming Junior Schools Cup Tournament. It is also worth noting that our school is currently ranked an impressive 24 out of 150 schools in the state. We are hopeful that their outstanding performance at this tournament will not only highlight their talents but also contribute to an even higher ranking for the Academy. Best of luck to our remarkable athletes.

Sport: School Sport

We are thrilled to announce the much-anticipated Term 4 Sport Program, set to kick off in Week 2 of this term. Our line-up includes cricket, badminton (round two offerings) and European Handball.

Building on the continued success of our open cricket program, Term 4 becomes a crucial platform for nurturing our Middle Years’ students into the skilled cricketers we witness in the Senior Years.

In addition to cricket, we're excited to host the inaugural European Handball Tournament right here on our home turf. We're crossing our fingers that the home ground advantage will play in our favour and help us clinch a well-deserved pennant.

Please take note that the Year 8/9 programs will merge this term, with sessions held on Friday from 2:15pm to 3:15pm.

Get ready for a term filled with sportsmanship, skill development, and exciting competitions.

MYP Curriculum – Year 7 spotlight!

In Year 7, our students will be getting physical and diving into the exciting world of health and fitness. They'll be making connections between a healthy body and a healthy mind and understanding how the two go hand in hand. They will also have the chance to put their newfound knowledge to the test by participating in fitness assessments, helping them identify their personal strengths and areas for improvement.

During practical lessons, our budding fitness enthusiasts will combine their fitness knowledge with the exploration of movement concepts. What is the result? They'll craft their very own fitness aerobics routines, designed to target specific weaknesses within their group. We look forward to seeing our students unleash their creativity in Physical and Health Education, while building a foundation of healthy habits that will serve them well in the future. Let's get moving!

CAS

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

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

Yanah Floridis, Head of Education Outside the Classroom

From the House Deans

Welcome to Term four 2023.

Year 9 Camp

The completion of the Journey Program is a significant milestone a Year 9 student should be proud of. It has set students on the path from child learner to adult learner, which is no easy feat. Term 4 will see Year 9 complete The Journey Camp at Lake Moogerah for four days and complete activities that will help them further discover who they are.

Awards Night and new student leaders

This term, students will be presented with academic awards at the annual Awards Night ceremony. Hundreds of awards will be given to students by dignitaries and musical interludes will also occur during the ceremony. Our Academy Captains for 2024 will also be announced on the night.

Year 12 Farewell and Valedictory

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

Year 11 Semi-formal

On 6 October, Year 11 students gathered at Hillstone at Saint Lucia for their Semi-formal. Students had a fun time together, with everyone dressed in ‘smart casual’ outfits. Thank you to all the teachers and organisers for this wonderful event. Students are looking forward to the Formal next year for Year 12.

Trivia results House Points

We concluded our Interhouse events with the Trivia Competition. Once again, it was a highly successful event with Newton House emerging as the overall champions. The battle for house points for 2023 has been tough.

All house events such as the Cross Country, Athletics Carnival, Sustainable Fashion Parade and attendance have all been calculated and currently rank in the following house rank order below. Who will be the victors for 2023?

1^st - Da Vinci

2^nd - Agnesi

3^rd - Newton

4^th- Hawking

5^th - Curie

6^th - Hollows

7^th - Jackson

8^th - Franklin

Aileen Davis, House Dean Agnesi; Marc Wheeler, House Dean Curie; Stacy Wallace-Cunningham, House Dean Da Vinci; Ross Bray, House Dean Franklin; Beccy Parker, House Dean Hawking; Mick Colquhoun, House Dean Hollows; Sam Weston, House Dean Jackson; and Deva Prasad, House Dean Newton.

From the Guidance Officers

Greetings everyone! Looking ahead at Term 4 is always very rewarding with many opportunities to celebrate the year.

Our Year 12 students should now have submitted their university applications and be preparing for their final exams. Be sure to contact me if I can support the application process in anyway. Year 10 students are involved in a series of career planning lessons entitled “How to choose”, building on their previous career work and revising their SET plans as they move into their Diploma Programme.

Adjustment Factors

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

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

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

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

Career Planning Resources and Events

Study Work Grow

The next publication from Study Work Grow has just been released. Expanding their popular guide series, you can now access their School Leaver Toolkit. Use the details below to utilise our Academy subscription for free access to Study Work Grow newsletters, guides and resources.

