Term 1 2024

Principals Ponderings

So, I have been at CSDE for 26 years and as Principal for 16 years. Sometimes when asked how we are going I say “Same thing, different date!”

How wrong can I be! Each student, parent and staff members come to us and stay for a little while or a long while or somewhere in between. Each of these people is such an individual and they change from week to week, year to year! So, it is never the “same thing”!

It is a privilege and pleasure to have this time with each of the families and staff members. To constantly work at improvement, learning from mistakes, overcoming challenges, and growing the school culture and offerings in line with our State Schooling requirements. Thank you all for being part of this.

As we come to the end of term one, I’d like to acknowledge our P&C committee and those who attend meetings to support the school and your students. At the AGM on March 12^th the following parents were nominated and accepted the following positions:

PRESIDENT Lisa Cross

VICE PRESIDENTS:
CUNNAMULLA Tiffany Larkin
CHARLEVILLE Jess Chiconi
QUILPIE EROMANGA THARGOMINDAH Vacant
ROMA Hannah Bryant
SECRETARY Hannah Smith
TREASURER Lucy Warby

SUBCOMMITTEES:

SOUVENIR & UNIFORM COORDINATOR Page Vidler
COOKBOOK COORDINATOR Kimberley Rains
GRANTS WRITING Liz Ferguson

And continuing as MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE REPS:

Roma Cluster Page Vidler
Cunnamulla/St George Cluster Liz Ferguson
Charleville Cluster Kristy Cornford
Quilpie Eromanga and Thargomindah Cluster Vacant

If you are from our most western area, please feel free to see what is involved in representing your families on these committees.

Thank you all for adding this to your already busy schedules.

WEEK 9

It was fantastic to see so many eKindy students in and around our buildings at CSDE last week. I am so looking forward to next year with second generation students and such a bubbly group in our Prep classes.            

The WA Multischool and Outreach days were a great success with our teachers planning for activities that were challenging, fun and educational. The students’ behaviour was considered and responsive to direction from teachers. I learnt a new trick for night supervision…thank you Mrs O and Michael! Next time, I will sleep!

The busyness of this term is covered by Rickie, our Deputy, and Mrs Cook, our PLO so let us look towards next term!

Week One:         Cluster Musters Friday 19^th April
Week Two:         ANZAC Day Thursday 25^th April (if you are marching in your nearest town, you can borrow a CSDE banner – ring Libby)
Week Four:        Labour Day Holiday Monday 6^th May
Week Five:         Charleville Show Holiday Friday 17^th May (keep an eye out for school section entries information)
Week Six:          Management Committee Meeting Monday 20^th May
                           Whole School Muster 20^th to 23^rd May
                           Sports Muster Friday 25^th May
Week Seven:     School Review Tuesday 28^th to Thursday 30^th May

Every Queensland state school undergoes a review at least once every 4 years. The three schools in the Western Alliance will be reviewed in term one or two in 2024. The reviews play an important part in how the department supports school improvement. They provide schools with quality feedback, tailored to their context and needs. Principals use the review findings to work with their school community and school supervisor to develop clear actions to move the school forward.

Review Process: Reviews are conducted by experienced educators trained in the use of the School Improvement Tool, a nationally-recognised framework for reviewing teaching and learning practices. Review teams generally consist of 2 to 4 reviewers, but the number of reviewers and length of each review depends upon a range of factors, including the size and context of the school. Reviewers look closely at each school’s performance data and speak with a wide range of staff, students, parents and community members to get an accurate picture of the school. Unlike many other review systems, schools aren’t ranked or given a performance rating. Instead, the school is given a comprehensive report for consideration. The report details key findings and recommended improvement strategies to maximise student outcomes. The school publishes the executive summary or full report on its website. Principals are encouraged to share this information with their staff and school community to help shape the school’s strategic direction.

