A very busy and positive end to Term 1!

Our interhigh swimming team pulled off a mammoth effort to take out the senior shield and the overall title for this year’s swimming. I had the privilege of watching some of the racing on the day and the attitude of our team was simply outstanding. Students wrapped support around each other and the staff were “up and about” with excitement throughout the day. A huge congratulations to all involved.

Our Relay for Life team spent many hours last Saturday walking for a great cause. The impact of this event and the stories shared with our students by cancer survivors has had a significant impact, both with the students on the day and then back at Queechy at our last assembly. Thank you to the SLB students involved and the staff team of Mrs Phipps, Mr Ritchie, Ms Mitchell, Mr Jeffrey, Mrs Pooley and Mr Widdowson.

We had a sneak peek at our final assembly this week at the school production “All Shook Up”. The energy and performance skills of the cast were really highlighted and there was a real buzz in the audience after the performance. I can’t wait to see the final show later this year.
A big thank you to Newstead College who are partnering with us on this venture with the final performances to be held in the performing arts space at Newstead College in August. Keep an eye out for ticket information.

Our Year 11/12 students have had a great start to 2025 and it was heartening to see parents and family join us at our final assembly to recognise the efforts of the team and name the College Captains Matayia and Lacey. Well done to all involved.

To prepare for the future, we must first look to the past. This is one of several reasons why History is an important subject. History also helps us to understand human nature and to see what has changed, or stayed the same, over time. History is a valuable lesson in what human beings are capable of (both positive and negative) and can be great for students to build their awareness of places, people and culture before travelling interstate and overseas in the future.

In HaSS this term, Grade 7's have covered an introduction to Ancient History and the Deep Time History of Australia. Grade 8's have investigated the Vikings and Medieval Europe. In Grade 9, students have learned about the Industrial Revolution and are looking at Australian History around the time of European settlement. Grade 10's have analysed the causes of WWII and have been studying the holocaust.

As you can see, History is sequenced in a chronological order at High School. At College, students are also able to study Modern World History, which covers everything after the Second World War. Additionally, Ancient Civilizations is another subject that can be selected.

Term 1 has been a busy one in the HPE space, with core classes working through their first units of work in both theoretical Health lessons and practical PE lessons. A deeper overview of what each grade has been covering can be found in previous editions of our newsletter. 

Swimming Carnival 
On Friday 28th of March we held our annual swimming carnival at the Launceston Aquatic Centre, with the carnival taking on a new format in 2025. In the morning section of the carnival over 100 students took part in the competitive racing aspect with many of them putting themselves out of their comfort zones to compete. There were a number of strong swims on the day, with the following students being recognised as either Swimming Champion or Runner-Up Champion for their respective grades:

At the conclusion of the carnival, McLeod were crowned our House Swimming Champions, followed by Grace in 2nd, Allen in 3rd and Miller in 4th. 

Anika’s Record Day 
Grade 9 student Anika has always performed well at our swimming carnivals
being swimming champion in both Grade 7 and 8 along with breaking the 50m Butterfly record in Grade 7. Despite this, Anika made her Grade 9 swimming carnival one to remember, breaking not one, not two, but six records throughout the course of the morning! Anika set new records in the 50m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke, 50m Breaststroke, 50m Butterfly, 100m Freestyle and the 100m Breaststroke, all records that have stood for over a decade. 

From all at QHS, we send our biggest congratulations to Anika, with her performances being a testament to the hard work and many hours of training that she puts in.

NHSSA Division 1 Inter-High Swimming Carnival 
On Thursday 3rd of April, a team of 37 strong swimmers represented Queechy at the 2025 NHSSA Division 1 Swimming Carnival, where we competed against other northern high schools such as Kings Meadows, Riverside, Prospect, Scottsdale, Exeter, St Marys and St Helens. We had a number of strong performances across the day, with all students displaying excellent effort and endeavour in every event that they competed in.

At the conclusion of the carnival, we finished 3rd in the Junior Shield and 1st in the Senior shield for an overall placing of 1st ahead of Prospect and Riverside in 2nd and 3rd respectively. This is a huge achievement for our school, as this is the first time in our history that we have won the Division 1 swimming carnival and is great reward for effort for all of our students who push themselves to be better every day and the staff who support them. 

Looking Ahead 
In Term 2, the NHSSA Winter sport rosters will kick off in week 3, with QHS again having teams in both the 7/8 and 9/10 rosters in AFL, AFLW, Soccer and Netball. A highlight of the year is the annual Bulldogs Cup against KMHS, which will again be held at the South Launceston Football Ground on the 4th of June. 

In week 3, we have our House Challenge Day which includes the running of our Cross Country around the school. The course at QHS offers a great challenge for students, as it follows the natural terrain of the school grounds, giving an authentic cross-country experience.

After this, selected students will represent us at the NHSSA Inter-High Carnival on the 29th of May, where we are the current defending champions in Division 1, before having the chance to test themselves against the States best cross-country runners at the All Schools event at Symmons Plains on the 12th of June. 

Our Science program is supported by our wonderful Lab Technicians Maryanne and Stewart Simpson. Between both of them, they work with our teachers to ensure that all our practical lessons are compliant with safe workplace practices and that everything is organised to ensure that the learning of all our students is optimal.

We have had 32 pracs taking place in the last fortnight of school alone, meaning a lot of preparation but also some significant opportunities for students to engage in hands on learning and its applications in life contexts.

