16 May 2025

Deputy Principal's Address

Dear Parents and Friends,

We’ve had a vibrant and energetic few weeks at Corinda SHS, with our students representing the school proudly across a wide range of sporting and cultural events. It’s a pleasure to share just a few highlights from what has been a busy and successful period.

Language Celebrations
Last week, we celebrated Japanese Week, one of the many highlights of our Languages program at Corinda. Students immersed themselves in cultural experiences including calligraphy, origami, and a variety of hands-on activities that offered a deeper understanding of Japanese culture. It was wonderful to see such strong participation and curiosity from students across year levels. A special shout-out goes to all those who took part in our Japanese Week Trivia, with congratulations to our joint winners, Japi and Sosuke! Thank you also to our Year 12 Japanese class for their leadership in organising and running such a fun and engaging event.

Education Perfect World Challenge
In addition to our cultural celebrations, students across the school have been actively participating in the Education Perfect World Challenge Competition, showcasing their knowledge and enthusiasm across a wide range of subjects. It’s been fantastic to see so many students engaging in friendly academic competition on a global scale. Our school ranked 2^nd in Queensland and globally we were 19^th out of 1804 schools! Congrats to our top achievers Benjamin H, Yongziu W, Ngoc Minh Chau N, Genevieve M and Zia C.

Eastern Taipans District Cross Country Trials
Congratulations to the 35 students who represented Corinda SHS at the Eastern Taipans District Cross Country Trials on Wednesday 28 May. Our students showed exceptional determination, endurance, and school spirit throughout the day. Special mention goes to Elliott C, who placed 1st in the 13 Boys division with an outstanding time of 11:02.97, and Sonny D who finished 3rd in the same race. A total of 14 students have qualified for the Eastern Taipans team and will now advance to the Met West Regional Trials - an incredible achievement!

Mother's Day High Tea
Last week we welcomed families to our much-loved Mother’s Day High Tea, a beautiful opportunity to come together and celebrate the wonderful caregivers in our community. It was heart-warming to see so many smiling faces as we shared stories, laughter, and a few cheeky jokes at our own expense! Our students delighted the crowd with light-hearted performances that lovingly poked fun at the quirks and chaos of everyday family life, and we were thrilled to be joined by comedian Kat Davidson, whose wit and warmth had everyone laughing along. Events like these are a lovely reminder of the strength of our Corinda community, and we thank everyone who joined us for making the afternoon so special.

As we continue through the term, it’s inspiring to see our students thriving in so many different ways - whether on the sports field, on stage, in the classroom, or as leaders within our community. These moments of success and connection are what make Corinda SHS such a vibrant place to learn and grow.

Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support. We look forward to sharing more highlights with you as the term progresses.

Warm regards,

Jenny Catanzariti
Deputy Principal of Teaching and Learning

Key dates

Some of our best

Incredible results at Summer Gala Day!

Our students once again shone at the Summer Gala Days, with strong performances across all year levels. Year 7 Boys Basketball, Year 7 Boys and Girls Futsal, Year 9 Girls Futsal and Year 7 Girls Touch Football teams all finished in 1st place. A number of other teams placed in the top two, showing the depth of talent across our junior years. Our senior students led the way with 1st place finishes in Year 10 Boys Futsal, Year 10 Girls and Boys Touch Football, Open Girls Volleyball, and Open Girls Basketball. Across the board, our athletes demonstrated skill, perseverance, and exemplary sportsmanship.

A heartfelt thank you to the coaches and staff who support our students both on and off the field. These experiences not only build athletic skills but also foster lifelong values of commitment and teamwork.

Standing together for Dolly

Last Friday our school came together in a sea of blue to stand against bullying and raise awareness for mental health. Thanks to the incredible efforts of our Student Council led by Year 12 student Kate Ledez, the event was a powerful reminder of the importance of kindness, compassion, and standing together to make a difference.

The day was dedicated to the memory of Dolly, a young Australian who tragically lost her life to bullying in 2018. Dolly’s parents established the Dolly’s Dream foundation to continue her legacy, striving to educate and support young people who face similar struggles. By participating in Do it for Dolly Day, our school joined thousands of others across the country in a collective effort to show support for Dolly’s Dream and stand against bullying.

Students and staff alike wore blue accessories to support the cause. The bake sale, sausage sizzle, and glitter station were a hit during both breaks, with every gold coin donation going directly to the Dolly’s Dream foundation. Through these contributions, we helped raise funds to continue Dolly’s parents’ work in supporting mental health initiatives and bullying prevention programs.

Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to the success of this important event. Your efforts have made a real impact, and together, we’re helping to create a better, safer world for young people.

Year 12 students complete valuable work experience

We’re thrilled to share that Year 12 student Cara Da Costa recently participated in the first ever ABC Upstart Work Experience Program in Brisbane. After submitting her application, Cara was selected for this incredible opportunity, being one of only three students chosen for the program.

Here’s a testimonial from Cara about her experience: "I spent four days at ABC Brisbane and had the opportunity to meet and rotate between departments. I spent time with Australian Story, ABC News social media, ABC Operations (video editing) and News Quality (camera operations) teams. I also had the opportunity to go behind the scenes with the ABC Brisbane Radio team and ABC News Queensland TV Studio with Jessica van Vonderen. Falling on election week, it was the perfect time to see the ABC in action, learning and working on politics and journalism despite being super busy. It is definitely a pathway I will choose after I graduate!"

Over the Easter holidays Aditya and Erik also completed Work Experience at the Ipswich Hospital Medical Imaging Unit. The students were fully immersed in all aspects of the imaging department and were lucky enough to witness work in the Cardiac Cath Lab, MRI, CT, and X-ray rooms. They were also able to be a part of a case within an operating theatre.

During their time, they also worked with two medical imaging students, as well as our Cath Lab Radiographer who were all ex-Corinda High students! So amazing to see Corinda students and Corinda Alumni exceeding expectations in the medical world. A big thank you to Kasey Roberts (Clinical Manager General X-ray + CCL & Endorsed Radiographer) for facilitating this amazing experience for these students. Kasey was a guest presenter at Future Agent Day last year, and both Aditya and Erik kept in contact with Kasey to organise this wonderful experience. 

Celebrating Guidance Officer week

This past week we celebrated Guidance Officer Week, and we want to take a moment to express our deep appreciation for the incredible work of our Guidance Officers Ms Black and Ms Riley!

Their unwavering dedication to supporting our students doesn’t go unnoticed. From personal counselling to career guidance, they play such an essential role in helping students navigate their educational and life journeys. To show our thanks, Ms Black and Ms Riley were treated to a free drink at our Backstage Brew Café, just a small gesture to recognise their hard work and compassion.

A big thank you to both of you for all the care, support, and wisdom you share with our students every day.

Students can reach out to our Guidance Officers in D Block for support with social/emotional needs, career advice, or educational guidance. Parents are always welcome to contact them through our Admin office to request an appointment for their student.

An exciting new partnership with Construction Pathways!

A big thank you to Ryiah Taylor, Senior Career Pathways Coordinator from Construction Schools Queensland, for presenting our Year 10 Introduction to Construction class with a stunning crystal plaque - symbolising our exciting partnership with Construction Pathways at Corinda! 

Ryiah shared valuable insights with our students, including the forecast that the construction industry will need to double its workforce over the next decade, especially with major infrastructure projects ramping up ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. 

We’re incredibly grateful for this partnership and extend special thanks to Rebecca Gilroy, Deputy of Teaching and Learning, and Richard Jack, Head of Department for INTAD, for helping make this opportunity a reality. It's fantastic to see such strong pathways in place for our students interested in the construction industry!

CBSQ Wildcard Basketball Tournament results

Our Open Girls and Open Boys Basketball teams delivered outstanding performances at the recent CBSQ Wildcard Tournament, both securing qualification for the upcoming four-day Shield Tournament. The Open Girls team went undefeated, displaying incredible teamwork and intensity across five matches. Congratulations to Sienna Reichmann, named MVP, and to standout players Maggie B, Ayni M, and Zara K. The Open Boys team also showed grit and resilience, especially in their narrow victory over Indooroopilly SHS. Well done to MVPs Felix D and Nhial M, along with key contributors Andy N and James C.

Term 1 Fashion highlights

In Term 1, our talented Year 7, 9 and 10 Fashion students stitched their way into creativity and community care! Year 7 & 9 students were hard at work sewing dog beds for the RSPCA, complete with embroidered designs and recycled pillow stuffing! A big shoutout to our wider Corinda SHS community for all the pillow donations. A special thank you to our sponsor Harcourts Marketplace for supporting our students’ trip to deliver the dog beds to the Wacol RSPCA later this term.

Year 9 students began their 2025 school year with a heartfelt project, making Cuddle Hearts for premature babies and their mums. Year 10 students explored colour analysis with stylist Ana Silva and have been drafting their own skirt designs based on body measurements and recent trends. We can’t wait to see their creations come to life!

