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WINN - What I Need Next…
This term in WINN, our Grade 7 students have been reading and analysing a variety of fiction texts. As part of our focus on developing a range of reading comprehension skills, students created a picture book portfolio based on one of the picture books from our school library. Students were able to select and complete a range of activities based on their learning style, to show their understanding of their chosen book.
Our focus for Grade 8 WINN this term has been participating in Literature Circles to develop an understanding of First Nations texts. Each lesson, students engaged with a different First Nations picture book, and completed different roles to improve their reading comprehension and collaboration skills.
Grade 10 students recently watched a performance by Brett Hunt. The play was an excellent way for students to connect to the Vietnam War and strengthen their understanding of the content they are learning in HaSS.
In his play (Vietnam: Dusted Off) Brett, an accomplished actor and guitarist, shared his family story. His performance included Australian hits of the day – Normie Rowe, Col Joye, Johnny O’Keefe etc… as he told the story of his mother Connie and his father Frank; who joined the army at 17, and found himself a forward scout in the jungles of Vietnam. After a mine contact Frank is dusted off to Vung Tau and repatriated home. Frank and Connie are determined to recover and build a loving family and a future; they are, however, confronted with a legacy of physical and emotional pain, the indifference of governments and the contempt of society.
Students and teachers alike thoroughly enjoyed the performance and found it quite emotional to hear a first hand story of such a tragic event.
In Grade 9 Science this Term, students have been learning about energy transfer.
Students have been investigating wave and particle models to describe energy transfer through different mediums and examining the usefulness of each model for explaining phenomena.
Students have been focussing on convection and conduction of heat in terms of the particle model.
They have also been modelling the transfer of sound energy as waves using slinky springs and relating to the medium through which the sound is transferred.
As part of our Transition Program for Queechy High students in 2024, our Grade 10 students had the opportunity to visit Newstead and Launceston College campuses this Term for college open days. Students were able to participate in an educational learning experience for transition in 2025.
Over the two days students were able to gain knowledge in building and construction, hospitality, community service sectors, health and physical education, the arts and information technology along with a tour of facilities and undertake a full day at both colleges.
As expected, our Grade 10 students represented our school in the highest of order, we were so pleased to see our students stepping out of their comfort zone and participating in a variety of activities at the colleges. Later this year our current Grade 9 students will tour both campuses in preparation for 2025 transition activities.
The Maths Team have been very busy at Queechy over the past term engaging students in exciting and challenging ideas. All grades have started to explore algebra, which unlocks a whole range of strategies for solving and modelling problems.
In addition to this, Maths teachers have had the opportunity to work together with Year 5 and 6 teachers from the Queechy Alliance discussing student work and different teaching strategies to support all students to reach their potential. We are hoping to expand this project next term to allow teachers time to exchange observations with our feeder primary schools and learn from one another.
Students have been invited to put their names down for the Australian Maths Competition next term. If you are keen for your child to participate, please email sam.ayre@decyp.tas.gov.au with your child’s name and tutor group. Have a go at the sample question below!
A reminder to all parents and carers that all students at Queechy have access to the Mathspace online program to support them in their maths learning and practising maths skills. Students just need to go to https://mathspace.co/ and click “Login” to log in with their student email. If they have forgotten their password they click “Forgot password” and they will be emailed a link to reset their password.
Over the last two Terms our 9/10 Foods classes have been on an exciting and enriching journey through the world of nutrition and health. Students have looked into the essential nutrients our bodies need, including carbohydrates, proteins and fats. They’ve explored the complexities of vitamins and minerals, understanding their vital roles in maintaining overall health.
Students learnt to identify their nutritional requirements and how these needs vary with age, activity level and health status, including the importance of hydration and how water is crucial for bodily functions. Discussions on sugar intake raised awareness about the health impacts of consuming too much sugar.
Practical cooking lessons allowed students to apply their theoretical knowledge into a practical setting.
A highlight of the Term was the design challenge where students researched and created recipes suitable for individuals with coeliac disease. They embraced the challenge of developing delicious, gluten-free dishes and gained insights into the dietary restrictions and needs of those with coeliac disease.
Recently in Craft students have tried their hand at making Kaleidoscopes and this has encouraged conversation and helped develop new skills.