Parent and community participation: Feedback from parents and the community is an important part of school reviews, with everyone encouraged to have their say. To register your interest in participating in a review, please contact your school office or email SRR at reviews@qed.qld.gov.au

Week Nine: SDE Principals meetings in Brisbane Monday and Tuesday 10^th and 11^th June

Week Ten: AADES biennial Conference Fremantle, Perth Monday and Tuesday 17^th and 18^th June

Staffing and Leave: Tracey Swart our DRT will be on leave for term two. We wish Tracey and Andre all the best as they welcome their first child.

Wishing you all a most wonderful break with family, friends or your own company. Remember to rest and take time for yourself.

Yours in education,

From the Deputy’s Desk

Wow, Term 1 of 2024 has flown by and what a journey it's been! From the buzzing Kickstart Conference to navigating the digital landscape of NAPLAN Online and being inspired at the Halogen Leadership Conference, it feels like we've done a bit of everything.

Kickstart Conference 2024:

Starting strong, the Kickstart Conference truly lived up to its name. 49 eager faces across all year levels, from our new Prep students to our seasoned Year 6 and secondary students, all soaking in the new experiences. Let's not forget the amazing turnout of 44 parents and home tutors – thank you all for being so involved! The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

Halogen Leadership Conference:

The Halogen Leadership Conference was a standout moment of Term 1, leaving everyone who went feeling inspired. This event brought together amazing speakers like Anastasia Woolmer, Eva Amores, Matt Cosgrove, Lachie Smart, and Ben Polson. Their stories went beyond just being stories—they taught us important lessons about bouncing back, being creative, and what it really means to lead. A big thank you to Bronwyn Cash and Liz Ferguson for making our trip possible.

What's Next? Term 2 Sneak Peek

Circle April 19 in your diaries for the Cluster Musters and block out May 20-24 for an action-packed Whole School Muster Week. We’re excited to welcome back Sean Lethem from Little Athletics, promising more fun and developing our athletics skills. All Prep to Year 10 students are invited to join in on the excitement.

This year the P&C will host a Trivia Night on Thursday 23^rd May, paving the way for the main spectacle on Friday - the Sports Muster. It's the event of the season, where the big question looms: Which house will claim the 2024 titles, Narungi or Kanyanna?

As Term 1 concludes and we prepare for Term 2, we reflect on our progress. The journey so far has been full of learning and challenges, signalling a positive trajectory for the future. Looking ahead, Term 2 promises more opportunities for educational growth, personal development, and engaging activities. Let's approach the next term with a focus on making the most of these opportunities.

Wishing you a safe and happy holiday!

Rickie Itzstein
Deputy Principal

Head of Department: Secondary and Primary Teaching and Learning

Version 9 Australian Curriculum – Secondary

The Western Alliance is working towards implementation of the Version 9 Curriculum for English and Mathematics in 2025, with plans to implement Version 9 Science, HPE and Technologies in 2026, followed by HASS and the Arts in 2027.  Mr Dana Barrett is working with the Charleville Curriculum HOD on the Version 9 English Curriculum.  Ms Venessa Moore (Charleville Curriculum HOD) is leading the Version 9 Mathematics Curriculum, Dane McDonald (Longreach Curriculum HOD) is leading Science and Technologies, and Mrs Katrina Kuhne (Mt Isa Curriculum HOD) is leading the HPE version 9 curriculum changes.

Version 9 Australian Curriculum – Primary

In the primary setting familliarisation of the English curriculum struture and features continues.  From term two teachers will meet to plan and prepare assessments and unit plans aligned to version 9 of the curriculum. These collaborative sessions will build staff capability in understanding and preparing for implementation in 2025.

Secondary

New Resources

2024 will see the continuation of the JacPlus suite of textbooks being utilised by both our teachers and students.  The STILE resource will also continue and be refined for our science students in years 7-10. These resources will be used when implementing Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum across subject areas covered by the available textbooks. Opportunities for our teachers to attend additional professional development on these resources is also being investigated.

Multischool

The first Multischool for 2024 was held in Week 9 of this term in Longreach.  Students enjoyed meeting face-to-face with their teachers and peers and had the opportunity to make valuable connections. Students enjoyed hands-on activities in History, Science, Art, HPE, and Technologies. On Wednesday, students visited Barcaldine to explore the Australian Workers Heritage Centre and the Tree of Knowledge. Accommodation was provided at the Longreach School of Distance Education which has great sleeping and catering facilities.