Congratulations Jodi Hansford our Harcourts Hero of the Month

Congratulations to Dance and Textiles Teacher, Jodi Hansford, the well-deserved recipient of the Harcourts Hero of the Month award! Jodi is a dynamic educator whose passion for the Arts has had a lasting impact on students at Corinda SHS. Known for her creativity and dedication to nurturing talent, Jodi has elevated the school's Performing Arts programs, empowering students to express themselves through movement and design. Her innovative teaching and commitment to excellence have inspired countless young artists to pursue their creative passions. Well done, Jodi, and thank you to Harcourts Marketplace for supporting our peer-to-peer staff recognition initiative.

Year 10 students thrive at QUT set planning talk

Our Year 10 students recently had the opportunity to hear from QUT (Queensland University of Technology) student ambassadors as part of their Careers/SET Planning unit. The session covered different pathway choices, occupational ‘clusters’, and debunked several ‘myths’ about post schooling options.

This valuable information comes at the perfect time, as students begin thinking about subject selections for Years 11 and 12 and how those choices align with their future pathways. The ambassadors shared their own personal journeys through both ATAR and VET pathways, giving students real-life insight into the many possibilities available after school.

Our students left feeling inspired and excited about what lies ahead. A big thank you to QUT for such an engaging and informative presentation!

Year 12 students shine at Youth Entrepreneurship Symposium

Year 12 students Fiona L and Oliver L recently attended the Youth Entrepreneurship Symposium! The Brisbane City Council hosted the event where representatives of businesses gathered to hear first-hand from business-minded students about their entrepreneurial experiences and what they believe is needed to support Brisbane's youth business sector.

Fiona and Oliver both enjoyed this opportunity and mentioned they had fun meeting "cool people" and likeminded peers from other schools across Brisbane! A special thank you to our Head of Department for Business Ms Probst for facilitating this inspiring opportunity!

An outstanding start to the Bill Turner Cup competition

Congratulations to our U15 Boys Football team on an outstanding victory over BBC in Round 1 of the Bill Turner Cup! A special shout out to Year 10 student Jeremiah S for his incredible performance, scoring 4 goals, and to Year 8 student Sebastian C for adding another goal to the scoreboard! This is a fantastic start to the competition, and we can’t wait to see how the team progresses in the upcoming rounds. Well done boys, keep up the great work!

School news

Open Day

Only one more sleep until Open Day! Executive Principal Ross Bailey has been out at the Smart Farm, making sure all our animals are fluffed, buffed, and on their best behaviour. Rumour has it he even tried to teach an alpaca how to shake hands...results were mixed. Come see for yourself! 

Just a few last minute reminders:

📅 When: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

📌 Program: View it here!

🚪 Entry: Gate 1 on Lynne Grove Avenue

🚗 Alumni Parking: Reserved at Gate 2 on Pratten Street

🎟️ P&C Raffles! Visit the P&C Stall for your chance to win amazing prizes from our incredible supporters: Bottellon Tapas and Wine Bar, Bunnings Warehouse, Cr Nicole Johnston, Cr Sarah Hutton, Domino’s, Harcourts Marketplace, Jess Pugh, Priceline Pharmacy, School Locker, Social Café Bar Restaurant, Studio Pilates, Verve Portraits, and Westside HQ.

🍴 Come Hungry! Our food truck line up has you covered: Alba Catering, Backstage Brew Café for coffee, toasties, paninis, and bacon & egg muffins, Carlos Tacos, Der Wurst Man, Gelato A Go Go, House of Poffertjes, Softy and Frosty, Tender Calamari.

☂️ Weather Alert: Morning showers are expected, so pack your umbrella and maybe your dancing shoes—rain never stops the fun!

Celebrating Corinda's cultural diversity with MultiFest!

Our Cultural Council are excited to announce that as part of this year’s MultiFest Week celebrations, students and staff will be showcasing their cultural pride through a Cultural Dress Fashion Parade during SB1 and JB1 on Wednesday 21st May. Students will change into cultural attire from their uniforms and proudly display traditional attire and flags, parading through the Undercover Area, Tuckshop, Front of the Assembly Hall, and finishing at A Block for presentation. This is a vibrant opportunity to celebrate the diversity within our school community - supporting students and staff are encouraged to cheer from the sidelines and join us in embracing the rich cultures that make Corinda unique!

MultiNight is the highlight of MultiFest, taking place on Thursday 22 May from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM! Celebrate the rich cultural diversity of our school community with over 15 incredible student performances that showcase traditions from around the world. 

