Issue No : 19 Date : 17th November 2017

we strive for the best

North High Seniors of

2018

Good bye and best wishes to the graduating senior class of 2017!

The Year 12s were farewelled last Thursday afternoon by the whole school community as one, firstly by the

graduating class walking through the senior cohorts in the hall, and then out to the terraces where they

received their final send off with the junior secondary signature move – the ‘North High Clap’. Make sure you

view the video on the Mackay North SHS Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Mackay.North.SHS/

This coordinated event required the collaboration of an entire school community – amazing effort Team

North!

The culmination of the North High Spirit or ‘soul’ is best described through the words of Janelle Whittaker,

Year 12 parent and mother of school captain Eden Whittaker. Janelle’s letter really captures what it means to

be part of this community. Thank you Janelle and thank you to all parents for your continued support of North

High.

To the class of 2017:

As you embrace the next chapter of your lives, seize every opportunity and have no regrets. All of you been

given the opportunity to achieve success at Mackay North. These opportunities have looked different for each

of you and some of you may not even realise what these opportunities were until much later in your lives.

When you do reflect back on your time at school, consider your achievements that were not visible – how

were you challenged, how did you grow as person and how did you overcome adversity in the face of so

many obstacles? Whatever your achievements are, know that as a school community, we are proud of you.

For some of you, this week will be the end of formal education, while many of you will go on to other forms of

further education and training. Regardless of which of these applies to you, learning is something that should

continue for the rest of your life. Your education is something that you can take with you whenever you go,

but it is how you have used what you have learnt that is most important. Never stop learning, because life

never stops teaching. Graduating from Year 12 is only just the beginning.

And finally, when you leave the safety of the North High

Senior Centre nest and all its comforts, when you hit an

obstacle and you find life particularly challenging,

consider these five life lessons from Dr Seuss:

Lesson number one: Today you are You, that is truer

than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.

Lesson number two: Why fit in when you were born to

stand out?

Lesson number three: You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any

direction you choose.

Lesson number four: Be what you are and say what you

feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those matter don’t mind.

And lastly, lesson number five, which is possibly the most important of all: Today I shall behave, as if this is

the day I will be remembered.

Jane Grieger

Principal

FFFROMROMROM TTTHEHEHE PPPRINCIPALRINCIPALRINCIPAL

RespectRespectRespect ResilienceResilienceResilience ConfidenceConfidenceConfidence

Dear Mrs Grieger and the entire staff of Mackay North State High School,

This is a ‘thank you’ letter. As the sentiments can only be placed here in mere words and you cannot

hear the timbre of my voice, you may initially think this is just a casual – even flippant – ‘thank you’. It

is not. I know I will struggle to even find the words that can say or even describe the length, depth

and breadth of the ‘thank you’ I wish to express. I will attempt to reveal even a glimpse of the type of

‘thank you’ I truly wish you to receive.

North High has been part of my daily routine since 2007 when my elder daughter, Elly, began year 8.

In the weeks before the school year began, a staff member offered to take her for a walk around the

school, just with her before, all of the other students arrived to see if we could settle some of her

nerves. And that was my positive beginning. This Friday evening Eden will attend her year 12 Formal

and my official association with North High will end. What I have received between these two events,

as a parent of North, has been so positive that the tears I will shed will not just be because this part

of my parenting role is ending. It will not just be because my daughters have grown, matured and are

establishing their own lives independent of me, but will be because this valued kinship that I have

experience at North will also be over.

Is Mackay North State High School perfect? I am grateful that it is not. If all pedagogy is perfect then

no teacher will have the motivation and inspiration to do better. If behaviour is perfect then no student

will ever see something in his or her peers to strive to attain. If the academics are only excellent, then

the mind of each young adult will only repeat what they hear instead of developing a mind to think,

process and choose. If the facilities are perfect and require no improvement then the fair, colour runs

and delicious donuts cease to be a part of North culture. It is of value to note that greatness lies in

the endeavour more than in the attainment.