It’s hard to believe that Term 2 has already finished. I hope everyone is looking forward to a well-deserved holiday, ready for Term 3 which is always a jam-packed 10 weeks. This term has been an impressive one in what all of our students have been able to achieve. We have witnessed performances from our talented musicians, celebrated our sporting successes, chess tournaments, and transition visits, and acknowledged the academic achievements of our students.
Last Friday afternoon we had all our Grade 7 students attend the end-of-term disco in the gym. All the students dressed up in their Pyjamas which was the theme and spent the afternoon dancing and having fun. Our Grade 8 students have this week spent time at the PCYC enjoying the multiple activities offered there to end the Term in an enjoyable way.
Monday and Wednesday nights last week saw parents from across all grades come into school with their children for our three-way interviews. This was an excellent opportunity for parents and students to read the mid-year reports and set goals for the remainder of the year. Thank you to the teaching staff for the tremendous amount of work they put into writing these reports each year. For our students, these comprehensive reports should act as an indicator of how their year has been to date and give guidance in relation to areas to focus on for the remainder of the year.
Grade 10 students are currently planning what 2025 will look like for them, either in further education or in full time employment. Some students are realising that they need to work hard over their remaining 2 Terms here to maximise their grades as their results will often determine what courses/job opportunities are available to them. Our Grade 10 team has been reinforcing this message throughout the year and I hope that students make the most of every learning opportunity they have in Term 3 to give them the best possible chance of being set up for a successful year in 2025.
Have a great holiday and I look forward to seeing everyone back for a busy but productive Term 3.
Congratulations to the students that represented Queechy at the recent Tasmanian All Schools Cross Country Championships, held at Symmons Plains. This was a great opportunity for our students to push themselves against the best Cross Country athletes from across Tasmania. They represented our school and themselves with pride and we are very proud of them all for trying their best and securing some top performances on the day.
Most races had up to 80 participants with some having well over 100. The following students finished in the top 21, which is an exceptional achievement:
Olivia P
Kingston G
Oliver S
Lachlan H
Poppi S
Gabe L
Ryder B
A special mention must go to Lachlan H with his 4th place finish (unfortunately no photos as we were too busy cheering). This finish has resulted in Lachlan being offered a place on the Tasmanian team to compete at the upcoming Australian National Championships. We wish him all the best with this amazing opportunity.
During Week 8 of Term 2, on Tuesday 18th and Wednesday 19th June, 22 Grade 9 students along with Mr Tepper were provided the opportunity to participate in a 2 day incursion/excursion by Hydro Tasmania in conjunction with The Smith Family. Students spent the first day on campus at Queechy, participating in a number of activities such as:
- Speed Careering, learning about possible traineeships, apprenticeships and university pathways aligned with Hydro Tasmania & mock interviews with current employees.
- The ‘Turbinator’ design activity – students were required to design their own water Turbine and then tested their design aiming to produce the top speed using water pressure from a small hose on their Turbine.
- The ‘Wind Turbine’ activity - students learnt about wind energy and turning of blades to create power. Students designed their own wind turbines and competed in a variety of different challenges.
Day two was off campus, with all students travelling by bus to Trevallyn Power Station where they began their day learning about the Hydro Tasmania building, including wearing all of the PPE such as high visibility clothing, safety helmet, safety glasses and earplugs.
Students then completed a tour of Trevallyn Power Station, designing and racing their own solar powered race cars. After lunch, students then got back on the bus to travel to TasNetworks depot, where they participated in an energy market activity and the highlight of the day, students being provided the opportunity to go up in a hydraulic lift truck (Cherry Picker) used to fix powerlines by Tas Networks.
A special thank you to Sue Street from Hydro Tasmania and Emma Thompson from the Smith Family for making the day possible for all students.
During Term 2 students in Mr Crawford's Athlete Development 9/10 options subject have been utilising Launceston Institute Fitness & Training Centre (LIFT) developing individual strength and conditioning.
Resistance training is purposely designed to enhance neuromuscular fitness and function (eg, agility, balance, coordination, reaction time and speed) and is the foundation of athletic development for all aspiring young athletes. Stronger young athletes will be better prepared to learn complex movements, master sport tactics, and withstand the demands of long-term sports training and competition. The course is structured to provide students with not only the opportunity to increase their physical fitness but also exposure to visiting a variety of different sporting environments such as sporting fields and arenas, gyms, and local fitness areas to learn about physical activity, social interactions, and engagement with the community. During Term 2, the students completed sessions at the Launceston Aquatic Centre looking at recovery, survival strokes and technique along with fundamentals of swimming.
