Week 8, 9th June 2025 CapSDE Newsletter

Athletics Day Tomorrow

Athletics Carnival – Tomorrow!

A reminder that our 2025 Athletics Carnival is happening tomorrow – Tuesday 10th June at Marist College Oval. We’re looking forward to a great day of fun, fitness, and friendly competition!

🎽 March Past kicks off at 8:45am, so please arrive before then to ensure you don’t miss the start of the action.

📋 Programs will be available for parents on the day. This includes the names of students that have nominated for events.

☕ A coffee van will be on-site to keep you fuelled throughout the day.

🌭 The P&C will be running a sausage sizzle, and there will also be a cake stall with some sweet treats available.

Come along and cheer on our students – we can’t wait to see you there!

Student Spotlight - Lachlan

Student Spotlight – Congratulations Lachlan

A huge congratulations to Lachlan, who proudly represented Capricornia School of Distance Education at the Interschool Queensland Capricornia Regional Championships over the weekend at Yeppoon Pony Club!

Competing in both Dressage and Combined Training, Lachlan and his new pony Frankie had a fantastic debut together. Despite only beginning their partnership in February, the duo took out 1st place in both Dressage tests and were crowned Overall Champion in that section – an incredible achievement!

Although an error in the Combined Training dressage test meant an early exit from that event, Lachlan remains positive and proud of Frankie’s performance. At just 6 years old, Frankie is still learning – and Lachlan has done an amazing job training him so far.

Beyond the results, Lachlan showed true sportsmanship by cheering on his fellow competitors and soaking in the fun of the event – especially the thrilling 1.20m jump-off (that's higher than his head! ).

Well done, Lachlan – we’re so proud of your achievements and your determination to keep training and aiming for the 2026 State Championships.

We’ll be cheering you on all the way!

Expression of Interest: High School Campdraft Team 2025

We are excited to announce that planning is underway for this year’s High School Campdraft, which will be held in Pittsworth from 4–6 October 2025.

We’re currently calling for Expressions of Interest from students who would like to represent our school in this exciting event.

If your child is keen to participate and are enrolled in our Secondary School and you’d like more information, please get in touch with Hayley Ahern elystanschool@gmail.com.

Clusters - REMINDER TO RSVP by Wednesday this week

We’re excited to invite you and your children to our Term Two Cluster Events, held in Week 10 (Wednesday 25 – Thursday 26 June).

These days are one of many highlights in the school calendar, bringing together students in regional hubs where there is a larger concentration of families. Cluster Days provide a valuable opportunity for face-to-face learning, social interaction, and connection with peers and teachers.

Clusters comprise of engaging, hands-on activities delivered by teachers. The Cluster Day program is designed to be fun, collaborative, and enriching—supporting both social and academic development.

Clusters will be held across a number of locations, with options for single-day, multi-day, and overnight events.

These Clusters are not mandatory to attend. For Primary students who do not attend the Cluster Days, an online program will be provided. Attendance is still expected on these days, and students who are not participating in Cluster activities will be required to engage in the online learning provided. Secondary lessons will continue as per student timetables; however, these will be a consolidation of prior learning with no new content. Rolls will be marked.

✅ RSVP Deadline: Wednesday 11 June

Please complete your RSVP using the relevant link(s) below and return the signed consent form to admin@capricorniasde.eq.edu.au by the due date.

Should you have any questions about the events or travel arrangements, feel free to contact the staff member mentioned on the consent form for that area.

We look forward to sharing this special time with your family!

🔔 Please ensure you familiarise yourself with the important information detailed in the Additional Requirements section of the Agnes Waters Consent form. 

Upcoming Events - Impacts on lessons

Show Holidays - Staffing and Lesson Impacts

Students are encouraged to observe the Show Holiday in their own locality. Please note that this may differ from the scheduled Emerald and Rockhampton Show Holidays.

If your student attends on a day that coincides with a staff member’s local Show Holiday, lessons with that teacher will not occur. All other lessons will proceed as normal.

Rockhampton Show Holiday – Thursday, 12th June
Secondary Department

All Rockhampton Primary and Secondary staff, administration, and leadership based at the Rockhampton Campus will observe the Rockhampton Show Holiday on Thursday, 12th June. As a result, the Rockhampton Campus will be closed, and no lessons will be held for Secondary students on that day.