All schools want it and endless staff meetings that develop curriculum and organise programs aim for

it, but not all schools have ‘soul’. It is not measurable or quantifiable in any tangible way. Many have

an opinion about how ‘soul’ is achieved at a school. This is my opinion – many schools have ‘parts’ –

marching bands, academic excellence paths, annual implementation plans, pedagogical focuses,

reviews, trips, P and C committees, administration staff, sport carnivals and the list continues. When

combined, these parts create school ‘spirit’. But when the parts are exactly the right ones, put

together by just the right people and implemented in just the right way, an extra bit of something

happens – and that is ‘soul’. The mathematically impossible has been achieved - the sum of the

individual parts has resulted in a total that is actually greater than the tallied value of the parts. ‘Soul’

encourages parents to share their positive experiences in the community, uphold both teaching and

support staff as valued educators, and celebrate the culture, character and confidence that has been

afforded our children. Mackay North State High School has ‘soul’ in abundance!

If only ‘soul’ was measurable, could be collected, added to an Excel spreadsheet and sent off to the

right person in an office to judge the worth of a school, then the category of ‘achieved’ would be

awarded to North. But until then, please know that those of us who truly know – the parents – the

ones who are on the receiving end of the respect, resilience and confidence that is instilled in our

children in their position as students of North, are very aware of the ‘soul’. We celebrate it, and are

deeply grateful for the opportunities that have been afforded to our children.

Thanking you

Jenelle Whittaker

Parent, 2007-2017.

Year 12 Graduation 2017

YEAR 7 in 2018 ORIENTATION DAY YEAR 7 in 2018 ORIENTATION DAY YEAR 7 in 2018 ORIENTATION DAY

Tuesday 28th

November 2017

Meet at the School Hall and find student names on

the posted sheets. (Students & Parents to find own transport to and from Mackay North SHS)

Assembly will start at approximately 8:40am

You are quite welcome to be here earlier.

Parents are welcome to stay for an information session, following the assembly

Students are asked to wear their school uniform

Students are asked to bring a notebook, pencil case and lunch

There will be a sausage sizzle and tuckshop will be available

Uniform and newsagencies will be available to buy supplies for next year

Staff will be around to help students with buses in the afternoon and finish time will be 3pm

IF YOU HAVEN’T ENROLLED YET, PLEASE DO SO URGENTLY

Students Excel in National Competitions The following students have achieved outstanding results in a number of national competitions. These included

ICAS English, ICAS Mathematics, ICAS Science, Australian Mathematics Competition, Big Science Competition

and the Chemistry Quiz. We congratulate them on their accomplishments.

In particular, we would like to acknowledge the students who received a High Distinction in one or more of these

prestigious competitions – May-Lee Wilson (Australian Mathematics Competition); Aaron Gray (High Distinction

Australian Mathematics Competition, High Distinction Chemistry Quiz, High Distinction Big Science

Competition); Reilly Kurtz (High Distinction Big Science Competition); Tyler Forbes (High Distinction ICAS

English); Carlton Rees (High Distinction ICAS English); Finn Mohan (High Distinction Big Science Competition);

Jackson Cross (High Distinction Chemistry Quiz) and Gabriel Vance (High Distinction Big Science Competition).

Below are the results:

Year 12

Jeremy Rees – Distinction Chemistry Quiz, Credit Australian Mathematics Competition, Credit ICAS Science

Alexandra Westcott – Distinction Chemistry Quiz, Merit ICAS Science

Khang Trinh – Credit Australian Mathematics Competition, Credit ICAS Mathematics

Florence McCulloch – Credit Chemistry Quiz, Merit ICAS Science

Jayden Aay – Credit ICAS Science

Jamie-Lee Keogh – Participation ICAS Science, Participation Chemistry Quiz

Eden Whittaker – Participation ICAS Science, Participation Chemistry Quiz

Hayden Ede – Participation ICAS Science

Brittney Kock – Participation ICAS Science

Year 11

May-Lee Wilson – High Distinction Australian Mathematics Competition, Credit ICAS English, Credit ICAS

Maths, Credit ICAS Science

Jonah Boal – Distinction Australian Maths Competition, Credit ICAS Mathematics

Samantha Cavaliere – Distinction ICAS English

Kaylah Smith – Credit Australian Mathematics Competition, Participation ICAS Maths

Year 11 Year 12

Students Excel in National Competitions cont’d

Year 10

Aaron Gray – High Distinction Australian Mathematics Competition, High Distinction Chemistry Quiz, High

Distinction Big Science Competition, Distinction ICAS Mathematics, Distinction ICAS Science

