13 June 2025

Deputy Principal's Address

Dear Parents and friends,

Corinda State High School is a bustling hive of activity, and the past weeks have seen a range of events occurring in support of students and the greater school community.  Despite the start of winter keeping temperatures low, spirits have remained high throughout the Term.

In my role as Deputy Principal – Innovation, I have been working closely with the Senior Leadership team of the school to review our Senior systems and support provisions for Senior students.  This has included a review of academic coaching, Set Planning and subject changes.  Supporting students in their Senior studies has always been an important part of the Leadership ecosystem at Corinda and this year we have a renewed focus on Total Coaching. The refreshed approach has reintroduced Heads of Department, Deputy Principals and the Executive Principal into the coaching pool alongside Future Fit teachers. The result is each coach having less students to focus on, allowing deeper conversations around wellbeing first and academic progress. The process is greatly enhanced with the addition of the Student Learner Profile which is updated with assessment grades and other valuable information – which is now available on Senior students' DayMap accounts via the Portfolio tab in the left menu attachments. The goal of coaching is to make sure students are on track and have a support person to aid them in reaching their potential and meeting their future goals.

Year 10 Parent Information Night

In preparation for Senior studies and planning for their futures, the Senior Schooling team hosted the annual Year 10 Parent Information night. This provides valuable insight into subject offerings at Corinda State High School that will help prepare students for their pathway beyond secondary schooling as well as the specific requirements to obtain a Queensland Certificate of Education and the factors to consider when selecting subjects. If you were not able to attend, a recording of the presentation is located here. Thank you to all the parents, students and staff who attended and hosted the event! 

Men's Mental Health Week

Week 8 also saw a large portion of the school leadership team participate in an Ice Bucket Challenge on a very cold winters day on the oval. This was in support of raising awareness for Men’s Mental Health Week and as a reminder that it “ain't weak to speak!” and breaking down the stigma of men’s mental health.

100 Days

Our Class of 2025 recently marked a major milestone — just 100 days to go until graduation! The Year 12 Common Area was filled with excitement as students celebrated. A highlight of the event was the cohort gathering on the oval to form a giant “100” symbolising their unity and the final stretch ahead. Thank you to the Student Council for organising this memorable event.

Sports Highlights

The HPE department have hosted some special guests over the past week, including Lincoln McCarthy and Jaspa Fletcher from the Brisbane Lions who spoke to student athletes and staff about their AFL journeys. Check out the article below. 

Lara Dunkley and Emily Moore from the Queensland Firebirds also came to speak to the Netball Academy players and staff, speaking about fuelling for training and the importance of supporting your teammates. Thanks to Charlotte Andrews and Brooke Napper for facilitating this great opportunity for students. These events are benefitting the growing Netball Academy who recently sent our biggest squad yet to SouthSide Super 7’s competition with 8 teams including our newest addition, the Senior Boys.

The Football Excellence juggernaut continues to build momentum, with the Bill Turner Cup teams defeating BBC and Ipswich Grammar (Boys) and Stretton (Girls). Both teams now face cross town rivals in the semi-finals against Kelvin Grove State College on Monday 23 June at Lions Stadium (Girls 10:30 AM, Boys 12:30 PM). It would be great to see a crowd supporting our teams!

Warm regards,

Kyle Bateson
Deputy Principal of Innovation

Key dates

Some of our best

Highlights from the Wellbeing Expo

Last week, our school community came together for our annual Wellbeing Expo, an event proudly coordinated and run by our dedicated Student Support Team. The day was all about connection, exploration, and empowerment - giving students the chance to engage with a wide range of health and wellbeing services.

Students moved through the expo at their own pace, having meaningful conversations with representatives from mental health organisations, sporting groups, and multi-faith agencies. Each stall offered unique insights and hands-on activities designed to support students’ mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing.

A big thank you to all the local organisations and groups who joined us to make the event a success including: AFL Queensland Umpires, Brisbane Youth Service, Clarence Street at Mater, headspace Inala, IYS - Inspire Youth & Family Services, ISEE Church Brisbane West, Open Doors Youth Service Inc., Performance Physio, Fitness and Health, QPASST, Queensland Police Service, QUT (Queensland University of Technology) Multifaith Chaplaincy, Queensland African Communities Council, Red Frogs Australia, and Riverlife Baptist Churchand WHEQ.

A special shoutout to Performance Physio Fitness + Health for re-signing as a Bronze school sponsor in 2025! We really appreciate your support as a school and thanks to your team (pictured below) for attending our Wellbeing Expo.

Culinary students shine in the Great Corinda Bake Off

After two days of whisk-whipping competition, we’re excited to reveal the winners of the Great Corinda Bake Off! Katie K impressed the judges with her Berry Cheesecake Pot and Alana B wowed with her Lemon Raspberry Tart. Runners-up were also recognised for their outstanding creations are Freddie B with a Lemon Tart topped with Spiked Meringue and Winter H with a beautifully presented Fruit Custard Tart.