In addition, the following Rockhampton Primary staff will not be delivering lessons on this date:

• Sheree Campbell
• Amelia Borg
• Jo Long
• Michelle Gettinby
• Jo Grace
• Paula Goodman
• Tegan Kime
• Gabby Keenan
• Sheridan McIntyre
• Nikki Wex
• Megan Pedler
• Tamara Elgowhary
• Douglas Rutherford
• Natalie Wilkes

Cluster Days – Week 10 (25–26 June 2025)

Our 2025 Cluster Days will take place in Week 10, on Wednesday 25 June and Thursday 26 June. These special days are designed to bring students together in locations where there is a higher concentration of students, providing a valuable opportunity for face-to-face learning and connection.

Clusters comprise of engaging, hands-on activities delivered by teachers. The Cluster Day program is designed to be fun, collaborative, and enriching—supporting both social and academic development.

For students who do not attend the Cluster Days, an online program will continue. Attendance is still expected on these days, and students who are not participating in Cluster activities will be required to engage in the online learning provided.  Rolls will be marked.

We look forward to connecting with many of our students in person and making these days both enjoyable and impactful.

P & C Pie Drive

🥧 P&C Pie Drive – Raising Funds for 2026 Camps! 🥧

The P&C is excited to launch a Pie Drive to help raise funds for our 2026 school camps!

This is a delicious way to support a great cause — all money raised will go directly towards supporting students to attend camp experiences in 2026. Choose from a range of tasty pies that the whole family will enjoy!

Please note this is only available for those that can pick up their pies from the Rockhampton Campus during Term 3 Mini-school. 

Key Dates:

• Order forms and payment due: Thursday 1st August

• Pie pick-up: During Term 3 Mini-school at Rockhampton Campus

The Order Form is available via the link below, so get your orders in early.
All forms to be returned via email to csdepnc.secretary@gmail.com

Thank you for supporting our school community — and happy eating!

P & C General Meeting - 17th June 3:30pm

Our next general meeting will be held on the 17th June at 3:30pm. 

There will be a short Special Meeting at 3:20pm on the 17th June, just before the general meeting to discuss the possible amendments to the constitution that were raised during the AGM.  

Connecting in Class

Connecting in Class: The Importance of Cameras and Microphones

At Capricornia School of Distance Education, building strong connections and supporting student engagement are central to our approach. One important way we do this is by asking students to keep their cameras on and use their microphones during live lessons, where appropriate.

Using cameras and microphones helps:

• Create connection – Seeing faces builds classroom community and helps students feel seen and supported.
• Boost participation – Speaking and responding out loud helps students develop confidence and communication skills.
• Increase engagement – Teachers can better gauge understanding and provide real-time feedback when they can see and hear students.
• Support learning – Students are more likely to stay focused and contribute when they’re actively involved in the lesson.

We understand there may be individual circumstances where this isn’t possible, and we’re always happy to discuss those with families. However, for most students, having cameras on and using microphones is now a school-wide expectation that supports learning success.

Thank you for helping us create a more connected and interactive online classroom experience!

What's happening in Primary?

Winning Scarecrow!

🎉 Winners are Grinners! 🎉
Our Year 5 CapSDE scarecrow took out 1st place in the Business Section of the Emerald Show Society’s Scarecrow Trail! YAHOOO! 😁⭐

A massive THANK YOU to everyone involved — your teamwork, creativity and problem-solving made this happen! 👏

🧤 Mrs Halliday – for the clothes, hat, boots, and glove
🎨 Olivia – for your amazing drawing of the poddy’s face
🧰 Mac B – genius idea to add braces for extra support
🖌️ Maddy – for sharing all your art resources
📓 Mrs Parker – for the brilliant idea to add a notebook and ear tag from Elders Rural (thanks for the donation!)

And an extra big shout-out to Leon, our awesome grounds person, for building the scarecrow stands, fixing those tricky boots, and securing the head like a pro! 💪

When you need extra help from a more experienced person... thank you Leon!

Year 4

Here we are towards the end of Term 2 and nearly halfway through Year 4. It is great to see students settle into a routine and be actively engaged in all their classes. Year 4 students are happy to interact with each other during combined HIT lessons and Capri Connect sessions.  