Reilly Kurtz – High Distinction Big Science Competition, Distinction Australian Mathematics Competition,

Distinction ICAS Science, Credit ICAS English, Credit ICAS Mathematics

Tyler Forbes – High Distinction ICAS English, Distinction ICAS Science, Credit Australian Maths Comp, Credit

ICAS Mathematics, Credit Big Science Competition

Carlton Rees – Distinction ICAS English, Credit Australian Mathematics Competition, Credit ICAS Mathematics,

Credit ICAS Science, Credit Big Science Competition

Shakiera Williams – Distinction Big Science Comp, Credit Australian Mathematics Competition, Participation

ICAS English, Participation ICAS Mathematics, Participation ICAS Science, Participation Chemistry Quiz

Lachlan Benson – Credit Big Science Competition, Credit Australian Mathematics Competition, Credit ICAS

Maths, Merit ICAS English, Participation ICAS Science

Anisha Goonewardane – Credit ICAS English, Credit Australian Mathematics Competition, Participation ICAS

Mathematics

Zhexi Li – Participation ICAS Mathematics

Year 9

William Bradford – Distinction Australian Mathematics Competition, Credit ICAS Mathematics, Participation

ICAS English

Kayleigh Missin – Distinction Australian Mathematics Competition, Credit ICAS Mathematics, Credit Big Science

Competition, Merit ICAS Science, Participation ICAS English

Grace Alexander – Credit ICAS English, Credit Australian Mathematics Competition, Merit ICAS Mathematics

Nicole Mtali – Credit Big Science Competition, Participation ICAS Science

Jana Bassan – Credit ICAS English

Gemma Steenhauer – Credit ICAS English

Robert Young – Credit ICAS Science

Year 10 Year 9

Students Excel in National Competitions cont’d

Year 8

Finn Mohan – High Distinction Big Science Competition, Credit Chemistry Quiz, Merit ICAS Science

Charlotte Meads – Distinction ICAS English

Zane Cavaliere – Credit ICAS English, Credit ICAS Mathematics, Credit ICAS Science

Jack McCubben – Credit ICAS English, Credit ICAS Mathematics, Credit ICAS Science

Dylan Watt – Credit Australian Mathematics Competition

Thomas Batley – Credit ICAS Science

Anna-Maree Ewart – Participation ICAS Science, Participation Big Science Competition

Max Efstathis – Participation ICAS Science

Jack Watt – Participation ICAS Mathematics

Year 7

Jackson Cross – High Distinction Chemistry Quiz, Distinction Big Science Competition, Distinction ICAS

Science, Distinction Australian Mathematics Competition, Participation ICAS Mathematics

Gabriel Vance – High Distinction Big Science Competition, Credit ICAS Science

Hayden Benson – Distinction Australian Mathematics Competition, Distinction ICAS Science, Distinction Big

Science Competition, Credit ICAS English, Credit ICAS Mathematics

Bella Nolan – Credit ICAS English, Credit ICAS Mathematics, Credit ICAS Science, Credit Australian

Mathematics Competition, Participation Big Science Competition

Penny Zhang – Credit ICAS English, Credit ICAS Science, Credit Australian Mathematics Competition

Dylan Johnston – Credit ICAS English, Credit Australian Mathematics Competition, Participation ICAS

Mathematics

Mark Reedman – Credit ICAS Science, Credit Chemistry Quiz

William Hall – Credit Australian Mathematics Competition, Merit ICAS Mathematics

Nethara Amaa Muthuthantrige – Participation ICAS Science, Participation Big Science Competition

Emily Garner Bugeja – Participation Big Science Quiz

Year 8 Year 7

SHOWCASE CONCERT

Sincere thanks to everyone who came along and

supported our very talented performing arts students

at our annual Showcase Concert last week – it was

extremely pleasing to see so many in the audience.

The concert certainly lived up to its name and highlighted

the amazing achievements of our performing arts

students during 2017, featuring all of our very successful

instrumental and vocal ensembles along with our three

Rock Pop Mime presentations and our popular cheer

squad, The Firecrackers.

Congratulations to all students who performed in our

concert – not only on the excellence of your

performances, but also your professional presentation

and exemplary behaviour.

Onwards and upwards to 2018…….