This year it was a small but very enthusiastic group and as usual it was a fantastic week of engagement, learning and making new friends or reconnecting with old friends.

Outreach Day

Our Outreach Day in the South East corner was held on Tuesday 19th March.  This Outreach Day was facilitated by Vertec Adventure staff and involved team building and personal challenges. Students explored the walking tracks at Cedar Creek near Mt Tamborine, built a raft, got wet swimming in the creek, and fossicked for thundereggs.  Students were given a masterclass on fire building before each student made a delicious damper filled with marshmallows and chocolate for morning tea. Parents and carers also had the opportunity to relax by the creek for the day while they waited. Again, this field event attracted a small but fantastic group of students. We hope to see more students joining us in our future outreach days to make the most of this great opportunity to meet their teachers and connect with other students.

Primary

Kickstart Conference 

The Kickstart program was very busy and highly engaging for students.  We were very fortunate to welcome many guests to our school who worked with the students on an array of activities.  Swimming lessons were provided under the guidance of Charleville’s Head Swimming Coach, Mick Walton.  This wonderful opportunity allowed for the exposure to stroke development and correction.  Thank you to the staff who supported Mick in delivering these lessons and building such valuable skills for our students.

Topology has worked with schools across Queensland and Kickstart gave a great opportunity for students from CSDE to experience their creative workshops.  Students engaged in dynamic dance workshops and bashed out some drumming. Students were able to show their peers the pieces that they had been working on in an exciting and thrilling showcase.

Wonder of Science sent a team of marine biologists who were able to utilise the pool and work with the students on how to count fish. Younger students played some high-energy games, while the older ones got in the water and were able to put some theory into practice.  A very cool experience was being able to write and record information underwater. 

Students were led through an online interaction with a Kung Fu master on techniques to alleviate stress and regulate emotions. Students were encouraged to implement these at home when they need a movement break or reset on a task. 

The Arts

Thank you to Mrs Scheerer for her dedication of bringing the Arts to life on air. The transition to on-air lessons has been running well. With lots of engagement from students and some impressive art pieces being produced as well. This term focused on the Visual Arts strand, with students exploring various themes such as portraits with facial emotions, creating tiny worlds, crafting animal sculptures, and designing outdoor learning areas. Early next term Visual Arts will finish and students will move into learning about Dance. 

Term Two Home Tutor Sessions

Term two home tutor sessions will be held on Monday 15th April. These will be completed on air. More information about times and links to sessions has been shared on morning notices.

• 8:30 – Prep
• 9:15 – Year 1
• 10:00 – Year 2
• 10:45 – Year 3
• 11:30 – Year 4
• 12:15 – Year 5
• 1:00 – Year 6

Cluster Musters

The first Cluster Muster of the year will be held Friday 19th April in Charleville, Cunnamulla, Mitchell and St George. We are very excited to be returning to Cunnamulla. The teachers have been busy planning many enjoyable activities for the students including ANZAC day stories and craft, science experiments, and ball games. We look forward to seeing the students at each of these venues. 

Venessa Moore and Dave Kruger

PLO Prattle

Kickstart Conference 2024 was a huge success with 42 home tutors and 51 students attending. Feedback has been positive along with some suggestions for 2025. Feedback from Madhavi from Positive Minds, was that she really enjoyed presenting her sessions to the home tutors and the students. A comment that she made was that she was overwhelmed with how friendly and open everyone was to her. The Kickstart committee has started to look at sessions/programs for 2025 and would like to ask the parents for some suggestions.

Parenting is hard at times, different age/s, personalities, environment and general lifestyles. Here are some things to think about, there is no perfect parent or child, we can all struggle at times. Sometimes just when you think you are all over it you get tossed a curve ball.

