Welcome to Term Three!

Term Three has already begun with great energy and enthusiasm. We’ve had several significant events, including our Parent-Teacher Night and the Awards Ceremony for both Junior and Senior students. These ceremonies recognised not only academic achievement, but also positive behaviour, consistent effort, and attendance—key areas of student success.

We proudly celebrated NAIDOC Week with a respectful and engaging parade where students had the opportunity to watch and learn from First Nations dancers and musicians. It was a powerful reminder of the richness of Indigenous culture and the importance of ongoing learning and respect.

Looking ahead, we are excited for our Subject Selection Night next Tuesday. This evening will provide essential information to help students make informed decisions about their future study pathways. This will be followed by SET Plan interviews involving students, parents, and staff—an important step in planning for success in senior schooling.

At Wilsonton SHS, we are proud of our school community and its many successes. We encourage every student to get involved in the wide variety of opportunities offered by our dedicated and professional staff. These opportunities go beyond the classroom and are a key part of a rich school experience.

It’s important to remind everyone that staff come to school to support students and should not face disrespectful behaviour from either students or parents. Our shared goal is to provide the best possible education, and we celebrate success at every level while supporting students both academically and personally.

With the cold weather upon us, we’d like to remind families of two key things:

1. Every Day Counts – Regular attendance is vital for learning.
2. Uniform Matters – Wilsonton SHS is a uniform school, and wearing the correct uniform is part of our shared identity and commitment to safety.

Currently, our school-wide attendance rate is 82%, short of our goal of 92%. We understand illness and other factors play a role, but we urge families to notify the school when a student is absent. Additionally, we are seeing a significant number of students arriving late. We may be in contact with families if this continues, as punctuality is also key to student success.

Regarding uniform, letters and further information will soon be sent to all parents. Wearing the correct school uniform is essential for both safety and school pride. Please refer to the details included in this newsletter and in upcoming emails, as per our enrolment agreement.

Thank you for your ongoing support as we work together to make term three a successful one for all students.

Lou Oberholzer
Principal

Senior Pathways Information Evening

Our Pathways Information Evening will be held on Tuesday 5 August at 5.00pm in the Auditorium. This is an important evening for all current Year 8, Year 9 and 10 students where we will provide information to students and their parents about potential pathways in 2026. During the evening, students will access their Subject Pathways Handbook and Subject Selection Sheet and have the opportunity to visit Subject Booths. 

Following the Pathways Evening, compulsory subject selection interviews will be held with every current Year 9 and 10 student and their parents to finalise subject selections.  Interview bookings can be arranged on the night using the Compass Platform.  Due to class size limits in some subjects, students who do not attend a SETP interview during the window below may not be able to have their subject preferences accommodated.

Please see below important dates below in regards to the subject selection process for your student entering into their senior years at Wilsonton State High School.

External Exams

Senior External Exams will soon be upon us. The exam block is devised by the QCAA and schedules exams across a four-week period from October 27 to November 18.  Under this system, all students in Queensland studying a particular subject will sit the same assessment, at the same time, under the same conditions. 

To inform students the QCAA has published the External Exam timetable.

Senior Award Winners

On Thursday July 24^th, we celebrated our Senior Award Winners from Semester 1.  Awards were presented for academic achievement, behaviour and effort (Gold Level) and 100% attendance. Congratulations to all students in Years 10, 11 and 12 who received awards, with many students receiving multiple awards.

Year 12 students who have been recognised with Gold Level each semester during their time at Wilsonton SHS were presented with their Platinum Awards during the ceremony.  These students are to be congratulated for their high level of commitment, respect, responsibility and resilience over an extended period of time, in many cases five and a half year, well done to these students.

Jacinta Alexander
Deputy Principle - Years 10, 11 & 12

It has been a busy start to the term for year 10.

Careers Expo

The year 10 students attended the Toowoomba Careers Expo at the Toowoomba show grounds on Wednesday of week one. This was a great opportunity for the students to explore potential career options when they leave school. Information gained from the careers expo should now be used to inform senior subject selections for years 11 and 12 when the students have their set plan interviews later this term.

Awards Ceremony

The senior awards ceremony for semester one was held last Thursday. There was great representation from the year 10 cohort and it was great to see them walking across the stage in their formal uniform. Hopefully parents of award recipients were able to see their student receive their awards on parade. Fifty-eight of our students received a gold level award, eleven students received a silver level award, eighteen students received an academic merit award, three students received an academic excellence award, one student received an academic outstanding award and two students received cultural awards. Congratulations to all of these student.

