Term 2 Newsletter 2023

QLearn survey results are in

The QLearn team is continually looking to improve, which is why we sent out surveys in Term 1 to gather feedback on how users are finding the new QLearn/Canvas learning management system, and to identify areas where additional training and resources may be required.

Students

116 students responded to the survey, and the majority (77) of these were from the Year 6 to Year 10 cohort. The next highest response rate was from 33 students in Years 11 and 12. Almost half of the students reported having good abilities to use QLearn (47.41%), and rated the overall look of their QLearn courses as good (46.55%) and course navigation as good (43.97%). The main area for additional training identified by students was Canvas Studio (49.14%).

Parents/Carers

Responses from Parents/Carers were limited, with only 25 respondents. However, the majority of respondents (68%) rated their experience with QLearn as good, very good or average, and 19 respondents (76%) said they were able to access their child's course content with ease.

Overall, the surveys revealed that the QLearn/Canvas learning management system is being well-received. While there were some areas where additional training was requested, the majority of respondents found the system to be easy to use and navigate.

The results of these surveys provided valuable insights and will help inform future training and resource requirements to ensure that all users are confident and comfortable using QLearn.

Meet our Cairns SDE School-Based Nurses

We have two school-based nurses at Cairns SDE - Sally and Carola.

Sally and Carola can talk to students about a range of topics:

• Healthy eating and physical activity
• Feeling unhappy or stressed
• Healthy skin
• Personal and family problems
• Sexual health
• Growth development
• Pregnancy including pregnancy testing
• Smoking, alcohol and other drugs

Watch their YouTube video to find out more about their role at our school. 

Sally

• Availability: Alternate Wednesdays and (odd school weeks) Thursdays.
• E: sally.blanco@health.qld.gov.au
• Ph: 07 4080 9272

Carola

• Availability: Tuesday mornings
• E: csche58@eq.edu.au  
• Ph: 07 4080 9272

Year 3 Fantastic Mr Fox multimodal retells

Thank you to our Year 3 students for sharing their wonderful multimodal story retells for Fantastic Mr Fox. 

Sustainability News

We are a team of dedicated staff who care the environment and implementing sustainability practices across 4 key areas of the school: Curriculum, Managing the resources of energy (electricity, water, etc), Managing Biodiversity (grounds and gardens) and Managing waste (paper reduction, recycling, etc.). 

Currently, we have a number of projects we are managing or maintaining: Sustainability daily ideas slides for QLearn courses, the school recycling system, Rainforest Regeneration area on the school grounds, development of the Indigenous native edible garden and protection of the Palustrine Wetlands.

Some of the best advice we get about why we should promote sustainability is from our students: ‘There is no planet B’, ‘It’s the only home we’ve got’ or ‘We need it’. Sometimes they’ll say more altruistic things like: ‘It is the home for all animals we love’. Whatever the case, us adults have a lot to learn!

Email Ms Andrea Watters if you would like to join the team or if you have some great sustainability ideas.

Let’s Connect, Term 1

Our Let’s Connect Sustainability sessions at the end of Term 1 went really well with a lot of positive feedback.

Paper making - Primary session with Mr. Martin Kohler

Our primary student group went all in on recycling during the paper making session. Old paper collected from the staff rooms was mashed up and repurposed by our amazing Prep to Year 6 students. The students used a mould and deckle to create colourful recycled paper sheets.

Flower seeds were sprinkled over the paper sheets and the students created colourful garden pots to ‘plant’ the recycled paper into. By adding water, and being patient, the paper fibres will over time become fertiliser for the emerging plants. A great metaphor for why recycling is so important for protecting our natural resources.

Rainforest Outdoor Classroom - Secondary session with Ms. Andrea Watters

This was a Student Voice session where Andrea led a group of Years 7-12 students on a tour of the Rainforest Regeneration area which is a future project for the Sustainability Team. She pointed out some exciting parts eg the rare Ant Plant. Then student groups sat down to write down their ideas for the space in terms of vision, facilities and plants. The students’ ideas were exceptional and creative: ‘Gazebo, multi-coloured stone pathway, flowers and edible rainforest fruit trees’, ‘plant research and butterfly sanctuary’, ‘more butterfly plants, create a space where students can relax and learn. Use the gazebo for lessons’, ‘lunch tables and benches’, ‘signs made of recycled plastic’, ‘have signage about plants’ (attached was a brilliant sign design incorporating a logo of ants, spiders and butterflies in the corner).

Enviro Club, Year 7 – 12

This was kicked off again this year and there are a small number of students coming along once a fortnight on even weeks. Its purpose is to allow students to meet other students at the school, participate in fun activities including hands-on investigations and projects, share our thoughts about real-world issues and to explore our environment.