With 22 talented Year 8 Culinary students competing, our panel of judges including our Executive Principal Mr Bailey, staff, and industry guests Chrissy and Kerri from The Lion Richlands had the delightful but difficult task of tasting and scoring each pastry. Congratulations to all our incredible young bakers and huge shout out to their Culinary teacher and Dibbil House Master, Miss Malan!

Local AFL legends inspire

This week we had the absolute pleasure of welcoming Brisbane Lions legends Lincoln McCarthy and Jaspa Fletcher to Corinda SHS for an intimate Q&A session with our HPE faculty and student athletes.

The afternoon was filled with rich insights as Lincoln and Jaspa reflected on their own high school experiences - sharing how they juggled the demands of study, training, and competition. Their stories were not only inspiring but deeply relatable for our students striving to excel in both sport and academics.

For our staff, the players offered valuable advice on understanding the unique pressures faced by student athletes. They spoke about the power of personalised feedback, the importance of building individual relationships, and how mutual respect between coaches and players is the foundation for success.

A huge thank you to Lincoln and Jaspa for taking time out of your busy schedules. Your honesty, humility, and wisdom made a lasting impression on our community of emerging talent and dedicated educators.

Construction students learn new skills with VR

Our Senior Construction students took part in an immersive Virtual Reality experience, brought to them by Tony Martin, Career Pathways Manager at Construction Skills Queensland! Students explored careers in civil and domestic construction, learnt about job requirements and pay, and practiced moving concrete pipes as crane operators in VR. This hands-on experience gave them a real insight into the construction industry!

Welcome Nyki our new Youth Worker

A warm Corinda welcome to our newest team member, Nyki! Nyki joins us as a Youth Worker, working alongside Kobie and Madison to support our students' wellbeing. Get to know more about Nyki and her role below: 

Why did you want to become a Youth Worker?

I was drawn to youth work because I’m passionate about making a positive difference in young people’s lives. Adolescence is such a formative time, and having someone to listen, guide, and believe in you can be life changing. I wanted to be that person—someone who helps young people feel seen, heard, and supported. Youth work allows me to combine empathy, advocacy, and practical support in a way that truly matters.

What challenges do you see teenagers facing on a day-to-day basis?

Teenagers today face a wide range of challenges that can impact their wellbeing. These include academic pressure, social media influence, identity development, peer relationships, and mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression. Many also navigate family expectations, part-time work, and uncertainty about their future. The constant connectivity of the digital world can amplify stress and reduce opportunities for genuine rest and reflection.

SchoolTV has released their 2024 Wellbeing Barometer Report, capturing insights from over 3,100 parents and caregivers across 271 schools in Australia and New Zealand. The report explores trends in mental health, relationships, learning motivation, bullying, digital engagement, and more. To view the report, click here.

House Charity fundraiser success

Last Friday, Kabul and Moori Houses brought students from all year levels together to enjoy pancakes and raise funds for the Children's Hospital Foundation! A big shoutout to the team including all the student helpers for serving up a delicious breakfast with school spirit!

Shining a spotlight on STEM ambassador Bethannie

A huge congratulations to our very own Year 10 student Bethannie for being accepted into the prestigious STEM Girl Power program through the Queensland Department of Education! Bethannie recently attended an exciting 3-day camp with over 50 other passionate female students from across Queensland. Throughout the camp, she had the incredible opportunity to connect with inspiring female STEM role models, engage in a range of hands-on and innovative STEM workshops, and grow her skills as a future STEM ambassador.

Bethannie shared, “On camp I got to meet so many amazing likeminded girls from all over Queensland. My favourite part of the trip was visiting SparkLab's science museum and watching their tesla coil demonstration!”

We’re so proud of you, Bethannie! Best of luck with your upcoming STEM initiative in August for National Science Week – we can’t wait to hear all about it! A special thank you to Ms Brooking, Head of Department for Science, for helping make this incredible opportunity possible.

Bill Turner Cup success

A memorable day for our Football Excellence program as both our Girls and Boys teams delivered standout performances in the latest round of the Bill Turner Cup.

Girls: Corinda SHS 2 – 1 Stretton SSCA a competitive and hard-fought contest between two strong programs. In what’s becoming a growing local rivalry, our girls showed great composure and character to edge to another victory against Stretton in a close encounter that keeps the rivalry going in our favour.

Boys: Corinda SHS 5 – 1 Ipswich Grammar a performance to be proud of. The boys played with energy, discipline, and confidence, securing a strong result against a historically respected footballing GPS powerhouse in IGS. It’s a sign of how far our program has come and the belief our players have in each other.

We’re proud of both teams - not just for the results, but for the way they continue to represent Corinda SHS and our Football program with humility, respect, and determination. The journey continues. A special thank you to our FEX sponsors Harcourts Marketplace, The Lion Richlands and Lions FC for supporting our teams along the way!

Year 8 History students stretch their thinking with SchoolAI

Mr Moore’s Year 8 History students have been diving deep into the past through inquiry-based learning, investigating how major empires rose, ruled, and eventually changed or fell. From the Mongols and Vikings to the Ottomans, Spanish Conquest, Khmer Empire, and Shogunate Japan, students are developing their own historical questions to explore topics that fascinate them most.