Maths news –  

During Term 2 students looked at odd and even numbers and what makes a number odd or even. They then developed an understanding of rounding numbers to ten or hundred and estimating simple algorithms to find an answer. Students looked at a variety of strategies to complete multiplication, division, addition and subtraction of 3 and 4 digit numbers. We used the part, part whole model to help with this understanding. These strategies will help them in other mathematical concepts and word problems. Students had fun planning their own party during class and mini school. It was great to see students working together to plan the financial side of a party. Their ideas were great, and they were very generous with their parent's credit cards:) 

Mrs Goodman  

English news- 

The year 4 English students have jet setted off on a trip around the world this term.  As we have visited countries around the globe, we have been investigating information texts, looking at how these inform the audience, use a particular text structure and have some unique features that help create meaning.  We have also explored Adobe Express and are now madly researching our own choice of country so we can present our own information reports through this fun platform.  Keep an eye out for some exciting presentations. 

Mrs Cheal  

HASS news-  

Ahoy there, my hearties! Captain Cook took us on an epic three year journey this term. We learnt about how his skills as a navigator, map-maker and captain ‘paved’ the way for the safe passage of the First Fleet back to New South Wales in 1788. 

We trialled a new way of doing assessment – with each slide having sound recordings for students to listen to as many times as they wished - and I welcome feedback from students and Home Tutors about how this worked from your perspectives. Please send me a quick email if you have time regarding this. It’s been amazing to catch up with some of you at Anzac Day and the past two mini schools.

Keep an eye out for BowerBird Flower Tree - our CSDE entry showcasing our students’ artwork at the upcoming Rocky Show. Next term we begin our Geography unit, with more adventures awaiting us! Please make sure you have your atlas handy so you don’t get lost...

Cheers from Miss Grace

Rocky and Emerald Mini school –

What didn’t we do at mini school!    Mini school was a whirlwind of activities:

• We travelled around the world looking at different countries and information relating to the countries we talked about.
• Mrs Rynne, Ms Grace, Ms Hawlings, Mrs Goodman, Mrs Dobson-Dingwell and Mrs Cheal brought in ‘show and tell’ from countries that they had visited and shared some very interesting stories about those countries.
• We looked on the world globe to find the countries we were talking about.
• We made Pizza so we could visit Italy and churros from Mexico.
• We made a small clay pinch pot from Mexico.
• We talked about life cycles and some students took on being a teacher and read the life cycles of various animals to the rest of the class
• Students also took on a leadership role and worked with Prep, 1, and 2 to create an Ocean scene using drawing, water colours and collage.
• Observing our class chrysalis. It turned into a butterfly the following week and students had the opportunity to see it on camera the next week.
• Enjoyed learning skills to help us on Athletics day with shot put, long jump and running.
• We used playdough to help us develop our knowledge of fractions
• AND we just spent time with our friends and developed new friendships.

Looking forward to the next mini school where our students get to step up to the leadership role for the week.

All in all, a busy term and the fun keeps coming with many more events planned for Term 3!

Mrs Goodman, Mrs Cheal, Miss Grace and Mrs McIntyre.

Secondary Scoop

The Value of VET – Learning Through Doing

Students currently enrolled in a VET course are reminded to please complete the Quality Assurance Learner Survey that was emailed out last week. Once completed, please return it to Mrs Wheatley.

Your feedback is important and helps us improve our VET programs and student experience moving forward. Thank you to those who have already submitted theirs!

Click on the link below to complete the form

Vocational Education and Training (VET) plays a vital role in preparing students for life beyond school by building practical, real-world skills. At CapSDE, our VET program is designed to support students in developing competency-based abilities that are relevant, industry-aligned, and future-focused. The great strength of VET is that students are given multiple ways and opportunities to demonstrate success – whether that’s through projects, observations, roleplays, or workplace experiences.

VET is more than a subject – it’s a pathway. It empowers students to build confidence, develop skills, and explore industries they’re passionate about. For many, it’s the start of a career journey.

See below for information about some of the certificates offered at CapSDE and what students have had to say about them.

Mrs Wheatley, VET Coordinator & RTO Manager

Certificate II in Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways

A message from Mrs Tregilles

This 2-year course prepares students for employment or further vocational training by developing their digital, employability, and planning skills. Set in a simulated workplace, the Fitness Fanatics Sports Store, students complete practical, real-world tasks linked to the world of work. They earn a WHS certificate, complete projects and observations, and build confidence through speaking, reading, and writing tasks. The hands-on nature of the course makes it a favourite among students.