MARCHING BAND TRIP TO THE STATE ANZAC

PARADE – 2018

We are delighted to have been invited to our 24th State

Anzac Parade in Brisbane and the details of the trip are

currently being finalised. We will leave Mackay on

Monday evening, April 23 and return early on Saturday

morning, April 27. This year we will be staying at the

Brisbane Holiday Village at Eight Mile Plains which has a

wonderful reputation. Letters about the trip will be

distributed soon after school starts next year.

INSTRUMENTAL/VOCAL ENSEMBLE REHEARSALS

As the school year draws to a close and final exams

loom, most of our instrumental and vocal performance

ensembles will now go into recess. Only the Junior

Secondary Concert Band will continue rehearsals until

later in November.

GOODBYE AND THANK YOU TO OUR YEAR 12

PERFORMING ARTS STUDENTS

We are so sad to be saying goodbye to our wonderful

Year 12 Performing Arts students who have been

outstanding role models in all of our performance

ensembles. A huge thank you for the invaluable

contribution you have made to the cultural life of our

school! We have loved working with you and you can feel

enormously proud of your accomplishments. Every good

wish for a very bright future!

Kathy GEORGE

HOD – Performing Arts

PERFORMING ARTS

NEWS CULTURAL CALENDAR

2018

Jan 30 Year 7/8 Instrumental Orientation

Feb 5 Instrumental Program Lessons begin (Brass/Woodwind/Percussion Years 7-12)

Feb 12 All Bands/Ensembles begin

Feb 14 Senior Leader Investiture (2017 Senior Band members)

Mar 18-19 KMEIA Choral Festival

Apr 23-28 Marching Band Trip – Brisbane (Trip leaves 8.00pm April 23/returns 7.00am April 28)

May 18(TBC) Fair (Junior Secondary Concert & Stage Band)

May 29 Fanfare Festival (MECC)

June 5 Twilight Concert

June 12 Fanfare Regional Final (here)

June 16-17 Aussie Gold Cheer Competition

July 21 Lions Sugartime Rock Pop Mime

Aug 14 Dance Showcase Night

Aug 21 Showcase Concert

Aug 24-26 State Honours Program

Aug 28 Senior Drama Production (Tech Run 27 August)

Oct 8-27 Eisteddfod

Nov 7 Awards Night

Nov 8 Year 6 String Orientation (Ice-cream Party)

Nov 13 Junior Production

If you have any unwanted

cultural uniform pieces at home

please bring them to the

school. The Performing Arts

Department can sell them to

students needing them. You

will be contacted to collect the

proceeds when they are sold.

A-TEAM CHESS

PLAYERS

The A team chess players with

their State Finals Certificates.

Mr Earl McCann (chess coach),

Jonah Boal, Khang Trinh,

Jayden Cali, Mrs Jane Grieger

( principal), Luke De Brincat,

Daniel Rowlands and Mike

Teylan.