2023 Healthy Soil Competition

Win some great prizes for yourself and your school while learning about the importance of healthy soil

Primary School students (Years 1-6) –  The topic is “Wonderful Worms” 

Secondary School students (Years 7-10)–  The topic is “Earthworms- What is the connection between worms, soil and climate”.

Entries can be in any digital format. This might mean producing a video, making a magazine, drawing a picture, recording a speech, writing a play, painting a mural, designing a video game, writing a book review, or painting a mural. You just need to be able to send it to us, (or a link to it) in an email.

Students and schools can submit an individual student entry, a group entry or a class entry. Home-based students are encouraged to submit entries.

Ecofiesta, Cairns, Sunday 4 June

CSDE staff from the Sustainability Team met up at Ecofiesta to talk to environmental stall holders and partners to make connections, network, build partnerships and get student prizes for future Sustainability competitions.

Eco-tip:

From our Sustainability member, Sarah Lethbridge: this is a photo of our wicking barrels – recycled plastic of our wicking barrels at home – recycled plastic drums repurposed to grow heaps of herbs & vegies with minimal watering.  So good!  

If you have a sustainable idea or news let us know!

Ms. Andrea Watters

Marketing, Sustainability Team

Harrison plays Billy Elliott in smash hit musical

Year 6 Cairns SDE student, Harrison, will share playing Billy Elliott in the smash hit musical at Star Gold Coast beginning 1st July 2023.

Harrison said

"The role was a dream come true. Billy Elliott is by far the biggest and most exciting role I have ever done. I've been dancing since I was five. I love performing in front of big crowds."

Well done Harrison, we are so proud. 

Innisfail Young Performers Association

The Innisfail Young Performers is a performing arts competition showcasing the Vocal/Choral, Instrumental, Speech & Drama and Literary talents of local young performers that has been running since 1987.

This year CSDE had some students from year 3, 6, and 7 who competed. It is a great competition and opportunity for students to build their confidence in public speaking and performance, and their skills across the arts.

Congratulation to Nicklaus from year 3 who received 2nd place in all three literary sections: original poem, short story, and very, very short story. In Speech and Drama, he received 1st for own choice poem, and duet poem. 3rd for original poem and characterization in costume. Highly Commended in impromptu reading. In the Instrumental section he received 1st for Trio on Piano, and 2nd for Duo on piano, and violin solo.

Congratulations to Emrys from year 6 who received 1st place in all three literary sections: original poem, short story, and very, very short story. In Speech and Drama, he received 1st for own choice poem, duo poem, and 1minute please impromptu category. 2nd for characterization in costume and bible reading. Highly Commended in impromptu reading. In the Instrumental section he received 1st for Trio on piano, 2nd for Duo on piano, and 3rd for woodwind solo. He was also awarded overall The Junior Accompanist Award.

Congratulations to Oberon from year 7 who received 1st place in all three literary sections: original poem, short story, and very, very short story. In Speech and Drama, he received 1st for humorous poem, non-humorous poem, and set poem. 2nd for original poem and impromptu reading, and a Highly Commended in 1minute please impromptu category. In the Instrumental section he received a 1st for Trio on piano and a 2nd for novice piano. He was also awarded The Beavon Family Aggregate Award for the competitor who attained the highest points in three solos across the sections.

Innisfail Young Performers Association Photos

Curtis comes first place in Junior Draft

In May, Year 6 student, Curtis, attended the Willinga Park World Championship Gold Buckle Campdraft, held annually at Bawley Point in NSW.

The Gold Buckle Campdraft is the richest prize pool event of its kind in Australia and attracts the most competitive and professional riders from around the country.

Curtis travelled with his parents, from their home at Condamine, some 2500 kms to compete on his horse Moore Kit Cats. They came in first place in the Junior Draft. 

Jon's Achievements at the QMTA Gold Coast Teacher Group’s 33rd Composers’ Competition

Year 10 student, Jon Platz, recently entered two of his compositions in the QMTA Gold Coast Teacher Group’s 33^rd Composers’ Competition.  He was awarded 1st place in the Open Junior Audio Visual category and 2nd place in the Open Junior category.  Jon also came away with the Junior Remote/Regional Award. His first place composition can be viewed on his YouTube channel at JDV Platz Music. 

Jax selected for U12 Peninsula Hockey Team

Congratulations to Jax (Year 6 student) who has been selected for the U12 Peninsula Hockey Team 2023 that will travel to Rockhampton in June.

He will also represent the Number 2 team for the under 13 State Hockey Championship. Go Jax!

FNQ Reader’s Cup

FNQ Reader’s Cup, organised by the Qld Branch of the Children’s Book Council of Australia took place in June.

