Principal’s Piece — Justin Harrison
Wrap Up
As we reach the end of semester one, I would like to congratulate the Toolooa SHS teaching and non-teaching team for their dedication, flexibility, responsiveness to innovation, and unwavering support for student learning. We are fortunate to be a committed community of educators who keep student outcomes at the heart of all endeavours. In addition, a special mention must go out to our parents and carers for your support of our school and the vested interest you have displayed in your child’s education. A positive connection between school and home has never been more important.
Term 2 has again been a busy time in our school with a significant number of students involved in sporting, cultural and academic opportunities outside of their standard classroom routines. I would like to congratulate those who have excelled in their chosen field and have represented Toolooa SHS admirably. Keep up the great work.
Term 3 Staffing Update
To keep our community abreast of all staffing changes, I have included below some changes to our staffing team that will begin next semester.
The most notable staffing change that is occurring is the loss of Mr Dave Roby (HOSES). Dave has accepted another position at Thursday Island and will be leaving us at the end of this term. On behalf of the school community, I would like to thank Dave for everything that he has done and the support, guidance, & wisdom that he has provided Toolooa, especially in the Inclusion space. Dave, I wish you all the very best.
It is with great pleasure that I can announce that Mrs Tracey Davis has recently been successful in gaining the permanent position of Head of Special Education Services at Toolooa SHS. Tracy will start in the role on the first day of Term 3.
Departing Staff
As the term draws to a close, Toolooa SHS farewell 3 staff. We wish them all the best of luck in their new endeavours.
Mr Dave Roby - HOSES
Miss Rochele Gibson - English
Ms Angela West – English
Probationary Teachers
Toolooa SHS would like to congratulate the following beginning teachers who successfully completed their probation period in semester 1 and are now permanent members of staff:
Miss Skye Clutterbuck
Mr James Cody
New Staff
Toolooa SHS will be welcoming the following staff in semester 2:
Mrs Karynne Peters - English
Miss Whitney Dew – English
Miss Nikita Korableff – English/ Humanities
Ms Larissa Rohdman – HPE
2025 Senior Subject Selection & SET Plans
All Year 10 students have now selected their Semester 2 subjects which should align to their Senior Pathway and Senior subject aspirations. This Semester 2 "Foundation to Senior" approach will enable students to trial particular subjects and get a "feel" for the academic rigour and assessment/study demands required of Senior students to be successful in their chosen pathway. Our 2025 Senior Subject Selection and SET Plan processes will commence next term. More information will follow.
2025 Year 7 Transition
We are starting our 2025 Year 7 transition very shortly. Enrolment packages are available for collection from the office. We will then be hosting a transition information session on Tuesday 6th August 2024 at 4.30pm. Please follow our school’s Facebook page to keep up-to-date on all the latest transition info!
Term 2 Reporting
With Term 2 assessment now finalised, teachers will be compiling reports to advise parents and families about their students’ progress in the areas of achievement, behaviour and homework. Senior reports will be sent home just before the holidays, with junior reports going out in the first week of next term. As a key partner in your child’s education, this is a perfect opportunity to have a discussion with them about how they are travelling and what their goals are for Semester 2. Whilst there are no parent teacher interviews this term, our staff are always happy to discuss student progress with parents and collaboratively map out the next steps to achieve the best possible outcome for every student.
Support Staff Recognition Week
Last week, Toolooa SHS celebrated the valued contribution our Support Staff play in our school. It was all about recognising, respecting and celebrating what they do to make Toolooa SHS an accessible, safe, supportive and engaging place for all students to learn. They have done and will continue to do an amazing job to keep our school running, learning continuing and keeping us safe. To our Administrator Officers, Business Managers, School Officers, IT Officers, Science Technicians, Community Education Counsellor, Youth Support Coordinator, School Nurse, Youth Workers, we thank you.
External Assessment Invigilators:
Applications Are Open
Applications are now open for community members to become an external assessment invigilator. Invigilators are paid to observe Year 12 exams at secondary schools throughout Queensland from late October to mid-November.
We encourage any potential applicants, including past invigilators, to apply.
Feedback Survey
Over the last couple of weeks, some of our junior school students (Years 7 - 10) have participated in pulse surveys during form class. We value our surveys and feedback as they are an excellent platform for our students to share their voices and opinions. The feedback we get from these surveys allow us to make improvements and put plans into place to continue to better our school. We would also like to share some of the feedback with the broader school community, as we have a lot to celebrate from our student voices. Here are some of the results.
80% of our students believe our school is a good school.
75% of our students responded favourably when asked if they felt comfortable to talk to their teachers about their concerns.
87% of our students believe our school has clear rules and expectations.
During Term 3 parents, staff and students will be provided an opportunity to share their feedback through the official school opinion surveys. We encourage all parents to participate, as the more feedback we receive the more we can improve our school for our students and the wider community.
Representative School Sport
Congratulations to the outstanding athletes that have represented Toolooa SHS for either Port Curtis or Capricornia school sports. We applaud your dedication, hard work and sportsmanship as well as your outstanding achievements. We wish you continued success as you continue to inspire others with your passion and commitment. Well done to our Port Curtis and Capricornia representatives!
The Robys’ are moving to Thursday Island
I have accepted a position at Thursday Island Secondary Campus as a Guidance Officer to commence at the beginning of Term 3. It is with mixed emotions that I say farewell to the Toolooa community. I feel sad to leave families, students and work colleagues behind. I feel proud for the way we have created an inclusive and supportive environment over many years. I feel privileged to have been able to walk along side and provide support to many students transitioning to Toolooa and work with staff here. I feel excited for the next steps in my professional and personal journey. There is no doubt that I have stood on the shoulders of giants and pioneers in the Students with a Disability space including Lynda Ehrke-Malone and Maree Dwyer. Lynda, Maree, alongside strong school leadership, made positive steps to advance and advocate for outcomes for Students with a Disability. I am proud of our current team of Diverse Learning Year Level Support and Program coordinators and have every faith that they will continue to support students, teachers and families with their educational journey.
Toolooa State High School welcomes Tracey Davis, an experienced special educator, to take the helm as the Head of Special Education Services in a permanent full-time position. Her experience, professional attributes and interpersonal skills will advance outcomes for all students including those with a disability. I wish her the very best of luck as I say farewell to the Toolooa SHS school community.
For the last time,
Dave Roby