2017 North High Colour Run

Annual Sports Awards

GENERAL SPORTS AUSTRALIAN RULES Encouragement Hayley Carnahan, Luke Fagan, Isaac Mehaffey, Ryan Ollington Bronze Jacob Anderson Silver Alana Gee, Rhianna Skinner Gold Lily Tarlinton BASKETBALL Encouragement Hayden Malone, Callum Rebetzke, Paige Steindl-Corrie Silver Jordan Peterson, Rory Tarlinton Gold Courtney Virgo Citizenship Isabel Mehaffey CHESS Encouragement Joseph Garcia, Callum Kelly, Nandus Swart Bronze Jayden Cali CRICKET Encouragement Harrison Holmes, Ethan Morris Silver Emily Savage GOLF Silver Jay Watling HOCKEY Encouragement Maddison Bullemor, Jacinta Harris, Hannah McWhinney, Callum Rebetzke, Emmerson Rebetzke Bronze India MacPhee, Libby Surha, Holly Taylor, Edward Westcott Silver Rachael Kavana, Tyla Wicks Gold Montanah Best, Jamie-Lee Surha Citizenship Caitlin Orth NETBALL Encouragement Samantha Banks, Caitlin Doherty, Bella Dunne, Leila Dunne, Caitlin Gibbs, Mynaiha Hunt, Claudia O’Neill Bronze Grace Alexander, Caitlin Yarrow Citizenship Caitlin Yarrow RUGBY LEAGUE Encouragement Rune Ackerman, Amber Ansell, Grace Borlase, Wolfe Geiger, Diamond Kris, Caitlin Lauga, Paige Steindl-Corrie, Jayden Tower Bronze Jhett Bates, Jaydin Bradshaw, Azmin Brice, Ebony Columb Silver India MacPhee, Jaylen Pauling, Jasmine Peters Citizenship Logan Purdy RUGBY UNION Encouragement Brady Austin Bronze Luke Webley SOCCER Encouragement Ben Davies, Haylee Russell, Courtney Sleeman Bronze Chayce Hunt Silver Liam Carey, Hayden Malone, Benjamin Mandall, Kenzie Nichols Citizenship Benjamin Mandall SOFTBALL Encoruagement Chelsea Veitch Silver Heinrich Ackerman, Kiera James, Riley James SQUASH Gold Wesley Dyer TOUCH FOOTBALL Encouragement Takiah Buchanan, Jessie Callaway, Chloe Miller, Zali Mooney, Ethan Morris, Jasmine Peters, Zak Starr, Shaylee Werder Bronze Stefan Mawer Silver Zoe Aitken TRIATHLON Silver Flynn Wilson VOLLEYBALL Encouragement Alexia Brownsey, Jarrod Jones, Benjamin Mandall, Tyla Wicks Bronze Jessica Hughes, Ethan Morris Silver Ethan Brownsey

Annual Sports Awards Cont’d

SPORTING CARNIVAL AWARDS

SWIMMING Bronze Heinrich Ackerman, Jasmine Banks, Samantha Banks, Shandyn Bentley, Keesha Close, Justine Johnstone,

Jarrod Jones, Hayden Malone, Cruiz Nebauer, Trista Nelson, Tate Obst, Joshua Wilson

CROSS COUNTRY

Encouragement Montanah Best, Annika Krueger

Bronze Christy Anderson, Jasmine Banks, Jhett Bates, Cameron Dhu, Troya Doyle, Alana Gee, Lily Kay, Jordan

Latcham, Connor Laycock, Benjamin Mandall, Stefan Mawer, Zac O’Shea, Paige Steindl-Corrie, Shaylee

Werder

TRACK AND FIELD

Encouragement Maddison Adams, Avril Bobin, Takiah Buchanan, Rachael Kavana, Nicholas Keiser Jaida Lee, Adele

Malayta, Reilly Manning, Emmerson Rebetzke, Jayden Salam, Nicolas Sellars, Zak Starr, Locke Stone,

Tameka Trenaman, Damien Van der Merwe, Emily Vella, Jay Watling, Brittney Wellby, Tanika Willcocks

Bronze Zoe Aitken, Alana Gee, Wolfe Geiger, Jarrod Jones, Lily Kay, Stefan Mawer, Tate Obst, Jaylen Pauling,

Jade Prior, Paige Steindl-Corrie, Shaylee Werder, Mitchell White, Allie Whitehead

Silver Jhett Bates, Melvin Leonard, Jasmine Peters, Hunter Stewart, Zoey Tonga

BLUE AWARDS

Zoe Aitken AFL (AFLQ Schools Cup), Athletics, Soccer, Touch Football, Volleyball

Benjamin Mandall AFL (AFLQ Schools Cup, AFL 9’s), Athletics, Cross Country, Soccer

Ethan Morris AFL (AFLQ Schools Cup, AFL 9’s), Soccer, Touch Football, Volleyball

HOUSE CAPTAINS – Certificates of appreciation

Bagley Isabella Saunders Jarrod Jones Zoe Aitken Thomas Henderson

Fitzgerald Tamara Dobbie Matthew Hargreaves Mackenzie Holden Thomas Batterham

Norris Kiera James Stefan Mawer Lillian Kajewski Ricky Francis

Spiller Shaylee Werder Ethan Morris Tyla Wicks Jason Oosthuizen

CHAMPION HOUSES - School Carnivals

Swimming Spiller

Cross Country Norris

Track And Field Spiller

Overall Champion House Spiller

CHAMPION TEAM OF THE YEAR Yr 9/10 Girls Rugby League (Karyn Murphy Cup)

PIERRE DE COUBERTIN AWARD Kiera James

SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR Jasmine Peters

SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR Benjamin Mandall