It’s the first time our Year 5 and Year 6 students have participated in this event which features a team of students from schools all around the FNQ region (44 schools!).

Ms Faith and Mrs Williams have been meeting with the team of students weekly to prepare them for the challenge. Students were required to read 5 novels and meet weekly to discuss the books before joining the competition online yesterday.

They had a fabulous time and we are very proud of both our students and teachers.

FNQ Reader’s Cup Photos

Community Engagement

Annual Camp Week

Annual Camp Week is always a highlight of the year. 

Prep  to Year 3 students were based at Cairns SDE and attended excursions at the Cairns Aquarium and Kuranda Rainforestation Nature Park. They also had a costume parade where students dressed as creatures under the sea and a special visit from Queensland Fire and Emergency Services. 

Year 4 to 6 students went to Daradgee Environmental Education Centre and participated in activites such as tie dye, indoor rock climbing, low ropes and an adveture walk. 

Year 7 to 9 students went to Echo Creek Adventure Centre where they participated in activites such as abseiling, archery, obstacle courses, minute to win it and kayaking.

Year 10 to 12 students went to Mungalli Falls Outdoor Education Centre where they participated in activites such as abseiling, kayaking, tubing and a waterfall walk. 

We also had lots of fun at the Cultural Celebrations Day, Careers Information Session and Sports Day later in the week.

Thank you to the Cairns SDE staff for organising Annual Camp Week and to the students and families that attended. 

Prep - Year 3 Photos

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STEAM Camp

Alpha, Bravo, Charlie 

On June 14^th, STEAM camp commenced with students learning everything they could about the exciting opportunities that competitive robotics could bring to their learning. Nine students over two days learned everything they could about VEX robotics. We had a mix of students with prior experience and those who were new to robotics. Robots were built, modified, and coded over the two days for two competitions. The VEX robotics competitions which are in October and Sparky’s Triathlon which was just two days away on June 16^th. 

All our students were apprehensive about the robots they had built. It is difficult to do everything in just two days. It has been 2 years since CSDE has sent teams to compete in the Cairns Regional robotics competition. Sparky’s Triathlon is a competition which tests engineering and coding skills by making a robot that can compete in three events. A test of strength (robot sumo), speed (robot drag race) and coding skills (robot line following). Everyone knew a single robot could not win all 3 events but what compromises needed to be made to make the robot competitive across all three disciplines and be crowned the winner. The event is split into four divisions. Junior primary (Y P-3), upper primary (Y 4-6), junior secondary (Y 7-9) and the opens (Y 10 +). 

Our robots were called Alpha (junior secondary), Bravo (open) and Charlie (upper primary). Almost all the coding and building was done by Friday. There were last minute changes before the competition start. All our competitors represented our school well and were very focused on arriving to their events on time. It was a long day, and it was clear that our robots were doing well in the drag race and sumo over the course of the day. Once the competition points were tallied, our three teams finished no lower than second in each of the divisions represented. 

Results: Charlie 1^st place upper primary, Alpha 1^st place junior secondary, Bravo 2^nd place open division. 

Smiles all around and all the angst of the previous two days was forgotten and replaced with elation that they were able to outlast the other competitors in such a demanding day of robotics. There were 40 students competing across all the events from five schools. 

The next stop on our STEAM Camp season is to get robots ready for the VEX competitions and hopefully we can continue the run of success going into the second half of the year. 

STEAM Camp Photos

Music Workshop

Thank you to Mr. Perger and the students that attended Term 2 Music Camp for their wonderful music performance. 

Music Workshop Photos

Parent Liaison Officer News

Ahoy-hoy lovely Cairns SDE families,

It was wonderful to see so many of our families come in to Cairns for the Annual Camp Week. There was a hive of activity on site on the Monday morning with families dropping students to school and buses; a handful of who had never had a night away from home! Some of our families travelled from great distances to be on camp with their class mates and it is great to see new students make friends and continuing students revive friendships. Teachers returned exhausted but refreshed after having the chance to meet and rekindle connections with their students. Special thank you to Mel Craig and her merry team of Camp Coordinators who put in a huge effort planning and executing some exceptionally fun and beneficial experiences for the kids.

Prep to 3 students utilised L Block for a day camp and enjoyed a day out at the Aquarium and Rainforestation. Years 4 to 6 visited Daradgee Environmental Education Centre which is just north of Innisfail. They took part in a host of outdoor activities including Top Rope Climbing and a visit to Polly Creek to explore the vegetation, water quality and life cycle of some of the local insects. Our teenagers in Years 7 to 9 went on adventure in Tully, to Echo Creek Adventure Centre. Students participated in a range of tours and educational programs to enjoy the environment as well as develop team and leadership qualities. Our Senior Camp was based at Mungalli Falls Outdoor Education Centre. This camp also included nature based interactive learning, including archery and canoeing.

