Mareeba SHS Newsletter - Term 3, Week 5

Principal's Update

Welcome back to term 3. We would like to welcome all of our returning families and students and extend a warm welcome to all of our new families and students across the school. We are excited for term 3 and look forward to continuing our work together.

Last week it was great for our staff to be able to meet with families at our parent teacher interview sessions to share student progress, celebrate achievements and set goals for the remainder of the year. Research has identified clear, measurable benefits for children when their parents are actively engaged in their learning.

These studies demonstrate that the children are more likely to develop positive self-esteem, be motivated to learn, be positive about school and achieve good grades. Adolescents are less likely to have discipline issues, get involved in substance abuse or drop out of school. Young people are more likely to maintain high aspirations and plan to go on to further education and build a career. (Australian Council for Educational Research, 2015)

Parental involvement and interest in the parent teacher interview process sends a very clear and positive message to your child. Our intent is always that our students have every opportunity to do their best learning and our teachers their best teaching. We have all heard the African proverb that it takes a village to raise a child, this means that an entire community of people must interact with children for those children to experience and grow in a safe and healthy environment. We would like to extend a thank you to everyone involved in the lives of our students for working to ensure our students have the support they need to ensure they have a life of choice and not a life of chance.

School Entry and Exits

You may have noticed some small adjustments to the entry and exit procedures at Mareeba State High. Whilst all our gates remain open before and after school during the arrival and departure periods, we have made some minor changes during the school day. 

For safety reasons and to ensure all students are accounted for during the day, we ask that students who arrive late or need to depart early from school should do so via the gate at the Student Services Building - A Block. We ask that all parents and carers who are coming in to the school also do so via this entry.

Our friendly A Block admin staff can assist all with signing in and out as well as with any payment matters.

New signage has been installed to alert people to the changes and direct visitors to this entrance. We thank you for your ongoing support.

Semester One Results

Across the school, we have been doing a dive into our semester one academic results. It has been very pleasing to see that as a school we are moving towards our targets set in our Mareeba State High School 2025 Annual Implementation Plan.

During the first week of term, our staff celebrated their efforts towards reaching several targets. In some of our subject areas and in some year levels we were able to reach our target of 80% of students achieving an A-C level of achievement and 40% of students achieving an A or B.

As a staff our plan is to further interrogate the data to understand what has been working well and the evidence we have to prove it. With this information we set ourselves a few smaller targets to move additional groups of students to help us reach our goal. We wish to acknowledge the work of our staff, students and families who continually give effort towards these targets.

Tuckshop

In exciting news, our tuckshop has returned to full time operation. We wish to thank the P&C for the efforts throughout the year in ensuring our students have access to the tuckshop and welcome our new tuckshop convenor.

The tuckshop is looking to grow its menu and staff and students have been excited by what is on offer.

School Opinion Survey

The School Opinion Survey (SOS) for 2025 will be conducted again in term 3 this year.  Invitations will be sent over a number of days in the week beginning Monday 21 July. The survey will close on 22 August.

School Opinion Surveys canvass the views of parents/caregivers, students and school staff from every state school on what our schools do well and how they can improve.

There are different confidential surveys:

• Parents/caregivers - every family in the school with a child enrolled in Year 7 to Year 12.
• Students - all students from Years 8 and 11 will be invited to participate in survey.
• School staff - all principals, teaching and non-teaching school staff employed during the survey period.

Opinions on the school, student learning and student wellbeing are sought from a parent/caregiver in all families and students in selected year levels from each state school.

Opinions on the school as a workplace are sought from all state school staff and principals with additional questions for teaching staff on their confidence to teach and improve student outcomes. Principals are also asked for their perceptions about how well the department supports them to lead their school and manage their health and wellbeing.

Parents/caregivers will receive an invitation to complete the parent/caregiver survey via email in the week before the survey opens. The invitation is sent from the department, not the school.

If you require any assistance or further information, we encourage you to contact the school.

Winter Uniform

At the start of the term, it is timely for a reminder of the expectations for our students to continue to be in school uniform even during the cooler months. Our School Dress Code identifies our winter uniform to include our Mareeba SHS Blue Jacket and Mareeba SHS Maroon Pants We appreciate that families are making every effort to ensure their students are dressed in the appropriate uniform and we are sincerely thankful for your support.

