Week 11 Term Four, 9 December CapSDE newsletter

Principal's Pen

As the year draws to a close, I find myself filled with immense pride and gratitude for the incredible achievements, resilience, and spirit of our whole school community. Together, we have navigated another year of learning, growth, and connection in our unique distance education environment.

Last week was one of the many highlights of the year, with a series of events that again showcased the heart and soul of our school. The primary swimming carnival held in Emerald was a vibrant celebration of participation, determination, and fun, with students, home tutors, and families cheering each other on. Teachers have already begun training to outpace the parents, govies, and home tutors in next year’s relay! Thank you goes to Murray Harch for his behind-the-scenes organising, and to Deb White for stepping in seamlessly for Murray on the day. Special thanks also to our Deputy Principal’s Lachlan Schueber and Kellie Dobson, along with the Primary team, for ensuring the event ran smoothly.
 
The Year 6 dinner was a truly special evening, celebrating a significant milestone for our students as they complete their Primary school journey. 

A standout highlight was also the P&C dinner, last Tuesday which offered a fantastic opportunity to connect with students, staff, families, and community members in a warm and celebratory atmosphere. The evening was filled with laughter, shared stories, and a palpable sense of community, care, kindness, and respect.  Thanks go to the P&C, their volunteers and everyone who contributed to organising these two memorable and very successful social events.

Week 7 also brought significant moments at our Rockhampton Campus. The Rockhampton secondary swimming carnival was a fantastic event filled with energy, camaraderie, and school spirit. The Years 7-12 awards ceremony provided an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the incredible achievements of our students, while the Year 12 formal was a memorable and elegant evening, marking the end of an important chapter for our graduating class.  In addition our final Mini-school for the year was well attended and thoroughly enjoyed by all students at both campuses.  Anita Grice deserves recognition for her ongoing efforts in coordinating events and communications, which were top-notch as always.

Our awards ceremonies, Mini-schools and special events throughout the year highlight the dedication and support of everyone in our community. Each award recipient and participant reminds us of the incredible potential within our school and the power of relationships, resilience and respect.

As we reflect on the year, I want to sincerely thank our Leadership Team for their exceptional guidance in supporting staff and empowering every student to reach their highest potential. A special acknowledgment goes to Georgina Harch for her meticulous work in preparing our school timetable and staffing for 2025—a monumental task vital to our school’s operations, accomplished through her unwavering dedication. I also extend my heartfelt gratitude to Desolee Cowley, Kellie Dobson, Lachlan Scheuber, and Cathryn Haywood-Batchelor for their outstanding curriculum and operational leadership, ensuring our programs remain dynamic and student-focused. Thanks are also due to our Leadership Team for their ongoing collaboration with teaching staff. Finally, a big thank you to our teaching staff, the backbone of our school, for your unwavering passion and commitment to educating and inspiring our students every day.

To our Business Manager, Veronica, and her team of trainers, teacher aides, admin staff, cleaners, and groundsman, 2024 has been a success thanks to the team’s tireless dedication and invaluable contributions to ensure our school operates seamlessly. 

This year, we say farewell to staff members departing for other opportunities. From the Emerald Campus, Laneisa Burey, who has been a vital member of the Emerald team, and from the Rockhampton Campus, Cassandra Tooker, Slade McMeeken, Rahni Flesser, David Olorenshaw, and Lachlan Scheuber (taking Semester 1 leave). Your contributions have been invaluable, and you will be missed. We wish you all the very best in your future endeavours.

To our Govies, Home Tutors, Students, and Families leaving our school, please accept my sincere regards and best wishes for the future. You will always be a part of our extended school community.

As we head into the holiday season, I again want to express how proud I am of our school community. It takes a village to create the vibrant, inclusive, and supportive environment we cherish.  I wish you all a joyful and restful holiday break. May it be a time of rejuvenation, reflection, and connection with loved ones. I look forward to seeing what we will achieve together in the new year.

Warm regards,
Amanda Rynne, Principal

Home Tutor Induction Days 2025

At the start of Term One, 2025, Capricornia School of Distance Education will be holding Face-to-face and Online Home Tutor Induction Sessions and Student Induction Sessions.

Families have the option of choosing either the online sessions, or the Face-to-face sessions in either Rockhampton or Emerald. Families are not required to attend both, as the information from the Online Sessions will be repeated in the Face-to-face sessions.

Tuesday 28 Jan – Wednesday 29 Jan – Online Sessions

Thursday 30 Jan – Friday 31Jan – Face to face (with some streaming for cross-campus sessions)

Sessions are designed to support new and existing Home Tutors with the skills required to assist students with their online learning. Various topics will be covered, including among other things: individual Year Level Sessions, AARA, Systematic Synthetic Phonics, Spelling Mastery, subject-specific Secondary Information, Camp Information, and Microsoft Teams. It is highly advisable for Home Tutors to commit to either the Online or Face-to-face option.

Note, full timetables including Microsoft Teams links for all online Student and Home Tutor sessions will become available in early 2025.