In addition to the Biannual Forum and P&C Meeting, a small group of Home Tutors/parents took part in workshops in G Block. Headspace’s Grace Holden visited to discuss self-care ideas and encouraging student engagement. Bede Campbell from Inclusive Experiences FNQ presented about child development and the importance of a physical lifestyle. We also enjoyed a spot of macrame and jewellery making together, as well as baking savoury and sweet delights to donate to the C2K Bike Ride.

The Community Engagement team is very interested in your feedback regarding the camps. There may be changes for how Annual Camp Week is structured next year so please partake in our feedback survey and use this opportunity to have your say.

In addition to the 3-day camp we also had numerous other events during Annual Camp Week. Thursday of the week commenced with a Careers Day for senior students and Cultural Celebrations Day for all students. Students were involved in an array of fun and interactive activities all whilst learning about other cultures – Italian pizza making, Japanese storytelling, German soccer, and Aboriginal weaving to name a few. A very busy day we also managed to squeeze in School Photos, immunisations, dental health awareness and a visit from a lovely young lady called Bailey Seamer. Bailey also joined us and spoke at the Community BBQ. Bailey, from Wandering Minds Walk is traversing the eastern coastline of Australia. Commencing on 18 May last year from Wilsons Promontory (the southernmost point of Australia in Victoria) she is walking to the tip of Cape York (the northern most point). The trek is a motivation to join the growing movement and conversations around mental health awareness and raise funds for the Black Dog Institute. The week concluded with Sports Day and a fantastic time was had by all. There were a few records broken and the colour run/obstacle course was a great way to finish the action-packed week.

Planning for Mini Schools has commenced and I am looking forward to making new friends and catching up with familiar faces in all clusters in mid-September.

Don’t forget about our regular Home Tutor Connect Sessions held online on Thursdays 3.30pm in Week 3 and Week 7 in each term. These sessions are a good opportunity to learn some quick tips as a Home Tutor and also connect with other Home Tutors. A Guest link is sent out usually a week prior to the session as a reminder that it is coming up. Recordings are also available in Blackboard.

Please reach out and say hello. I love learning about what’s going well for you and what you need help with. I’m here to find solutions and pathways for you as a Home Tutor. Being a Home Tutor is a very comprehensive role and I can help you through the journey as you support your child through distance education.

Kind Regards,

Clare Macpherson
Parent Liaison Officer 

C2K Bike Ride 24 - 30 June

We hope everyone attending the C2K Bike Ride during the first week of the school holiday break has a wonderful time.

If you would like to donate, please visit their website.

Meet our 2023 P&C

Cairns SDE Reunion

Past and present Cairns SDE families and staff are invited to a reunion.

Please email karmawatersstn@bigpond.com or call 0400155464 for more information.

Cairns Youth and Careers Expo 2023

2023 Cairns Youth and Careers Expo - Thursday 24th August, 2023 at the Cairns Showgrounds! 
The Business Liaison Association is dedicated to advancing career opportunities and pathways for secondary school students in Far North Qld.

The 2023 Expo interaction will consist of virtual reality demos, makeup demos, CPR demos, Forklift and scissor lift demos, a confined spaces experience, drone demos, electrical display, earthmoving equipment simulation, helicopter cockpit, welding simulation, Army Reserve Training and a live radio broadcast.

For more details, please visit the BLA website.

June & July School Holiday Program

Cairns Libraries have an exciting June & July school holiday program.

The kids will enjoy celebrating Comic Book Month with a special Comic Fest event at Earlville Library on Monday 3 July (How to make a comic, Dungeons & Dragons, White Wizard Magic Show, Harry Potter Quizzitch, free events and prizes.

There is a special FX makeup workshop, crafting puppets, learning circus skills and so much more!

For more details visit the Cairns Libraries website.

Watch Out – Cane Trains About

The 2023 cane crushing season will commence in June and MSF Sugar would like remind parents and teachers of the dangers of children playing on or near cane trains and railway tracks.

Cane trains carry very large loads and have limited ability to brake suddenly, and children often don’t realise the danger they put themselves in when they jump on to moving cane trains, play around railway tracks, ride trail bikes along the cane railway and even fish from cane railway bridges.

Please make your children aware to stay safe and remember:
• Stay away from locomotives and cane bins.
• Don’t play around railway lines.
• Never walk between cane bins.
• Never go on to a cane railway bridge.
• Never walk behind a train – the driver will not see you.
• If you have to cross the railway tracks, STOP and look both ways, LISTEN and only cross when it is safe.
• OBEY Flashing Lights signals and Give Way signage at road crossings.