2025-2028 Strategic Plan

As we commence our work together to develop our new strategic plan 2025-2028 for Mareeba State High School, as a staff we have commenced to discuss our schools why. What are our school’s aspirations for our graduates? What are the graduate attributes our school seeks to define and impact? (Our collective legacy.)

The School Strategic Plan includes descriptions of:

• the vision and purpose of education in the local context;
• the values that students, staff and community are expected to demonstrate;
• what the school is going to focus on over the next four years, with associated targets/success criteria; and
• how the school is going to do this (strategies and resourcing).

School vision – A collaboratively created precise description of the desired outcome that inspires and energises the school and helps create a compelling picture of the school and community in the future.

School values – A school’s collective beliefs that motivate people to act one way or another. State or visually represent the school’s vision and values that was created in collaboration with students, families, communities and school staff.

Our current MSHS vision and values statements are below:

"Building a better future together"

Vision:

Our purpose is to develop quality education through a partnership of staff, students, family and the community. We aim to help students develop as independent life-long learners, who are morally and socially responsible, employable, and capable of making a positive contribution to our changing society. 

Values:

• Learning: We are committed to a supportive school environment that provides opportunities for all students to work towards their full potential. We promote and encourage excellence in teaching and learning by recognising and sharing successful practices.
• Safety: We are committed to behaviour management practice that develop a safe, responsible community.
• Organisation: We value an environment which fosters the skills that enhance life long learning for active community participation.
• Respect: We believe in the development of community values through academic, social, cultural and sporting activities.

Do these statements continue to reflect our why? Our vision and values statements highlight our school’s core principles and philosophical ideals. It is used to both inform and guide the decisions and behaviours of the people inside the school and signal to external stakeholders what’s important to our school. Our core values shape daily culture and establish standards of conduct against which actions and decisions can be assessed.

I encourage you to reach out via email pricipal@mareebashs.eq.edu.au if you would like to share your thoughts or be part of a further conversation.

Yours in Education.

Regan Gant 

Principal

Deputy Principal - Junior Secondary

Hello Mareeba SHS community!

It’s been a great first 6 weeks settling into Mareeba State High School, and I’m thrilled to be part of such a welcoming community. From day one, I’ve been impressed by the dedication of our staff, the enthusiasm of our students, and the strong sense of community that defines our school.

Our recent Parent-Teacher Interview afternoon was an example of the strong community that exists at Mareeba SHS, with meaningful conversations that reinforced the importance of the home-school partnerships. It was encouraging to see families engaging with teachers to support their child’s learning journey.

As we begin a new semester, our focus remains on supporting students in their learning. Whether it is engaging in a new specialist subject or continuing with familiar ones, we’re committed to helping every student thrive. Our teachers are working hard to continue to provide engaging lessons, and we encourage families to stay connected and involved in their child’s progress.

One of the highlights of this term already has been beginning the Year 6 into Year 7 enrolment interviews. It’s been a pleasure meeting both new and returning families, hearing their stories, and learning about the hopes they have for their children’s high school journey. These conversations are invaluable as we work together to ensure a smooth and supportive transition into secondary school.

We’re also excited to be developing an improved transition program that strengthens the bridge between Mareeba SHS and our feeder primary schools. Our goal is to create a seamless experience for students moving into Year 7—one that supports their academic, social, and emotional growth.

Thank you to everyone who has made my first 6 weeks so enjoyable. I look forward to the months ahead and to continuing to build strong relationships across our school community.

Peter Thompson

Deputy Principal - Junior Secondary

Deputy Principal - Student Services

Hi everyone,

Meet Our Student Services Team

As Deputy of Student Services, I’m proud to work alongside a dedicated group of professionals who are here to ensure every student feels safe, supported, and set up for success.

Our Student Services Team works across wellbeing, learning, and engagement. Each member brings unique expertise, but we all share the same goal — to help students thrive both in and out of the classroom.