9 Steps to More Effective Parenting:

- Boost Your Child's Self-Esteem
- Catch Kids Being Good
- Set Limits and Be Consistent with Your Discipline
- Make Time for Your Kids
- Be a Good Role Model
- Make Communication a Priority
- Be Flexible and Willing to Adjust Your Parenting Style
- Show That Your Love Is Unconditional

Whole School Muster is happening in Week 6 Term 2 and on the Friday of that week is Sport Muster. More information will be coming out shortly about these 2 field events. Make sure you book your accommodation as this is a busy time in Charleville due to tourist season.

May you have a restful and safe Easter break. Enjoy a chocolate or 2 and enjoy being out of the classroom for a few weeks.

Helen Cook
Parent Liaison Officer

Digital Discoveries

Typing Websites

Using a computer is a huge part of Distance Education and as such learning to type quickly and efficiently can have huge benefits for our students. Below are some websites home tutors can use with their students to practice daily or weekly typing.

Prep to Year 3 Students – learning where the keys are on the keyboard

Year 4 – Year 10 Students – learning to touch type

ICT Subsidy

The school understands that having an Internet connection and computer can be expensive and families are strongly encouraged to plan their purchases and research their Internet plans carefully. The Department of Education offers families, who are geographically isolated, a subsidy to assist in paying for equipment and Internet costs. This is an annual payment for students who have been enrolled with the school for more than 6 months. Please ensure you have submitted your bank details to the office in order to receive payment each year.

For more information visit: 

The current subsidy is:

Geographically Isolated Enrolments: $500 (Internet Subsidy) per student and $250 (Hardware Subsidy) per student Medical Enrolment: $250 (Hardware Subsidy) per student

Choice Enrolment: No subsidy available 

What can I spend the subsidy on?

• Towards paying for a new laptop computer (the school suggests that computers be less than 3 years old)
• Towards an external monitor to go with a laptop (to assist students to see OneNote and Collaborate at the same time)
• Towards a headset (if not using the hired headset from the school)
• Towards an audio splitter (to allow a second headset for the Home Tutor to listen in on lessons)
• Towards a document camera (for showing teachers work on the desk)

Year 3 Digital Resources

Good news for our Year 3 teachers, students and home tutors. We now have links to the Digital Resources (Videos, Slideshows and Interactives) for units available through QLearn.

Go to QLearn at 

Go to Charleville SDE QLearn Course 2024

Click on the Year button

Click on Year 3 Digital Resources

Use the links for resources for English, Maths, Science and HASS. Please test it out and give feedback to Mrs Sam O as we move forward to doing the same for our Year Levels.

Need More Help?

Digital Learning Facilitator – Sam Owczarek: sowcr1@eq.edu.au or 07 4656 8915

For advice or help with using programs or tools on QLearn, Microsoft Office and Collaborate Ultra.

Diverse Learning Teacher – Dale Warren

Greetings to all our stakeholders at Charleville School of Distance Education and best wishes for the upcoming Easter holidays which I’m sure all parents and students are looking forward to the break.

My first thoughts in accepting the position of Diverse Learning Teacher at CSDE was:  I hope there’s air conditioning installed at my accommodation!” as I had this vision of “heat, heat, heat and more heat, barren land with no greenery in sight for miles, red soil, empty dams and no big shops with poor service so what a surprise I got when I landed at the Charleville airport. Yes, it was hot as I expected but, there was green grass and trees everywhere. I’m definitely very happy with my decision to accept the post here as everyone: colleagues, parents, students and the community have been so welcoming and supportive.

Some information regarding my background: Born in Stellenbosch, South Africa, as Warren Dale Liedemann; Emigrated to The Land of the long White Cloud in 1998; Landed in Brisbane in January 2004 and started teaching at Kingaroy SHS in February of that year until March 2023, then took a 9 month break.

My mission in this position I’m currently in is to assist students (alongside parents) in becoming the best they can be, whether academically or socially and emotionally through harnessing resilience, responsibility and respect for themselves and others. Finally, to those students and parents I’ve been assisting: never give up or think you can’t do it as we can do all things, if we persist. Happy holidays, enjoy the two weeks and rejuvenate your bodies and minds.

