We are now in the midst of the final term of the year and the majority of our students have been demonstrating the excellent qualities that we expect at Foxwell State Secondary College. In the classroom, students are excelling in their engagement and they are also taking the opportunties on offer in a range of programs and activities.

We see students engaging in music performances, dance troupes, beach touch championships, Science and Engineering challenges, sports conditioning programs and Art competitions and events. We provide opportunities for students to engage in their areas of passion whether these be creative, fitness or sports related or fostering their love of STEM. We find that students who are actively engaged in at least one extra-curricular activity are far more positive than those students who choose not to take advantage of these opportunities on offer here at Foxwell SSC. 

Term 4 is a critical time for our students. Although they may be showing signs of tiredness, this is a time where students should be consolidating and reinforcing routines and habits that have worked for them in relation to their organisation, study and assessment throughout the year. There are increased benefits where there is an adult at home that encourages their students to be prepared for their studies and assessment. This is not the time to slacken off and count down to the end of term. This is the time to show true grit and determination as assessment due dates are closing in for most subject areas. Remember these positive habits students make in the Junior years will greatly benefit them in the later years of their secondary education.

Parents, please continue to be vigilant in ensuring your child is getting into a solid sleep routine and getting sufficient sleep. Remind them that any more than 2 hours of gaming, or social screen time after school is negatively affecting their brain health. Support them with their nutrition and food choices and ensure that they are coming to school after having a healthy and substantial breakfast. Providing the right foods in your child's lunch box is important, remembering that at Foxwell our students have a morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea (munch and crunch break) to allow them to fuel their bodies and minds for learning. 

Our school will continue to provide an educational program through to the 10th December 2020. It is our expectation that students attend school every day and for the full day. Sadly a number of parents are requesting that their child be collected from school early for unacceptable reasons such as going away early for the weekend, avoiding traffic, etc. Please remember that every minute of every lesson is critical for your child to obtain the very best education that they deserve. Please only request for your child to be collected from school early if there are exceptional 'one-off' circumstances. Should a pattern of these requests occur, parents will be asked to meet with me to discuss. 

We are coming to the end of our 2022 Enrolment Interviews. If you are aware of a child that has not submitted their enrolment application for 2022, please ensure that this is provided to the Executive Services Office ASAP. Transition Day is not far away and class lists are being finalised. Don't miss out.

Until next time

Mrs Kym Amor

Principal

Foxwell State Secondary College

As we move toward the end of the school year, we wish to remind all families (as we have already with our students) that our high expectations remain. In order to maintain these high expectations we have needed to put in place some changes in routines and provided all students with reminders of our rules:

Lunch time

For the first 15 minutes of lunch each day, from 11.30-11.45pm,  the oval, the half court and the hall will be closed. The purpose of this is to provide students with the opportunity to ensure they eat and access the toilet facilities prior to participating in sport. This will ensure that students will be ready to attend class at 12.30pm instead of arriving late under the excuse of “I was still eating” etc. We are one of the very few schools that offer a 60 minute lunch break but we need to ensure we are using it correctly.

Bathrooms

Due to a recent spate of vandalism in our bathrooms, not all bathrooms will be open to students. Students will have access to the bathrooms in the canteen area. Students entering and leaving the bathrooms during break time will be monitored by staff on duty as will behaviour in the bathrooms. During lessons, monitoring of the area outside the bathrooms will be video monitored to see who is entering and exiting and at what times. In addition students have been reminded that using the toilets during lesson time ought to be limited in order to minimise time out of class. Students needing to use bathrooms during class time will not be prohibited from doing so.

Canteen

Icy cups will not be sold at the canteen after 12.15pm each day. The canteen will close to students at 12.20pm each day (5 minutes before the bell goes).  These changes around the canteen operation will support students to arrive at class on time and ready to learn. Any student who arrives at class eating food, including icy cups, will be asked by teachers to throw item(s) in the bin by teachers. Students who fail to follow teacher instructions in this regard will have a consequence applied.

Prohibited items

Chewing gum and bubble gum is not permitted at school. These items when disposed off inappropriately cause damage to our school environment. Students in possession of packets of gum will have them confiscated and students chewing gum will be asked to dispose of it immediately. Again students who fail to follow teacher instructions will have a consequence applied.

Aerosol cans of any kind, including deodorant are not permitted at school. If students require deodorant please ensure that they have a roll-on. Students with deodorant cans will have these confiscated and in the first offence the can will be returned at the end of the day, if the student chooses to collect them. On the second offence, the can will be held until the end of term. Aerosol cans pose a safety risk to students and staff with asthma and can be used in a manner which has potential to cause harm to self and others.