Should your student or family require support, we encourage you to contact the Student Services Team. We are committed to listening, providing assistance, and connecting you with appropriate services.

Krista Inglis

Deputy Principal - Student Services 

Deputy Principal - Inclusion

Dear Mareeba SHS Community,

I’m delighted to introduce myself as the new Deputy Principal – Inclusion at Mareeba State High School. It’s an honour to join a school with such a strong reputation for supporting student diversity and belonging. I look forward to working alongside our wonderful students, staff, and community to ensure every learner feels seen, supported, and celebrated.

At Mareeba SHS, we believe that inclusion is more than just access—it's about creating a culture where all students are genuinely valued. As George Dei once said, “Inclusion is not bringing people into what already exists; it is making a new space, a better space for everyone.” That’s the vision we’re working toward together.

This term, we’ve submitted our data for the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). This important process helps ensure that students who require adjustments to their learning are recognised and supported appropriately across our school.

We’re also excited to continue offering opportunities for connection and shared experiences. In Week 3, some of our Deaf and Hard of Hearing students attended the "Keep in Touch" (KIT) day excursion — a fantastic chance to build friendships and strengthen peer networks.  They visited Kuranda Bird World, Koala Gardens, and the Butterfly Sanctuary – including bird feeding, wildlife interactions, and a shared lunch at Centenary Park.

We’re proud to offer experiences like this that help students build social confidence, connect with others who share similar experiences, and have fun in the process.

I look forward to getting to know more of our school community over the coming weeks. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if I can support you or your child in any way.

Warm regards,

Linda Knottenbelt 

Deputy Principal - Inclusion

Lhkno0@eq.edu.au

Head of Department - Junior Secondary

Hi everyone,

Term 3 has been a productive and engaging time across the Junior Secondary space.

Mareeba State High School is pleased to offer selected students in Years 7–9 the opportunity to participate in the QVA STEM Program this term. The program connects students with real-world challenges in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics through weekly sessions held in the library. Students will explore topics such as robotics, reef health, coding, and more while working alongside researchers and industry professionals.

If your child is interested in STEM and is in Years 7–9, please encourage them to come and see me at Student Services for more information.

We’re also looking forward to hosting the Year 9 Clontarf cohort from Woree State High School on Tuesday, 27th August. They’ll be visiting Mareeba to participate in a series of friendly touch football games against our Year 9 students—a great chance for positive peer connections and teamwork.

A reminder to all students and families that mobile phones must be away for the school day, and students are expected to remain on school grounds at all times, unless signed out via Student Services with parent/carer permission. We value the safety and wellbeing of all students, and these expectations help us maintain a secure and supportive school environment.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding Junior Secondary, please don’t hesitate to contact me at dlesc0@eq.edu.au.

Daniel Leschke 

Head of Department - Junior Secondary

Head of Department - Senior Secondary

Dear School Community, 

As we approach the end of term, I want to take a moment to share a few important reminders with you.

Every Day Counts

I can’t emphasise enough how important regular attendance is. Every day at school is a valuable opportunity to learn, develop skills, and stay connected with friends and teachers. I encourage all students to be here, right up until the last day of term.

Assessment Period Approaching

With assessment just around the corner, I know this is a busy and sometimes stressful time. I encourage students to plan their study carefully, make use of their time wisely, and ensure they’re balancing their revision with rest and healthy routines. Remember, your teachers and I are here to support you.

Mobile Phones – Off and Away

In line with the Department of Education Queensland policy, mobile phones must be switched off and kept away for the whole school day. This helps us maintain a focused and respectful learning environment for everyone.

Signing Out During the Day

If you need to leave the school grounds during the day, you must sign out through Student Services in A Block. This is an important safety measure so we always know where our students are.

Thank you for working with me to make every day count and to finish the term on a strong and positive note.

Jacob Pyper

Head of Department - Senior Secondary

Upcoming Events

Photos! Good News and Our Achievements

District Track & Field – Event Report and Congratulations

Well done to all our competitors for representing Mareeba State High School with skill, determination, and pride.

