19 February 2021

Newsletter Articles

Executive Principal’s Report

Dear Parents and Friends

Last week we held our inaugural Academic Awards of Excellence evening to replace the traditional Speech Night normally conducted at the end of the school year. Due to COVID restrictions along with the changes in the new ATAR system we made the decision to move the event to the beginning of the year. As this was our first attempt at such an event, we were very happy with the support from families and staff in bringing this together within very short timeframes.

We received some very positive feedback from families who attended and we plan to build on this to make this even more effective and engaging next year. It was a wonderful opportunity to publicly profile our 2021 Senior Students and wish them well for the year ahead.

Our school theme this year is titled: True Grit – The Cowboy Code. Our staff and students have really embraced the theme and we utilised this event to launch the underlying messages within our theme this year. Everyone is enjoying the fun that has also been created through this as well.

I know the visuals for this theme may present a picture of living in the wild wild west, roughing it or taking matters into our own hands - but its significance goes much deeper than this. True grit means to have courage and show the strength of your character – a person with true grit has passion and perseverance. Goals are set and followed through. A person who works really hard to follow through on commitments has true grit.

True grit allows you to keep going, to pursue your passion and the things we are passionate about also involve challenge and adversity, to build practice time - if you are going to accomplish anything, you are going to have to practice. Our Year 12 2020 graduates would agree with this – particularly as they prepared for their external exams. And of course push on, we now need to keep going. At the awards evening current students were acknowledged for their true grit and encouraged to keep going in 2021.

The cowboy icon is a unique place and time in history. If you suspect that the courageous cowboy is only a Hollywood myth, read the words of John R. Erickson (a fine Western writer who has also lived the cowboy life) from his book, Some Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys (1999): “The heroism of the working cowboy isn’t a joke…it isn’t something that has been cooked up by an advertising agency. Cowboys are heroic because they exercise human courage on a daily basis. They live with danger. They take chances. They sweat, they bleed, they burn in the summer and freeze in the winter. They find out how much a mere human can do, and then they do a little more. They reach beyond themselves.”

Here’s hoping all our students find the courage to brave the weather of the year ahead and in true cowboy style - reach beyond themselves and then do a little bit more and show what they are really made of – Corinda True Grit!

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all our award recipients who received academic and special awards last week. These students certainly exhibited true grit and are testament to the Cowboy ethics - riding for the brand, living each day with courage and taken pride in their work. They have all worked very hard and these awards are well deserved. It was wonderful to see our 2020 year 12 students return and celebrate the wonderful ATAR achievements of these students.

Term Planners

Last week I sent an email to all students with a template for a term planner. This is a word document which can be filled by individual students – assessment, extra curricular activities, part-time work commitments, sports. They can colour code to assist with organisation. I would strongly urge all parents to encourage students to complete these planners each term and place in a visible space in the home. A link to this is attached for your information.

Time to saddle up and tackle the busy times ahead.

Helen Jamieson
Executive Principal

Coming Events

Some of our best

2020 Round Up – Academic Awards of Excellence

On Thursday 11 February 2021 we came together to celebrate the Academic achievements of our students in 2020. This was the inaugural Academic Awards of Excellence to accommodate the new ATAR system. We welcomed back numerous graduates from 2020 and were addressed by last year’s school captains for the final time, before the 2021 leaders took over. The night embraced our 2021 theme The Cowboy Code –True Grit and celebrated the true grit of our award recipients.

An outstanding show from our Corinda Vanguard (Drumline) opened the ceremony and our vocalists treated the audience to a beautiful rendition of the national anthem. The night also included two boot-scooting dance numbers from our Dance Excellence students to ensure the night involved plenty of toe-tapping entertainment!

The new ATAR has been a very new landscape across Queensland and identifying Dux of the school could only be determined following the release of the ATAR scores in December. It was our pleasure to present the dux of our school for 2020.

Dux of the School: Oanh Nguyen

We were also very proud to present the following special awards to our current students for their outstanding efforts in 2020:

Busy Bee Business

In 2019, current year 9 student Jaymi Sleight was awarded a business grant of $2000 at our annual Big Idea Grant Competition. Jaymi used his grant money to start a sustainable bee hive business, developing a working business model to ensure his business continued to blossom. Two years on, Jaymi is harvesting the rewards of his hard work.

Last week Jaymi presented Executive Principal Helen Jamieson with the first jar of honey harvested from his very own bee hives and even used the wax to produce a homemade beeswax wrap. We are so proud of the wonderful initiative and student agency that Jaymi has shown in pursuing his entrepreneurial idea. Jaymi’s hives are kept at the Corinda Farm and he intends to harvest the honey to sell in the months to come.