Chalk pens, marking pens or liquid paper are not permitted as these items have recently been used for vandalism.

Attending class

Students are required to be in their timetabled class at all times unless they have permission to be, or have an appointment, elsewhere. Students should be in class and in the line of sight of their classroom teacher at all times.

Students not attending class are truanting, regardless of whether the student remains in the school grounds or leaves school grounds and appropriate consequences will be applied.

If students are upset or distressed in any way and feel that they cannot attend class, it is imperative that they report to Student Services so we can arrange support. A small number of students with identified needs have been issued with passes which permit them to leave class. When used by these students they must immediately report to the Learning Hub.

Students refusing to enter classrooms or leaving classrooms without permission are losing learning time. This learning time will be required to be made up at either a lunch break or before or after school, depending on the circumstances

Arrive on time with the right tools

Reminder that the school day starts at 8.35am when the bell rings. Students are required to move to class and be ready for learning by 8.45am.

Students arriving late to school and without a note of explanation from parents will be asked to complete a detention to make up for lost time.

Prior to 9.00am students must go directly to class. After 9.00am students must report to Student Services prior to attending class.

Students are required to bring their iPad, writing tools and books to each lesson, every day. Students who persistently arrive without the right tools for learning will have consequences applied.

Uniform

In the last two newsletter we have added reminders about uniforms and appearance. This is another reminder:

• Plain black leather lace up shoes (can be sports style) must be worn with the formal uniform. We have a small number of pairs of black shoes which we will offer for sale for students who repeatedly wear incorrect shoes.
• Students are only permitted to wear their sports uniform on their Healthy World practical day. All other days, students must wear their formal uniform.
• Socks must be plain white with no logos or writing and crew length. Invisible socks/no show or low cut socks are not appropriate for school and will be considered as being incorrect uniform.
• Hats must be worn at all times when students are outside of class. The bucket hat is only permitted to be worn with the sports uniform. The broad brim hat must be worn with the formal uniform
• The school bag must be a back pack and be plain navy or purchased from the Foxwell SSC uniform shop. No backpacks are permitted to have a logo or writing on them. We have a small number of plain navy backpacks which we will offer for sale should students repeatedly present with the incorrect bag.

Students in incorrect uniform must bring a note of explanation to Student Services before school to be issued with a variation slip. Students without a note will firstly be asked to contact home to see if the matter can be rectified by having an item of uniform brought to school. If this is not possible, the students is deemed out of uniform and if this is not a first offence, a 20 minute detention will be issued. A detention will be issued each time a student is out of uniform. These detentions must be completed within 5 days of issue, with the detention room open Monday, Wednesday & Thursday lunchtimes.

 Appearance

Please note facial piercings are not permitted at school. If a child has a facial piercing, they may be permitted by the Principal to wear a clear until such time that the piercing is healed and it can be removed.

Students are permitted to wear two earrings in the lower lobes. Small, plain sleepers and studs are permitted only.

Students wearing piercings which are not permitted will be asked to remove them and if this is a pattern of behaviour, will have the items confiscated.

Coloured nail polish is not permitted. Acrylic nails are not permitted as they pose a workplace health and safety risk. Please ensure if students have these put on over any school holiday that they are removed prior to returning to school.

Make up that is noticeable is not permitted. This includes eye liner, mascara, eye lash extensions etc. Students will be asked to remove make up and to make arrangement to have lash extensions or nails removed urgently.

We ask for your support in encouraging our students to learn to be responsbile and respectful when at school by following school rules and routines.

Planning continues for our Year 7 and 8 Celebration Day on Monday the 6th of December.

Please look out for Year 8 permission notices and key information in coming days. Please be sure to check your email in-boxes as well as asking your child for hard copies which will be sent home shortly.

Payment and permission forms must be returned by the deadline or else students will be unable to attend and will remain at school for classroom based activities.

Please see Year 7 permission form below.

This year we had 85 Year 7 and 8 students sit various ICAS tests in Term 3.  This opportunity was open to all Foxwell students, but predominantly students in our G-STEM and ALP programs sat these tests.  Students had the choice to sit English, Mathematics, Science or Digital Technologies tests and some students chose to sit all four of these.

We are very proud of our students for demonstrating perseverance in these tests.  Students across the world sit these tests. 