Special Congratulations:

• Claire Whitehall – Age Champion, U12 Girls
• Dilshaan Dhillon – 3rd place, U15 Boys
• Jerry Pausa – 2nd place, U16 Boys
• Harry Sullivan – 2nd place, Open Boys

Ribbon Achievements (preliminary – official results still to come):

• John Tafu – 1st Discus, 1st Shot Put, 1st Javelin
• Liam Gear – 2nd 1500m
• Keyson Mudd – 3rd 1500m
• Braith De Favri – 2nd High Jump
• Jerry Pausa – 1st 100m (record), 1st 200m, 2nd 800m, 2nd Long Jump, 3rd High Jump, 3rd Triple Jump
• Harry Sullivan – 1st 100m, 1st Long Jump, 2nd 200m, 2nd Shot Put
• Claire Whitehall – 1st 100m, 1st 200m, 3rd Shot Put, 3rd Long Jump
• Keysha Cole Salcedo – 2nd 1500m, 3rd 800m
• Braxon Wenborn – 2nd High Jump, 3rd 100m
• Marquisha Haggarty – 3rd 400m
• Zander Moss – 3rd 100m
• Hamish Buckle – 2nd Javelin, 3rd 800m
• Dilshaan Dhillon – 1st Long Jump, 3rd 200m, 3rd High Jump, 3rd Triple Jump
• Moharnie Macumboy – 2nd Javelin, 2nd 200m, 2nd Long Jump, 3rd 100m
• Leksi Mukadi – 1st High Jump, 3rd Triple Jump, 3rd Shot Put
• Darianna McPherson – 2nd Javelin, 3rd Shot Put
• Jasper Welham – 1st 100m, 3rd 200m
• Ryker Rowe – 3rd 1500m
• Lynx Inglis – 3rd Shot Put
• Vincent Mathieson – 1st in 100m Heat
• Zander Moss – 3rd 100m

By Sports Coordinator, Kathleen Savage 

Parentline: Support and advice for all Queensland parents and carers

Being a parent can be rewarding—but it can also be challenging. Whether you’re trying to support your child with school issues, friendship challenges, behaviour, or tough moments at home, it’s completely normal to feel unsure about what to do next.

Parentline is a free and confidential service available to all Queensland parents and carers. No problem is too big or too small—and reaching out early can make a real difference.

Parentline offers advice and support on a wide range of parenting topics, including:

• bullying and friendship issues

• parent–child relationships

• parenting strategies and behaviour management

• mental and emotional wellbeing—for both children and parents

You can speak with a trained professional by phone or webchat (6am-midnight), seven days a week.

An online bullying support forum is also available. This is a safe, moderated space to connect with others, ask questions, and share experiences.

📞 Call 1300 30 1300

💬 Visit parentline.com.au

Because parenting doesn’t come with a manual—but help is here when you need it.

News from the P&C Association

School Information

Year 7 and 10 Tablelands Immunisation Program

Please return completed forms to Q Block by Tuesday, 22 April 2025. The program will visit the school on the below dates: 

Visit 1:    Monday 12/05/2025 vaccinating: Year 10 Female and Male students - Meningococcal ACWY & Meningococcal B dose 1

Visit 2:    Monday 28/07/2025 vaccinating: Year 7 Female and Male students – HPV (9v) dose 1 & dTpa dose 5. Catch –up for students new to the school or who missed the first-round vaccinations.

Visit 3:    Monday 20/10/2025 vaccinating: Year 10 Female and Male students- Meningococcal B dose 2. Catch –up for students new to the school or who missed previous vaccinations.

Community News

Play On! Queensland

The Queensland Government is delivering cost of living relief for Queensland families and helping keep kids active, with $200 Play On! sport vouchers.

From Monday 4 August, Queensland families can claim a $200 Play On! voucher per child aged between five and 17.

Here’s what you need to know:

• each voucher is worth $200
• the vouchers will be provided over two rounds, for summer or winter sports
• there is a dedicated allocation for kids in regional and country Queensland
• there will be more accessible sports to give children of all abilities the chance play sport.

Play On! is here to stay with $62.5 million set aside each year for Queensland families.

Sign up for Play On! updates so you don’t miss out.

| Click here to register for updates as an activity provider |

| Click here to register for updates as a family |