Dale Warren
Secondary Teacher

WA Book Club

In Week 5 of this term, the 3-Edged Alliance Book Club launched and it is well represented by many high school aged students from CSDE. Once Monday’s lessons are done for the day, students join on-air, armed with their works of fiction, and share their insights and opinions about what they’re reading with one another. Inspired by our motto “Books spread across the land, connected by a love of literacy”, the Book Club is an opportunity for students to share their love of reading with each other and to explore various literary concerns, such as characters, setting, theme, from their novels. The book discussion provokes the student’s exposure to other genres and novels from other time periods through their sharing of ideas and experiences with reading. With the recent Qld government initiative to encourage a new reading commitment, I’m sure these students are well on their way to achieving just that as they are all very committed readers indeed!

Gina Hamilton
Secondary Teacher

Version 9 Update

This year, our V9 team has grown (woohoo!) with two writers based in Longreach (Ashleigh and Steven) and one in Mount Isa (Anna). Having three writers has allowed us to expand our scope of what we are rewriting, with writers now focusing on Independent Learning Materials for Prep to Year 6 in Mathematics. We continue to utilise resources from the Curriculum Gateway to inform our planning and to assure alignment with Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum.

This term, we were fortunate to have a visit from our Longreach teachers to work on some planning for our ILMs. From these days, we were able to discuss consistency of formatting, come to an agreement about lesson sequences and timing of assessments. The snip below is a sneak peek into Term 1’s assessment schedule (subject to change). You should be able to see from the colouring that the Strands of Mathematics are delivered at the same time across year levels: in Term 1, students in Prep to Year 6 will focus on the Strands of Number, Space, then Statistics, Term 2 concepts being taught and assessed are Number and Measurement. We aren’t able to have the exact same number of lessons in every Strand for every year level because of factors like depth of content, coverage of the achievement standard in assessment tasks and prior learning.

During Longreach’s Cluster in Week 8, Ashleigh our Prep writer was lucky enough to test out some of her amazing resources with students who attended. She reports that it was great to see them with the new hands-on materials that are so important in the early years. Just one example of some of the V9 resources that writers are creating to ensure learning experiences are supported by engaging, relevant and current materials.

Finally, here’s a sample of some Year 4 pages from the student lesson book and Home Tutor guide. As with the Prep to Year 3 ILMs, the Year 4 to 6 papers will begin every lesson with a warm up (with answers provided), learning intent and success criteria linked to the V9 curriculum, end with a reflection and extension activity, but will also provide students with worked examples that step them through relevant content and skills. We’re looking forward to continuing our V9 journey next term, still can’t believe we’ve reached the end of Term 1 already. Time flies when you’re writing curriculum!

Di Knudson
Head of Curriculum

Australian Early Development Census

From May 2024, our school, along with thousands of others across the country, will participate in the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC).

The AEDC is a teacher-completed census (similar to a questionnaire) which provides a comprehensive picture of how children have developed by the time they start their first year of full-time school.

The AEDC is an Australian Government Initiative and is completed nationally every three years.

Children don’t miss any class time while the AEDC is completed, and parents/carers don’t need to supply schools with any new information. We used the results to support planning for the needs of the students as they progress into Year One.

The data collected through the AEDC is used by schools, communities and governments to better understand children and families’ needs, and identify the services, resources and support they need.

AEDC data is reported at a school, community, state/territory and national level. AEDC results for individual children are not reported and the AEDC is not used as an individual diagnostic tool.

Some teachers have found that completing the AEDC made them more aware of the needs of individual children and their class, and that the data was useful for planning for transitions to Year 1 and developing programs.

Our school will be participating during the week 3^rd to 7^th June. Mrs Barrett will complete the survey and a relief teacher will be taking classes.

Participation in the AEDC is voluntary, however the AEDC relies on all schools with children in their first year of full-time school participating in the collection. Parents/carers don’t need to take any action unless they choose not to include their children in the census.

To find out more about the AEDC and how it is being used to help children and families visit: www.aedc.gov.au.

If you have any questions, you can contact Jenny Swadling on 0427022279 or principal@charlevillesde.eq.edu.au

KICKSTART

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Western Alliance Outreach Days