Resources

There are many resources available to support our students as they explore their goals and potential.

Guidance Office (J Block – note the move of location for Term 4!): a range of free resources available for students to access.

QASMT Digital Library: A growing collection of career resources including newsletters and factsheets from previous communication.

Options Bulletin: Fortnightly newsletters, factsheets and regular updates on career topics such as universities, open days, scholarships, study skills and career fields. Use the Options Career Information app available through the Apple store and Google Play: access code “QASMT”.

Study Work Grow: Features include guides (eg. Entry to Medicine Guide), weekly newsletters, a work experience database, a scholarships database, job spotlights and online tools. Go to https://studyworkgrow.com.au/school/qasmt/ ; School Code “QASMT”.

Contact

I am available Monday to Thursday during school term, 8:00am - 4:00pm for appointments, or can be contacted by email (Kjudg12@eq.edu.au) if I can answer any questions to support you.

Wishing you all a wonderful term to finish the year!

Katrina Judge, Guidance Officer (Career Planning)

Welcome to the final term for 2023.

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

Student wellbeing updates
Staff wellbeing updates
Strategy Spotlight to whole QASMT community
Action for Happiness Calendar of daily tasks and reminders.

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

Understanding adolescence
Friendship and belonging
Happiness and gratitude
Resilience
Blended families
Positive parenting

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

Strategy Spotlight

The joint student, staff, parent and community learning opportunity with the ‘Strategy Spotlight’ received a great response from those who have engaged with the resources. As a result, we will return these strategies this term.

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

Tactile sensations
Strengths-based
Optimism
Positive psychology
Mindfulness
Interoceptive awareness
Association and dissociation techniques
Distraction
Solution-focussed methods
Humour
Imagery

I hope you enjoy exploring these strategies with your family.

Week 2

Creative outlets are an important part of bringing balance to life. Things can get busy and serious, sometimes even routine or boring. Creativity of some kind helps us activate different parts of our brain. It encourages us to stay in the mode of making something from nothing, of starting with some kind of seed that develops into a whole other aspect, whether it is gardening, music, art and craft, dance, cooking or something quite new. That’s the thing - to have something where you feel like you can create and progress, and perhaps even finish and display. Creative activities often involve rich experiences of colour, movement, shapes, textures, and aesthetics. These are all things that activate our sensory awareness. Art therapy methods are based on the understanding that when we create in a way we enjoy, we lose ourselves in the activity, creating a flow state that leads to peace and joy, even if there is a little frustration along the way as we push through the difficult parts. Kind of a metaphor for life really.

External Supports and Assessment Requests

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

Tara le Pla, Guidance Officer (Student Wellbeing)

From Instrumental Music and Vocal music

Our term kicked off with the Big Band on Commencement Assembly, as well as a lunchtime concert full of rock and pop bands in the Lower L Block Precinct.

Congratulations to our students who participated in SHEP and AHEP over the September holidays at the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University. Jasper O (Year 7, Violin), Daisy H (Year 8, Flute), Jemma S (Year 8, Voice) were in their respective ensembles in the State Honours Ensemble Program (SHEP) and Liesel A (Year 9 Trombone) was in the Australian Honours Ensemble Program (AHEP). These intensive days of high-level music making includes rehearsals with leading national and international conductors, alongside young musicians from a variety of state and independent schools. Efforts throughout the workshop and rehearsals culminated in public performances of challenging repertoire at the Conservatorium Theatre, Southbank. Stay tuned for nomination rounds for next year.

This term, our choir are enjoying instruction under Dr Amanda Cole who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Academy in vocal and choral music. Individual and choir ensemble technique is being developed through a variety of choral repertoire covering a wide array of styles and approaches to singing. Those wishing to join this vibrant group should consider getting involved leading into next year.

We are always impressed by the efforts of our students in our Music Program and are encouraged by their participation across a spectrum of instruments. Currently, we have an opportunity for a student to take up the oboe using one of the instruments acquired by the Academy. If this is of interest to an existing Music Program student, feel free to get in contact to express interest and find out more about what is involved.

We look forward to exploring music in its many forms through our group lessons and ensemble rehearsals throughout the term.

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