Term 1, Week 6

News from the Principal

Dear Parents and Carer/s,

Another fortnight gone and even more to celebrate and acknowledge at Malanda. We congratulate Georgia, Emma, Erin and Meghan for their selections on the girls Rugby League Tablelands teams and also extend a congratulations and well done to Lilly and Jacinta for umpiring at the recent carnivals also. Aside from sport, the Tablelands Lions Youth of the Year competition comes to its peak on Saturday evening this week and we wish Jacinta, Laura and Amelie all the best for the zone final. We are proud of the work you have already done and look forward to hearing the results as they come through on Saturday.

At school last week we also held a fundraiser for Missy’s Donors – what a wonderful event for our community! This ties into the work our year eight students are undertaking in their English program of study and we are so fortunate that Anj continues to be a supporter of our school and community.

As well as fundraising, on Friday of last week I had the privilege of welcoming our community into the school to celebrate the induction of our 2025 school leaders. Congratulations to all elected leaders, I look forward to working with you all this year. I would also like to acknowledge that events like this do not just happen on their own, and extend my gratitude to Mrs Jodi Stremouchiw and Ms Karen O’Shea who took on the lions share of the organisation.

Looking forward, our school will continue to be a very busy hive of activity over the next fortnight, with NAPLAN practice currently underway with the actual tests starting next week. We encourage all students to be prepared with a good breakfast, be involved and to give it a go. I want to remind students and families that results on a page do not determine a future or whether you are a good human being, these tests are just one small part of school. This is similar for our senior students who are also well into their first internal assessments and it is so wonderful to see when walking into classrooms the learning that is occurring in preparation for student success.

Aside from the learning and assessment going on at present, the school’s four-year plan and annual improvement plan was shared with our regional office last week, with our areas of improvements based off our school review outlining:

1. School moderation processes – to focus on curriculum (what is being taught) and pedagogy (how the curriculum is taught) through this process. We will be reviewing the curriculum and the way it is taught through a continuous improvement inquiry cycle, with the goal over four years for 95% of students achieving an A-C, with 50% achieving an A or B. Ultimately goal of all seniors achieving a QCE and 100% A-C remains our focus by the end of a student’s learning journey with us.
2. A culture that promotes learning – our continued focus on the student code of conduct and the associated supports that Malanda SHS can offer students to access the learning and be successful in all elements of school life. We will continue to review processes and systems to positively acknowledge students and their achievements, with expectations and rules being clear for all.
3. A collaborative culture to build capability of staff – this links in to the two improvement areas above, to ensure that all staff at Malanda have the skills required to do their job to the best of their ability, so that students are supported in their learning journey.

This work is already underway, as on Friday and Saturday of this week all leaders in the school will be at professional development in Cairns to focus on Instructional Leadership. We are also linking in with other colleagues in the area as we are joining Mareeba SHS and Atherton SHS to undertake this professional learning. I thank all leaders for giving up their personal time to attend as this will assist our leaders to guide their teams in this work into the future. As a result, Belinda Grose will be in the school on this day as Officer in Charge as we thank her for her assistance so that this learning can occur.

Throughout the year I will continue to provide updates on these areas as the work is completed. If you are interested in hearing more about the plans for school improvement, I encourage you to join our P and C, whose Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday March 18.

Until next fortnight, yours in learning,

Natasha Lyndon

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News from the HPE/Agriculture/ITM Department

Check out these amazing ITM students work! Well done teachers and support staff for your guidance and expertise.

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Year 10 HPE students are currently participating in a water polo unit and are attending the pool one a week to brush up on their water polo skills. Mr Grose’s class and Mrs J’s class went head to head this week but all excitement was lost when the game ended in a tie! Rematch coming soon….

News from the Geography Department

Year 9 Geography - Students joined classes and learnt about the inequality of the global trading system based on the development of their country.

News from the Science Department

Science Textbooks

This year, as we have moved to Australia Curriculum v9.0 in Science, we have also up-dated our science textbooks and the way in which students interact with these. Students now have access to a digital version of the Oxford textbook (obook) via the readcloud app. Readcloud app ensures that students do not need another password and only their school mis login details. It also has an immersive reader which will read aloud to students. Link to readcloud online login.

Last week, science teachers underwent professional development and training in the features of the electronic platform and will start to use the obook and its resources with students in their classes. There is a range of obook resources for students to engage with including, video tutorials, interactive flashcard glossaries, weblinks to helpful additional content, worksheets, quizzes and additional reading material. The obook can be downloaded by students to a range of electronic devices including iPad, tablets and phones, so they will always be able to access the textbook anywhere, anytime. The reader view of the obook allows students to navigate through the textbook and highlight text, take notes, search and use a dictionary to support learning. If students don’t have access to an electronic device or internet at home, then they should discuss alternate options with their teachers on how to access the textbook.

Additional information can be found at:

What is obook for students?

How to access obook offline for students?