Online Student Induction Sessions are scheduled for Tuesday 28^th and Wednesday 29^th January. But families are welcome to bring students to either campus on Thursday 30^th and Friday 31^st January, for Face-to-face Student Induction Sessions. Again, attendance at both sets of sessions is not required, as information from the Online Sessions will be repeated in the Face-to-face sessions.

Face to Face Sessions Rockhampton

For Home Tutors new to CapSDE, please see below a map of the Rockhampton Campus.

• Primary Home Tutors are asked to enter via the McLaughlin Street entrance and make their way directly to the Primary Buildings for student drop off.   

Here you will be asked to sign in and then escorted to the Library where the Primary Home Tutor sessions will be held.

• Primary students will be supervised in activities in the Primary Buildings.
• Secondary Home Tutors can come directly to the Administration office via Farm Street, Gate 5 to sign in and will then be escorted to I Block.
• Secondary students will be supervised in activities in the Outstation.
• Morning Tea (10:00-10:30) and Lunch (12:15-1:00) for Home Tutors will be provided in I Block at the designated times on the timetable.
• Please send your student to campus with a packed lunch and water bottle, school uniform, hat and closed in shoes.

To assist us with our catering for Home Tutor Sessions, if you plan on attending the ‘Face to Face’ sessions in either Emerald or Rockhampton, please indicate your intention by completing the form via the link below as soon as possible.  

LINK:  Please click here to indicate your attendance to assist our catering numbers.

Face to Face Sessions Emerald

Emerald Home Tutors should go directly to the Library. If you are unsure where the Library is located, please check in at the Administration Office.

Altered Timetables Weeks 10 - 11

Primary

Monday 9^th - Thursday 12^th Dec    Altered timetable (one daily 60-minute lesson per Year Level).

Friday 13^th December.                   No lessons for P-9 (Data Day)

Secondary 

This is Week 11 and all year levels will be running an alternate program for students.
Attendance is still expected throughout the week and any absences will need to be reported via the normal student absence process.

Secondary Students – Click on the following link, which will take you to your sessions for the day (see example snip below)

LINK TO SESSONS: https://qed08.instructure.com/courses/18971~96540 

Friday 6^th Dec                                HPE/Arts/Tech Faculty

Monday 9^th Dec                             English Faculty

Tuesday 10^th Dec                           Science Faculty

Wednesday 11^th Dec                      Maths Faculty

Thursday 12^th Dec                          HaSS Faculty

Friday 13^th December.                    No lessons for P-9 (Data Day)

Key Dates - 2025

Our Key Dates are available below for families looking to plan for 2025.
Whilst we don't anticipate changes, we are aware that due to unforeseen circumstances at times changes are unavoidable. 

2025 Booklists

In the 'Forms & Documents' content holder on the left-hand side column in the newsletter, you will find the 2025 Booklists. these have also been emailed to families and can be found on the website under the Curriculum tab.

CapSDE understands the difficulty some families face when trying to purchase booklist items, whilst living remotely, or difficulty accessing stores. As a result we offer families the opportunity to purchase their booklist items through Campion online. Campion has the complete list of all items on CapSDE book lists available, with delivery before the start of school.

Due date to ensure delivery before the start of school is Friday 27th December.

Families can order online at www.campion.com.au

Ensure you enter the school code when ordering through Campion, H8Y3

Using Campion for your back-to-school supplies is not compulsory, however this convenient option is available to families who may like to utilise the service. Families can choose what they would like to purchase out of the booklists, so if you have left over items from the year before, you can choose not to add them to your cart for 2025 items.

Instructions are below for those that are interested. 

P & C Special Meeting - Tuesday 10th Dec

Please see below the agenda for a Special Meeting to be held on Tuesday 10th December at 3:30pm.  This meeting's focus is to discuss the Fundraising Plan and VOTE on whether it is adopted.  The draft Fundraising Plan is below, and we would love to hear your feedback.  If you wish to email any feedback through please send it to this address by Monday 9th December - ALL FEEDBACK WELCOME!

Link for Special meeting.

Date:  Tuesday 10^th December 2024

Time: 3:30pm

Microsoft Teams Need help?

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 433 722 912 381

Passcode: cw7tr3mm

P & C Dinner

What an amazing P&C we have! Last week's P&C Dinner was a huge success and all that attended had a great time!

The Splat area was a laugh a minute with students and some staff taking it in turns being used as a target for 'plates full of cream'! The final highlight of the night was the 'dunking' of Ms Rynne and Mr Scheuber for the fundraising efforts of students during the P&C Colour Run.

So many laughs, so much fun, and so much gratitude for our P&C for putting on such a lovely evening. 

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What's happening in Primary?

Primary Awards Ceremony

The Primary Awards Ceremony was held last week in Emerald and the school community was able to celebrate the individual achievements of all our students. The P & C generously donated book prizes for our students in Year Prep - 3 and gift vouchers for subject award achievements. 

We farewell to our Year 6 Class of 2024 and congratulate them on their completion of Primary School. 

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Primary School Captains

We are proud to announce our Primary School Captains for 2025!