Next term there is an excursion for a number of our students to participate in the annual Science and Engineering challenge. This will involve a trip out of school to match their skills with bridge construction against students from other schools in the region. If your child is interested in this opportunity, please ensure that they have a conversation with their teacher and put their names forward. We will support students with some workshops in the weeks leading up to the event.

Mathematics is a core discipline and one which has a direct impact on student career prospects and choices, therefore we need for all our students to engage in their mathematics learning. We aim to make our learning in this area as practical and linked to life contexts as possible. To this end we are investigating an opportunity to work with other schools from across the north of the state to build our collective teacher capacity to ensure that learning is differentiated and targeted for all our learners, focusing on some key concepts and underpinned by the Big Ideas in Number.

As always if students are unsure about “How will I use this in my life?”, please encourage them to respectfully ask their teacher about this. It is always easier for our learners when they understand the purpose of their learning.

During Term 1, Grade 10 English students have read the memoir, A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley and watched the film adaption of his life story, Lion. From a five year old Indian boy lost on a train transporting him to the other side of the country, to being adopted by a Tasmanian couple and then using Google Earth to reunite with his birth family 25 years later, Saroo’s story is one of courage and resilience.

On March 27^th, our Grade 9 and 10’s became the first group of students Mr Brierley has ever spoken to about his experiences and how they shaped him into the adult he is today.
The Grade 9’s were moved by his story while the Grade 10’s were amazed to meet the author and subject of their studies, they won’t forget meeting him or hearing about his experiences!

Saroo was very generous with his time and answered questions posed to him, we’d like to thank him for visiting Queechy. 

Term 1 has been an exciting one for Queechy High with the opening of our very own Hair & Beauty salon. The salon is run by a Teacher and Teacher Assistant, both with extensive experience in the Hair & Beauty industry.

Students have been exposed to the many skills required to work in the industry. This term students have been learning about safe workplace practice and the correct use of equipment used regularly in our salon. Students refined their skills through demonstrations and practice using our basin area, also dry hair shaping and safe and effective use of thermal styling equipment.

We are looking forward to the upcoming terms, to utilise this exciting new learning space. 

Recently, a group of students from Grade 10–12 accompanied by Mr. Tepper had the exciting opportunity to take part in the Smith Family’s Work Inspirations two-day excursion, exploring a range of industries and future career pathways.

With visits to ANZ Bank, Hotel Grand Chancellor, Du Cane Brewery, and Fairbrother Construction, students were immersed in a variety of engaging and hands-on experiences designed to broaden their understanding of the world of work.

Across the two days, students learned about the different roles within each organisation, the skills required, and the potential pathways into each industry. From hospitality and banking to brewing and construction, each session highlighted the real-world opportunities available to young people and allowed them to ask questions, participate in practical tasks, and begin to consider their own future directions.

A huge thank you goes to Damien and Vanessa from The Smith Family for their co-ordination and ongoing support, as well as the four host businesses for their time, generosity, and willingness to inspire the next generation of workers.

This was a valuable experience for all involved and one that will no doubt leave a lasting impact on our students as they begin thinking more seriously about their careers.

Last week twenty Grade 10 students participated in the first ever Newstead College/Queechy High School mentoring program. Below is a short summary of the program.
 
Name: Newstead Academic Mentoring Program 
Who is the program for? It is for students with above standard academic ability to gain further understanding of what is involved in specific Level 3/4 TASC subjects and to gain an insight into potential University pathways. 
How does the program work? Students will be supported by a mentor throughout the day and shadow a Newstead student and their individual timetable for the day. 
What is the University presentation? Participating students will hear all about how you apply to UTAS and career opportunities. Things like Schools Recommendation Program (SRP) are explained and the opportunities for scholarships and further subject offerings. 

Once again, a huge thank you to Adrian Dean from Newstead College for your continued support and hard work with supporting students at Queechy High to experience specific subjects and college-life experiences.  

A group of enthusiastic Grade 10–12 students accompanied by Mr. Tepper recently attended the University of Tasmania Health and Medical Science Taster Day, gaining first-hand insight into what it’s like to study and work in the rapidly growing health sector.

Throughout the day, students rotated through interactive sessions in Sport and Exercise Science, Biomedicine, Pharmacy, and Nursing. They engaged in a range of hands-on activities, including fitness testing and movement analysis in Sport Science, exploring the human body at a cellular level in Biomedicine, compounding medications in Pharmacy, and practising patient care techniques in Nursing.

The taster day provided an incredible opportunity for students to experience university-style learning, speak with lecturers and current students, and discover the diverse range of careers available within health and medical sciences.

For many, it was an eye-opening experience that sparked new interest and motivation for future study in these important and rewarding fields.

We’d like to thank UTAS and all the staff involved for hosting such a valuable event and inspiring our students to explore the possibilities of a career in health.

Students in the Year 11/12 Sport, Recreation and Fitness class recently put their target game skills to the test with a fun and competitive session of ten-pin bowling at Launceston Lanes.

As part of their Target Games unit, the excursion allowed students to apply their learning in a practical setting, focusing on accuracy, technique, and strategy. The excursion highlighted the importance of skill development, hand-eye coordination, and precision—all key elements of target games. It was a fantastic way to combine learning with physical activity, and for some, it even sparked a newfound interest in bowling.

With the Target Games unit continuing, students will now reflect on their performance and explore strategies to enhance their accuracy and consistency in future activities.