See below for what our students have to say about their experience and why they would recommend the course to others:

• It helps to improve our skills for work in the future.
• This subject is important because it helps students understand workplace safety and prepares them for their future careers. It teaches them about potential hazards, safety rules, and how to keep themselves and others safe. This knowledge helps students act responsibly and confidently in real work settings.
• I would definitely recommend this course to others. I enjoy this course and it teaches me practical knowledge that I can apply in real life situations in the workforce.
• It’s great course because it uses simple math in real-life situations. You learn things like conversions, measuring, estimating object sizes, and answering questions clearly without using too many words. One of the most useful lessons so far was working out how many boxes fit on a shelf. I also like the structure.
• "I feel supported and happy about my class. My teacher makes the lessons very practical and 'real life' so I feel I have something to contribute when I get my first job."

Certificate I in Agriculture

A message from Mrs Hinchliffe

On Thursday the 22^nd of May, our Certificate I Ag students rolled up their sleeves for practical assessments and observations with Mrs Hinchliffe at the Rockhampton Campus.

It was a valuable hands-on learning experience, allowing students to apply their skills. Students completed practical assessments relating to basic chemical safety rules and learned how to safely handle and work with chemicals in an agricultural workplace setting.

Certificate II in Self Awareness and Development

A message from Mrs Saunders

Certificate II in Self Awareness and Development is designed for students in Years 10 to12 who are ready to grow beyond the textbook. It’s for students who want to build confidence, develop emotional resilience, and better understand who they are and who they want to become.

Through powerful, reflective learning experiences, students explore how their thoughts, emotions and actions influence their future. They’ll challenge limiting beliefs, build better habits and gain tools to communicate, connect and thrive. On satisfactory completion of the course, students will obtain 4 QCE credits along with the confidence and skills essential for navigating life's challenges.

As we come to the end of this semester course, several students have shared their experiences with the Certificate II in Self Awareness and Development, highlighting how the course has positively impacted their personal growth and future readiness.

Enjoy reading their reviews below!

Certificate 1 in Basic Financial Literacy

Do you like money? Certificate 1 in Basic Financial Literacy empowers individuals to effectively manage their finances, make informed investment decisions, and plan for a secure future. It’s not just about numbers; it’s about understanding the language of money and using it to your advantage.

This course goes beyond promoting personal wealth enhancement. It involves creating a stable financial environment and adopting a self-reliant, informed population capable of making decisions that positively influence both individual lives and the broader economy. This qualification is designed to facilitate an understanding of the Australian financial services marketplace and personal financial situations to address the need of increased nationwide financial literacy. The qualification provides you with the basic skills and knowledge to pursue further learning in a variety of sectors in the financial services industry.

What do our students have to say? 

“I have enjoyed this course very much, my teacher has been supportive this whole time, and has helped me to understand my money more, it also has helped me to see another world that I'm going to go through as I get older, I'm very happy that I have taken this course because it has made me feel like I've gotten a head start in life.” 
Stella Wailes 

“So far in BFL we have learnt about making and maintaining budgets, secured and unsecured loans, banks and banking websites, good and bad debt, and more along the lines of financial history. This course has been really enjoyable as it has been fairly easy to understand and complete.”
Jayde Lyons

“I have enjoyed completing Cert I in Basic Financial Literacy. This VET course has helped me understand how everyday processes such as taxation and superannuation work and how we can make our money go further through savings, budgeting and investments. The course has made me more aware of my spending and ways to save money.  I think this course would be beneficial to any student because it’s easy to follow and provides us with skills and knowledge everyone will need to use at some point in their life.”
Chelsey Roots 

“In this course, we have been learning about many different aspects of finance. It’s been very beneficial as we have looked at creating budget and savings plans which we then can adjust to suit our needs. I think this is very important as it not only will help us now but also in the future. I would recommend this course to others as it is teaching us useful skills about finance and how we can manage it. It has also helped us to see why it is important to stick to a budget, so we avoid consequences such as debt.”
Maya Krulic 