Uniform

While the weather is still cold, can I please remind parents that hoodies are not a part of the school uniform. Students are able to wear school jumpers and jackets as well as plain black jumpers. If students are wearing hoodies at school, the procedure for dealing with these has changed. Students are now able to exchange their hoodie for a plain black jumper in the library at the start of the day. I would also like to clear up some confusion around track suit pants. Students are allowed to wear these with their formal uniform on Tuesdays and Thursday.

Leighton Webb
Year 10 Coordinator

2026 YEAR 9 into 10 Pathways Information Evening

The 2026 Pathways (subject selection) Evening for year 9 into 10 will be held on Tuesday 5^th August at 6:00pm. This is an important evening for all Year 9 students where we will provide information to students, parents, and carers about potential pathways in 2026.

During the evening students will have an opportunity to speak with industry and tertiary leaders and Heads of Department (HoDs) who will be able to answer questions and provide insights into pathway offerings.

Parents and carers will also have an opportunity to schedule meetings for their child’s upcoming Student Education and training (SET) plans, which will occur across week 6 for year 9 students.

The evening will begin at 5:30pm where year 9 students will have an opportunity to visit various stalls and speaks with HoDs.

At 6:00pm, Pathway and Subject Selection opportunities and processes will be explained.

At 6:30pm, families can collect subject selection forms and make SET plan appointments.

This is an important and exciting time for year 9s as they progress towards becoming part of the Senior School.

Gold, Silver Awards

On Thursday 24^th  July, we celebrated our Gold, Silver and Attendance Award Winners from Semester 1 2025. It was fantastic to see so many Year 9 students celebrated for their commitment to our school values and academic pursuits.

54 of our Year 9 cohort were recognised on our semester 1 awards ceremony on Tuesday for their efforts. Additionally, twenty-two of our students were awarded an academic merit for having a grade point average of over 4.0, one of our students was awarded academic excellence for having a grade point average of over 4.6 and one of our students was awarded academic outstanding for having a grade point average of over 4.8.

Congratulations to all Award Winners on your fantastic commitment to both yourself and our school community.

Matt Buchanan
Deputy Principal - Year 9

It has been fantastic to see so many of our Year 8 students recognised at the recent awards ceremony for their effort, behaviour, achievement, and attendance. These awards are a reflection of the dedication and positive attitude many students are bringing to school each day – congratulations to all recipients!

As we move through the term, it’s great to see Year 8s maintaining their strong start and continuing to engage positively in class. Many are showing curiosity and enthusiasm as they dive into their new experience subjects and Geography, which offer fresh learning opportunities and challenges.

A key focus for our cohort continues to be attendance. Every day at school counts, and we want to see every student giving themselves the best chance to succeed by being present, engaged, and ready to learn. Regular attendance is vital not only for academic success but also for developing routines, relationships, and confidence.

We’re proud of the progress being made and look forward to seeing Year 8s flourish throughout the term and finish the term strong.

Brayden Insley
Deputy Principal - Year 8

Welcome to Term 3. At the end of last term, you should all have received via email and on QParents, your child’s report card. All students have had an opportunity to analyse and create some goals to improve their results in English this term already. Please find time at home if they are still unclear about how to improve, they should organise time to meet with their teacher to expand the discussion. All Wilsonton teachers understand the importance of feedback and crave the opportunity to spend time with their students having improvement conversations. If you were unable to be present for parent/teacher interviews, please make time to contact your student’s teacher to discuss results and improvements moving forward.  

Uniform

It is very important that parents and carers support their students to be in the correct uniform for winter. Uniform expectations are clearly outlined in student diaries and explained to student on school parade and in form classes. Full and correct uniforms, including jumpers and track pants promote a sense of belonging to your school, build school pride and set a clear standard on what students should wear to be part of the school. These behaviours are replicated in the vast majority of schools as well as in many workplaces. Attitudes towards belonging, pride and achieving at least a minimum standard, are attitudes that lead to success. If parents/carers are struggling to provide their student with a winter uniform, please ask them to see Mr Johansen, Mrs Nelmes or Mr Jarroush.     

Attendance

Attendance is key to success at school. Semester 1 attendance percentage for Year 7 was 86.7%. At Wilsonton SHS we are aiming to achieve a percentage of 92%.  All parents/carers have a legal obligation to send their students to school every day unless there is a legitimate absence such as illness. All parents/carers have a legal obligation to explain any student absence from school. This can happen by return text message to the school’s absence line or by contacting the school via telephone or the schools email address. When schools and parent/carers work together to minimise student absences, student performance improves, along with enjoyment at school and a sense of belonging.