How do I access the Immersive Reader

Year 7-10 Science Assessment

Assessment of learning is well and truly underway for all science classes. Due to teacher changes and losing a lesson to NAPLAN practice, the Year 9 Science Research Investigation (essay) has been moved back by one lesson to give the students the best possible chance of completing the task.

Draft due date:  Monday 10/3 (week 7)                 Due Date: Monday 24/3 (week 9)

Year 7-10 Maths Assessment

All students have completed one piece of assessment which teachers have marked, moderated and provided students with feedback on. Please have a conversation with your student around their results: Where they happy with it? Did it reflect the work and effort that they put in during class and for homework? What can they do to improve this mark going forward? The final exams for maths will occur towards the end of this terms, so it is important that students are present and are communicating any planned absences with their teachers.

The last assessment task for this term are:

Year 11-12 Senior Maths/Science Assessment

The first assessment tasks (IA1) which will contribute between 10-20% (depending on the subject), towards a student’s mark are also well underway for senior science and maths subjects. Teachers of these subjects have been preparing and supporting students to complete these assessment tasks. If students are experiencing difficulties during this time, then they should reach out to their teacher, Mrs Jodi Stremouchiw (HoSS Year 11-12) or Ms Williams (acting HoES Maths/Science).

News from the Sports Coordinator

News from the Sports Captains

Hi everybody, 

We had a great week with our debut of our wheelchair basketball lunchtime competition. Everybody absolutely smashed it, learning the rules quickly and giving it a good go, even the teachers. We'll have a draw made up for each week so make sure to come down and watch. 

We also wanted to give a shout out everyone who had a go at the soccer peninsula trials that occurred recently . We love to see it. 

School touch is starting this term if anyone's interested in signing up. Two competitions will occur this year, meaning two chances to bring home a trophy for Malanda. For more information see Miss Backshall. 

Get keen for the cross country in week 9, we hope to see you all dressed up in your job themed costumes ready to run your way to victory. 

Love from,

The Sports Captains.

News from the Japanese Club

Naplan 2025

News from the Support Staff

Young people and SLEEP

Did you know National standards from the Australian Department of Health recommend that adolescents aged 14-17 should get between 8 and 10 hours of sleep per night.

Teens are notorious for not getting enough sleep. A study conducted on the sleep patterns of Australian adolescents discovered around a quarter of teens aged 12-15 and half of teens aged 16-17 are not getting enough sleep on school nights to meet national sleep guidelines.

The effects of sleep deprivation on teens are well documented. Lack of sleep causes them to experience a type of haze that negatively impacts their mood and their ability to think, learn, react and regulate their emotions. There’s also an increased risk of injuries – particularly when sleep-deprived teens get behind the wheel.

How to help teenagers SLEEP

The teenage brain naturally wants to stay up late and sleep in the next day. You can help your teen get the adequate amount of sleep each night by:

• encouraging them to go to sleep at the same time each night.
• suggesting they carry out a relaxing bedtime routine such as doing meditation, having a warm milky drink or taking a warm bath.
• encouraging them to limit technology such as their phone, computer and TV at least an hour before bedtime.
• ensuring they avoid stimulants such as coffee and energy drinks in the late afternoon and evening.
• modelling this behaviour yourself to set a positive example
• keeping their bedroom dark at night, as light can disrupt the brain’s normal sleep-wake cycle.
• setting up a comfortable sleep environment for them.
• Hopefully, by taking on these sleeping tips, your teen will be well on their way to getting a well-rested, appropriate amount of sleep every night of the week.

Important Dates Term 1

📢 Important Immunisation Program Information for Malanda State High School YEAR 10 Families! 📢
On Tuesday, 11th March, we will be holding the Meningococcal ACWY and Meningococcal B (Dose 1) immunisations at the school.
💉 Consent Packs were sent home with students on Tuesday, 25th February. Please make sure to complete and return them to the office ASAP to ensure your child receives their vaccination.
For any questions, contact the school office.

Phones away for the day

Keep Your Phone Safe & Secure!

Did you know? We offer FREE phone lockers for all students to keep their devices safe and secure during school hours!

Simply pop by the office to pick up a consent form, parents sign, return to the office and we’ll get you set up instantly. It’s that easy! Stay focused and keep your phone safe – come see us today!

Parents/Guardians/Staff/Student additional information

Peninsula School Sport 2025

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2025 Next Step Year 12 Completers Survey

All Year 12 completers from last year will soon receive an invitation to participate in the Next Step survey. This is their chance to help our school to understand the different pathways of the 2024 Year 12 students and to improve our senior programs and supports for future students. The survey only takes five minutes and asks graduates about their study and work activities since finishing school.

As a thank you for participating, Year 12 completers who complete the survey will be entered into a draw to win a MacBook Air.

We ask parents, siblings and friends to encourage our graduates to complete the survey. If their contact details have changed, please assist survey interviewers by providing their updated details or forward the survey to their new address so they can participate. Graduates may receive an invitation by mail, email or phone. The survey can be completed online or by phone.

For more information about Next Step, including previous results, visit http://www.qld.gov.au/nextstep.

Tablelands Regional Council have some great workshops coming up.