Jaymi Sleight (9) presenting the honey and beeswax wrap to Ms Jamieson.

English Writer’s Camp

On Monday, year 7 and 8 English Excellence students travelled to the Museum of Brisbane and the Brisbane Square Library for the annual Writers’ Camp.

Students had a great time honing their creative writing skills through workshops with published authors and responding to stimulus at The Storytellers exhibit. We look forward to reading the great work they produce as a result of this experience!

English Excellence students at the Writer’s camp in Brisbane.

School News

Corinda Cares Initiative – Everyone Deserves a Home

Throughout week 3 this term, the Senior Health Education students teamed up with Corinda Cares to implement the Corinda Cares – Everyone Deserves a Home initiative within the community. The initiative aimed to increase advocacy and awareness for those who have been, or are currently experiencing homelessness in the local community. Over a three day period, staff and students of Corinda State High School, as well as members of the broader community were invited to donate hygiene items, which were to be given to local organisations providing day-to-day support for the homeless community. Local primary schools were also invited to participate, with Sherwood State School and Oxley State School also providing donations and support for the cause.

On the final day of the donation drive, the school held a “Crazy Tie Day”, where staff and students were encouraged to wear a crazy tie for the day for a gold coin donation – this was a great way to end the three day initiative. Corinda Cares – Everyone Deserves a Home proved a great success, with a total of $410 raised, and over 650 hygiene items donated. Thank you to everyone who participated over the three days – we look forward to running similar initiatives in the future, which aim to benefit members of our local community.

Donated items from the donation drive

Our House Masters showing off their crazy ties

Love Week

In the lead up to Valentine’s Day, Corinda celebrated the concept of friendship. Students lined up throughout the week to purchase a rose to have specially delivered to a nominated person as a show of appreciation for their friendship. The week culminated in the delivery of over 1000 roses to students across the school.

At Corinda State High School, we value student agency, and it was lovely to see the large group of year 12 volunteers stepping forward to organise the decorations, photo booth, live music and stalls each lunchtime. Our Arts captains Kim Nguyen and Lucy Wood worked with Mrs Stewart and her senior music students to further liven the atmosphere during break times. It was great to see our students stepping forward to create such a positive experience in our school.

Love Week at Corinda State High School

Corinda’s Wind Ensemble kicks off for 2021

In week 3 Corinda’s Wind Ensemble celebrated the beginning of 2021 with their conductor Tom Stewart. It was exciting to see many year 7 Instrumental Music students carry on their primary school traditions as they graduated to our secondary school band program. They were greeted by an enthusiastic chorus of year 8 and 9 musicians. We cannot wait to hear how they develop throughout Term 1 and at our annual Term 1 Music Camp. 

Corinda Wind Ensemble’s first rehearsal for 2021

Open Day

Our school Open Day is fast approaching and we are excited to be able to display our wonderful school to the public after having to cancel last year due to COVID restrictions. Our community is invited to join us on the day to celebrate our fantastic school. Why not come and see our newly renovated A Block? Or experience the revolutionary learning space in our brand new Resource and Innovation Centre!

Open Day will be on Saturday 27 March between 9.00am and 1.00pm.

A fresh and exciting new Art space and Senior Schooling area – A Block

Year 7 Parent Meet, Greet and Cyber Safety Evening

We invite year 7 parents to a meet and greet evening with Executive Principal Helen Jamieson and the year 7 staff. The night will begin at 5.00 pm with light refreshments, followed by a Cyber Safety presentation from the Queensland Police Service.

RSVP is due by next Wednesday 24 February to rsvp@corindashs.eq.edu.au

Year 11 and 12 Parent / Career Information Evenings

Our Senior Schooling team will be hosting Parent / Career information evenings for our current year 11 and 12 parents. These sessions will be conducted via Zoom. A link will be emailed to parents and made available the week of the information evening. 

Golden Opportunities Days 2021

Golden Opportunities Days at Corinda State High School are an opportunity to provide students with enrichment opportunities. We are running a number of these days in term 1. Enrolment for Golden Opportunities Days can be found here on our website.

Community News

Write for Fun Competition

The 2021 Poetry & Short Story Schools Writing Competition is now open. Students are invited to enter their original poems or short stories. There are over $3000 in cash and prizes to be won!

For more information or to complete an entry form please click here.

April Holiday Cricket Clinic

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