Their question walls are now brimming with insightful and curious prompts, showing how learners are taking ownership of their journey through history.

To extend their research even further, students are using SchoolAI, a classroom-safe and teacher-guided AI platform. With the help of this tool, they have been able to refine their questions, explore multiple perspectives, and stretch their thinking in new ways. It is learning that is curious, critical, and creative. Just the way we like it.

Results from CBSQ Basketball competitions!

Congratulations to our Junior Girls, Junior Boys, and Sophomore Boys basketball teams on their performances at the CBSQ Wildcard Tournament!

The Junior Girls showed incredible growth and energy throughout the tournament, with standout efforts from Mikayla, Sidney R, and Neve K - who led the scoring. The Junior Boys impressed with a dominant team performance, led by Peter G, James G, and Gurman K. Both teams have now qualified for the 4-day Shield Tournament.

Our Sophomore Boys displayed great heart and determination across all games. Year 7 students Eddie T and Tom, along with Year 8’s Gavin Z, stood out with their efforts on court. While their qualification is still pending, the team should be proud of their persistence and teamwork.

A huge thank you to our sponsor, Motorama Ford, as well as Mr Rudolph and Chappy Jeff for their ongoing support of CSHS Basketball. Best of luck to our players in the Shield Tournament!

Year 9 students visit the State Library of Queensland

Our Year 9 Humanities Excellence and Platinum classes recently embarked on a trip to the State Library of Queensland to deep dive into research! Their next history unit focuses on Australia, WWI and the ANZAC Legacy and students enjoyed viewing collections in the library that uncovered sources about Australia’s involvement in WWI. They learnt tips and tricks to refine their research skills and to guide their research like true historians. A great day out!

Our Australia-China Digital Bridge project is flourishing

What a fantastic milestone — our first year of partnership with Zhiyuan Middle School in Shanghai, China! As part of our school’s Australia-China Digital Bridge project, students planted a pomegranate tree in our Smart Farm precinct last year to symbolise this growing connection.

Recently, our partner school shared a beautiful photo of their own pomegranate trees blossoming across their campus, sending it to our dedicated languages teacher, Mr Knight. Students from Mr Knight’s class enjoyed the journey from A Block to the Smart Farm to learn more about the project and see just how much our pomegranate tree has flourished in one year.

This partnership is a wonderful example of nurturing relationships that transcend borders, inspire collaboration, and cultivate a brighter future for our students.

Our Agriculture Team visit Queensland Spinners Weavers Open Day

We recently had an incredible time at the Queensland Spinners Weavers and Fibre Artists Open Day! Our team brought along three alpacas (Rocky, Chilli, and Dynamo), two sheep, and three baby chickens for a hands-on experience with the community. Visitors got up close with the animals while learning about our school and discovering where the fibre and fleece that make their clothes come from. A big thank you to our Alpaca team captain, Year 12 student Cailin N, for helping make the day so special.

Yvonne and the QSWFA team have a long-standing connection with our Smart Farm, regularly joining us for community celebrations like Farm Day. They’ll be back again this year on Saturday 6 September, and we hope you can join us to see the incredible work they do!

School news

Pink Day

Next Wednesday Corinda is Going Pink in support of the National Breast Cancer Foundation!  Students are encouraged to wear pink accessories over their uniform with a gold coin donation. The Student Council will be selling donuts ($2), sausages ($2.50), ribbons ($1), tutus ($10), and temporary tattoos ($0.50) in between C and F blocks.  A photobooth will also be available for $1.50 per polaroid photo.

Donuts will be available in SB1 and JB1and sausages will be available in SB2 and JB1. Ribbons and Tattoos will be for sale until they are sold out. We look forward to seeing our students and staff Go Pink across our campus to support this important cause.

Battle of the Bands

On Friday 20 June from 5:30PM to 7:30PM Corinda SHS presents Battle of the Bands! Come along to witness an incredible evening filled with music and entertainment as our student bands battle it out for the 2025 title!

This event is open to all students, staff, and members of the community. It is free admission, and our fabulous Backstage Brew Cafe will be open with food and drinks to purchase. We can't wait to see you then!

Parent resources

School TV Free Webinar - Digital media literacy & safety

Parents and carers are invited to a free SchoolTV Digital Media Literacy & Safety Webinar on Tuesday 17 June at 7:30 PM featuring two of Australia’s leading experts in child and teen wellbeing – Susan McLean and Dr Michael Carr-Gregg.

The webinar will cover critical topics to help empower young people to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly including artificial intelligence, misinformation & algorithms, sexting and sextortion and online grooming. Register here.

Community news

Sharks Volleyball Camp

Sharks Camp is a four-day volleyball camp designed to cater to athletes of all skill levels. With elite development opportunities available and pathways into club and state-level volleyball, this camp has something for everyone!

The Year 7-12 camp will run in the second week of the school holidays from Tuesday 8 July to Friday 11 July at Mansfield SHS. For more information and to register click here.