We had a number of Year 7 and 8 students who received Merit Certificates, which means that they were the top 46% of students in Australia and Credit Certificates, which means that they were in the top 36% of students in Australia in each of the different subjects.

Of special mention is ALP student, Yoyo Chang, who was awarded a Distinction for Digital Technologies, which puts him in the top 11% of students in Australia, as well as the Principal’s Award for his efforts.  Yoyo was also awarded a highly coveted High Distinction for English, which places him in the top 1% of students in Australia, as well as the Principal’s Award for his amazing achievement.  We are very proud of you, Yoyo.  Well done.

If your student would like to participate in ICAS next year, please look for the information in our Newsletter at the beginning of Term 3.  Tests are $15-$17 and are conducted online.

Danielle Goddaer

HOD Teaching and Learning

Next Thursday 25^th November at 9.30am in the SportsHall, our wonderfully talented Year 7 and 8 Creative Voices students will perform their musical theatre spectacle, A Night at the Circus.

We are fortunate enough to have a number of Year 5 Primary School students attending from our feeder schools - a fantastic opportunity for them to see the amazing work this excellence class creates.

We invite parents and friends to attend this performance if possible.

Please sign in using the QR code on arrival.

JAPANESE FILM STUDY

At Foxwell, language learners use authentic texts to discuss and analyse the relationship between language, communication, and culture.

Year 7 students are watching Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) for their film study. Students will explore themes such as independence, resilience and omotenashi (spirit of Japanese hospitality).

Year 8 students are watching Ore Monogatari (2015) for their film study. Students will explore themes such as gender equality, relationships and senpai (being a role model).

FLOURISH

Did you know that Japanese is the most studied language in Australian schools?

Foxwell is a proud Japanese language school and each bulletin, we will celebrate our young language learners who demonstrate the school’s SPIRIT values.

Today join us to recognise the entire class of 7F Japanese. This class has flourished this term. 7F is always there to encourage each other to try their best (Service, Inclusivity and Perseverance) and make the most of every lesson. Last week students sat their Japanese exam and 7F’s conduct embodied what it means to be a learner (Integrity, Respect and Responsibility).

Here are some photos celebrating 7F’s fun, omoiyari (thoughtful actions) and kaizen mindset (continuous improvement).

We hope our flourish students will help inspire the hundreds of language students across Foxwell to achieve their goals. 

Thank you.

We are excited to invite students and families to join us for our Celebration of Success event on Friday 3 December from 5-7pm.

This is an opportunity for our College community to celebrate the amazing accomplishments of our students during another year of challenges and obstacles.

The first hour of the celebration will be dedicated to honouring student award recipients and live student performances in our Sports Performance Hall.  This will be followed by a social hour in the surrounds where food stalls will be available.  

Students are welcome to wear smart casual clothing for the event.  

Should you wish to donate to the raffle please contact us at P&C@foxwellssc.eq.edu.au

Thank you to the business and local community that have donated so far.

We have teamed up with the Rotary Club of Coomera Waters to provide a BBQ selling sausage sizzles and soft drinks after the celebration of success evening on the 03/12/2021.

Thanks to the Rotary Club of Coomera Waters for your support.

We look forward to seeing our Foxwell families at the event.

Best wishes

Roz Rowe

P&C President

pandc@foxwellssc.eq.edu.au

HAVE YOU SUBMITTED YOUR ENROLMENT APPLICATION FOR 2022?

Our 2022 Year 7 cohort is quickly filling up!

A reminder to our families with Year 6 children who wish to join their older siblings at Foxwell SSC in 2022, that enrolment applications need to be completed as soon as possible.  

If you, or anyone you know intends to enrol a Year 7 student for 2022, and has not yet submitted an enrolment application or attended an enrolment interview with the Principal, Mrs Kym Amor, we encourage you to contact us as soon as possible. Enrolment packages can be found here.

We don't want you to miss out on attending important transition events!  

Information and permission slips for Transition Day have been emailed to all enrolled families of 2022 Year 7 students.  Please check your junk mail folders, particularly if you have a Gmail or Hotmail email account.

In order to participate in this very important event, families must return a completed permission slip to admin@foxwellssc.eq.edu.au by Wednesday 1 December.

Do not send permission slips to primary schools.

Students that have not completed an enrolment package, booked an enrolment interview and returned their permission slips by Wednesday 1 December, will not be able to attend this very imporant event that will prepare your students for their first year at high school.  

If you have not received this important information and permission slip, please contact the Administration Office to have it resent.