The fun begins during the leisure period from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM, where you can enjoy delicious food from a variety of food trucks and snap memories at our vibrant photo booth. Performances run from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, featuring music, dance, and cultural displays, with the chance to win amazing prizes in our exciting raffle draw. 

Tickets are only $3 each, with a maximum of 4 family members per student allowed to attend. Student performers enter free, but family members must purchase tickets. Parents, please check parent notices on DayMap for the link to buy tickets!

Limited edition cafe drinks will be available to purchase during MultiFest Week also! Mango Lassi and Vietnamese Coffee are both available for $7 each. All proceeds will be donated to MultiCultural Australia! 

Premier's Reading Challenge 

All Year 7 to 9 students are invited to participate in the 2025 Premier's Reading Challenge (PRC)! This is a fantastic opportunity for students to develop a lifelong love of reading. The challenge encourages students to read a wide range of books, including fiction and non-fiction, at their own level. It’s not a competition, but a chance to explore new worlds and ideas through books!

The challenge period begins Tuesday 6 May and ends Friday 22 August 2025. Year 7 - 9 students must read at least 15 books during the challenge period. You can include reading, shared reading and listening to stories in your tally. Book suggestions are available on the PRC website: https://prc.median.com.au/BookList Use the reader record form to keep track of all the books you read and hand it into our library by Thursday 28 August.

Let’s make this year’s challenge even bigger and better than last year, where more than 216,000 students across the Queensland took part! Parents, please check your emails for more information. Student reader record forms have been sent via email and hard copies are also available at our library front desk.

AFL 9s is here!

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of an exciting new sporting opportunity at Corinda State High School - AFL 9s is here!

In partnership with AFL Queensland, we’ll be kicking off a 4-week AFL 9s competition starting Week 6 of this term, and we want as many students as possible to get involved!

• When: Mondays after school, 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM on the Oval 
• Duration: 4 weeks, starting Monday 26 May 2025 (Week 6)
• Cost: Absolutely FREE
• Registration: Required via the Play HQ app
• Who can join? Open to all Year 7 - 10 students

AFL 9s is perfect for everyone - whether your student is a seasoned footy player or trying it for the first time. It’s played on a smaller field, is tackle-free, and is all about teamwork, skill-building, and having heaps of fun.

To build confidence and develop skills before the competition begins, Year 8 students will participate in a session during their Monday Practical Lesson in Weeks 5 or 6. This session will focus on ball skills and game awareness and will be delivered by AFL Queensland representatives, who will also co-run the competition alongside our HPE staff.

We’re aiming to build this into an interhouse competition, so it’s a great way for students to represent their house, get active, and make new friends.

Download the Play HQ app by scanning the QR code on the attached flyer or visit www.playhq.com/afl/register/df02d0 and
get registered today.

We can’t wait to see the students out on the field for what’s sure to be a highlight of Term 2!

Parent resources

Real Schools - The Human Behaviour Muscle

In this insightful video, expert facilitator Daniel Vella from Real Schools delves into the concept of 'The Human Behaviour Muscle'. This resource is part of our ongoing collaboration with Real Schools, designed to strengthen positive school culture, empower student agency, and cultivate meaningful staff-student relationships through the effective implementation of Restorative Practices.

Daniel Vella explains that behaviour is a universal human experience, not something that only concerns young people. By understanding how the brain influences behaviour, adults can better regulate their own responses and model positive strategies for the young people in their lives, fostering a more supportive and understanding environment.

To dive deeper into the connection between the brain and behaviour, Real Schools has also provided a valuable article which includes a handy cheat sheet. Click the here to access this insightful resource.

Happy Families QWebinar - Managing screens at home

In today’s fast-paced world, many young men are struggling to find direction. Even well-meaning online searches can lead to harmful ideas about masculinity, often promoting toughness and dominance over empathy and emotional openness. The TV show "Adolescence" has highlighted how these outdated beliefs impact boys’ emotional growth and relationships.

To help young men thrive, it’s crucial to provide positive role models, safe spaces for conversation, and encourage respectful friendships, especially across genders. This report emphasises the importance of guiding boys with care and encouraging critical thinking to challenge harmful influences. Click here for this month's edition.

Internet Safe Education - PolyBuzz Webinar

AI character bot programs, designed to simulate realistic online relationships, have recently attracted significant media attention. These technologies are raising growing concerns about the safety and wellbeing of young people. 

To support parents and carers in understanding these risks, online safety expert Brett Lee has recorded a webinar focused on one such program called PolyBuzz. The webinar by Internet Safe Education provides important information on how these AI bots work and what families need to know to help keep children safe online. To watch, click here or view below. 

Community news