"So far, I would say the class is very enjoyable and have shown me many useful skills that I been using outside of class. One of many I been using is how to properly budget my money and keeping track of it which caused me to end up saving a lot more money than I did before doing economics. Overall enjoyable classes with actual life skills to learn from 10/10."
William 

“This course teaches you to the process of finding information in documents and occasionally has quizzes on information you were shown e.g. fill in the blanks with a set of specific words relating to the topic you were learning the same lesson. You learn about the history of financial systems such as the payment system which includes payment methods; what they are, (and sometimes were) how they are used (and drawbacks) and most importantly, the process of finance for individuals, businesses and companies.”
Anonymous 

“BFL is a subject that teaches financial skills that most people have to learn the hard way as adults. Things like making a budget and understanding your pay slip are essential. It's better to learn HOW TO do things before you HAVE TO do them.  I wish BFL was a subject when I was at school.”
Cheers, Bronwyn Bird - Parent.

Highlight on Student Pathways & Traineeships

Mac Ahern in year 10 – I am currently completing my apprenticeship in the carpentry/construction industry with a local family-owned company (Drivers Concrete & Construction DCC).

My overall experience so far in my apprenticeship has been great, I am always learning something new, and I am apart of a great team who is always very supportive and helpful. I really enjoy all the opportunities I am given within this apprenticeship since the beginning. I have been in this industry for 3 months now, I signed up in February Term 1 2025.

I manage my time between school, work and other commitments by documenting due dates, communication, staying organised and ensuring I prioritize the important things first.  

Heidi Driver from Driver’s Concrete & Construction has praised Mac’s work ethic, enthusiasm and initiative in a letter to the school saying:  

I would like to provide some feedback on Mac Ahern, who is currently completing his school-based apprenticeship with us.  

From the outset, Mac has impressed our team with his enthusiasm, positive attitude, and strong work ethic. He consistently arrives on time, is well-prepared for the day, and approaches every task with a willingness to learn and a hands-on attitude. His eagerness to improve his skills and ask thoughtful questions shows a level of maturity beyond his years. 

One particularly impressive aspect of Mac’s performance is his self-motivation when it comes to the theory side of his training. Without any prompting, he has taken it upon himself to stay ahead with his online theory work – in fact, he is currently well ahead of all our other apprentices. This level of initiative and commitment to his learning is something we rarely see and speaks volumes about his drive and professionalism.  

He has exceptional work ethic – something that is becoming increasingly rare to find in someone so young. He’s what I’d call a diamond in the rough – naturally talented, hardworking, and driven, with great potential to excel in the carpentry trade. 

Mac also brings a great energy to the worksite. He gets along well with the team and carries a good sense of humour and light-hearted banter, which helps build strong camaraderie on site, all while maintaining professionalism and respect. 

In summary, Mac has been an excellent addition to our team. We have every confidence in his future success and are pleased to support him on his path toward becoming a skilled tradesman. Thank you for supporting this school-based apprenticeship, Mac is an absolute asset to our team! 

Townsville Area - Pathways and Possibilities

Guidance 'Go-2'

If your student is carer for a family member with a diagnosed disability and would like some support, please contact one of our Guidance Officers to discuss how we can assist.

The video link below helps explain how hard being a young carer can be.

https://youtu.be/NhD0vIYSPfo

Check out the links below that offer help, guidance and assistance for young carers.

https://youngcarersnetwork.com.au/

https://www.littledreamers.org.au/

What's on in your community?

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation - 2025 Creative Arts Competition

The 2025 QATSIF Creative Arts Competition is open to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander secondary (Yr 7 – 12) students across all Queensland schools.  There is no limit to the range of creative arts that can be entered, so please don’t be limited by the suggestions on our poster and entry form.

This will be our 8^th annual QATSIF Creative Arts Competition.  You can check out our deadly 2024 QATSIF Creative Arts Competition entries at:  https://www.qatsif.org.au/qatsif-creative-arts-competition

All students entering our competition will receive a certificate and either a trophy or medallion.  Griffith University will be sponsoring our competition again and are planning to connect with some of the young artists to offer additional opportunities. 

Please do not send original artworks.  We just require good high-quality images of the artworks.  It is important that artworks (eg. paintings) are square within the photo frame so that the image is not distorted when reprinted.

The competition will close at 5pm on Friday, June 6, 2025.

We welcome your feedback

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