These students have shown great leadership and commitment to our school, and we’re excited to see them represent the peers within the school community.

A big thank you to all the students who applied—you should be proud of your efforts and courage and we look forward to seeing you all grow within your Year 6 Leader positions.

Year 6 Leaders

• Jesse Purcell
• Kodie-Anne Comiskey
• Sarah Sypher
• Harry Schuh
• Georgia Ecker

Year 6 Fun Day

🌟 Year 6 Fun Day Highlights! 🌟

What a fantastic day of creativity, laughter, and fun for our Year 6 students! 🎨🤽‍♂️

The day kicked off with an engaging art workshop where students unleashed their creativity, followed by an afternoon of splashing around at the Emerald pool. 🖌️🌊

A big thank you to our amazing P & C for donating delicious pizza and poppers to keep everyone energized and smiling! 🍕

Check out these snapshots from the pool—proof that Year 6 Fun Day was a huge success! 📸✨

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2025 Transition Home Tutor Sessions - Tuesday and Wednesday

Year 6 to 7 Transition Sessions – Home Tutors

As published in Week Nine’s SZine newsletter, a Get to Know Your 2025 Teachers session will be held at 2:00PM tomorrow (Tuesday, December 10^th). Please use THIS LINK for the opportunity to meet some of the 2025 Year Seven teachers.

Additionally, Sharon Coyne (Guidance Officer) and Karen Knowles (Secondary Head of Department) will be offering a repeat of the Transition to High School session, originally run during Week Seven’s Mini-school. Please use THIS LINK to join at 2PM on Wednesday, December 11^th. 

Secondary Scoop

Guidance 'Go-2'

Opportunities

National Institute of Education CAREERS

ATT: Year 9-11 students, and parents whose children are considering a career in medicine

We would like to remind students who are considering a career in medicine, that places in 'The Future Doctors Australia' 2024 program, which will take place during summer school break in Brisbane on the 14-17th of December 2024 are almost sold out. The January 2025 dates are also filling up fast. 

The Future Doctors Australia program offers a unique opportunity for school students (ages: 14-18) aspiring to pursue a career in medicine. Through engaging sessions led by experienced medical specialists, practical learning activities, and insights into the admission process, the program aims to inspire and equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in their medical journey.

Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to gain valuable insights and guidance from medical professionals who are passionate about shaping the future of healthcare.

Program Details | Fees | Enrolment Form

If you have any questions or need assistance with the enrolment process, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team. We are here to help!

We look forward to welcoming you and embarking on this exciting journey together.

Best regards

Zobair Bary

Academic Director & Principal

NIE Careers & Future Doctors Australia

Mob: +61 412 439 115

TEL:1300 974 187

admin@niecareers.com.au

Support Agency Contacts

Beyond Blue aims to increase awareness of depression and anxiety and reduce stigma. Call 1300 22 4636, 24 hours/7 days a week, chat online or email.

Blue Knot Foundation Helpline is the National Centre of Excellence for Complex Trauma. It provides support, education and resources for the families and communities of adult survivors of childhood trauma and abuse. Call 1300 657 380, Monday – Sunday between 9am – 5pm AEST or via email helpline@blueknot.org.au.

Butterfly Foundation's National Helpline is a free, confidential service that provides information, counselling and treatment referral for people with eating disorders, and body image and related issues. Call 1800 33 4673, 8am-midnight AEST / 7 days a week, chat online or email.

eheadspace provides free online and telephone support and counselling to young people 12 – 25 and their families and friends. Call 1800 650 890, 9am – 1am AEST / 7 days a week, chat online or email.

FriendLine supports anyone who's feeling lonely, needs to reconnect or just wants a chat. You can call them 7 days a week on 1800 424 287, or chat online with one of their trained volunteers. All conversations with FriendLine are anonymous.

Kids Helpline is Australia’s only free 24/7 confidential and private counseling service specifically for children and young people aged 5 – 25. Call 1800 55 1800.

Lifeline provides 24-hour crisis counselling, support groups and suicide prevention services. Call 13 11 14, text on 0477 13 11 14 (12pm to midnight AEST) or chat online.

MensLine Australia is a professional telephone and online counselling service offering support to Australian men. Call 1300 78 99 78, 24 hours/7 days a week, chat online or organise a video chat.

MindSpot is a free telephone and online service for people with anxiety, stress, low mood or depression. It provides online assessment and treatment for anxiety and depression. MindSpot is not an emergency or instant response service. Call 1800 61 44 34.

QLife provides nationwide telephone and web-based services for lesbian peer support and referral for people wanting to talk about a range of issues including sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships. Call 1800 184 527, 3pm – 12am (midnight) AEST/7 days a week.

SANE Australia provides support to anyone in Australia affected by complex mental health issues, as well as their friends, family members and health professionals. Call 1800 18 7263, 10am – 10pm AEST (Mon – Fri), or chat online.

Suicide Call Back Service provides 24/7 support if you or someone you know is feeling suicidal. Call 1300 659 467.

Lifeline  on 13 11 14 — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Source from: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/mental-health-helplines

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