Social Media Issues

Some concerns are consistently popping up with our Year 7 cohort. We all know it happens so frequently during teenage years, that some people have come to accept it as a normal part of teenage life. Yet, when that drama involves spreading rumours, toxic relationships and making another student’s schooling experience a negative one, that is anything but normal. In fact, it causes pain within the victim. It is almost impossible to ignore, especially when social media is used. We have been told how harmful social media can be, and each week we continue to face the same drama occurring with our students. I would like remind all our students and families that this type of “drama” has no place in our school and we should remember to respect each and every one at our school. Everyone in our great school has the right to feel safe and respected whilst they receive a great education. We show respect by speaking and acting with courtesy. We treat others with dignity and value the expectations of our family, school and community. Everyone deserves respect, which in turn earns respect back to you. I would really appreciate all parents/carers to have a discussion with their children regarding appropriate social media usage. Please utilise the wonderful website designed to educate families on all issues in cyber world. eSafety Commissioner https://www.esafety.gov.au/ is Australia's independent regulator for online safety. We educate Australians about online safety risks and help to remove harmful content such as cyberbullying of children, adult cyber abuse and intimate images or videos shared without consent.

Thanks
Mick Jarroush
Deputy Principal – Year 7

Arts Week!

Arts Week is in full swing this week! We have had awesome performances in our PAC Choir, our ‘Wilsonton’s Got Talent’ competition and our ‘Battle of the Bands’ competition – our teacher band was particularly a treat! Our community has also enjoyed a selection of our talented visual arts students’ work in our foyer gallery. Our week will be rounded out with some performances from our instrumental music students. Such a great way to celebrate all that is the Arts!

2026 Musical  

Last week we held the first of our audition workshops for our 2026 musical. Our students took part in a singing workshop and sounded spectacular! Keep an eye out for our musical announcement!

Instrumental Music Band  

A huge congratulations to our wonderful instrumental music band for their performance in the Toowoomba Eisteddfod on Monday 28^th July. It is the first time in many years that we have competed and our students did themselves proud! A very big thank-you to Mr Jensen!

Celebrating Culture, Leadership & Commitment

As Term 3 kicks off, the Beyond the Broncos program at Wilsonton SHS has already had a busy and inspiring start! We’ve celebrated incredible milestones, cultural events, and student achievements over the past two weeks – and we’re excited to share the highlights with our school community.

1-Year Anniversary at WSHS

This term marks one year since Jordie and Amanda joined the Wilsonton SHS community as Student Support Officers. Over the past 12 months, they’ve built strong connections with staff, students, and families while supporting our BTB girls with leadership, cultural pride, and personal growth.

In-Class Support for Years 7–10

After reviewing Semester 1 results, we identified a need for extra support in Maths and English across Years 7–10. Jordie and Amanda are now providing in-class assistance to boost engagement and learning outcomes for our girls.

• Amanda supports Years 7 & 9
• Jordie supports Years 8 & 10

If you have concerns or feedback about a BTB student’s engagement, we’d love to hear from you!

Celebrating Our Students

Kalinda Stewart – Health Traineeship
We are proud to share that Kalinda Stewart has become the first WSHS student to complete a Cert II in General Health Services through the Deadly Start Program (UniSQ). Kalinda is now on a school-based traineeship at Toowoomba Base Hospital every Wednesday, taking her first steps toward a career in health.

100% Attendance – Meleah Hansell
Last term, Meleah Hansell was our only BTB student to achieve 100% attendance. To celebrate her commitment, she was awarded a Brisbane Broncos jersey – a well-deserved reward for her dedication to her education.

NAIDOC Week 2025 – “Next Generation: Strength, Vision, and Legacy”

Week 2 was all about celebrating NAIDOC Week – honouring one of the world’s oldest living cultures and empowering the next generation to carry its strength and legacy forward.

Monday:
We kicked off with jewellery-making and arts & crafts, where students created earrings, necklaces, and ornaments featuring their totems. It was fantastic to see both senior and junior girls collaborating and sharing ideas.

Tuesday:
Our whole-school assembly opened with a smoking ceremony and captivating performance by Mura Biri Gururu dance group. Meanwhile, a group of BTB girls proudly represented Wilsonton SHS at Centenary Heights SHS, performing and speaking about the meaning behind their cultural dances.

Wednesday:
We were joined by Aunty Cheryl, who taught weaving techniques and symbolic storytelling through chalk and canvas.
Later, Uncle Dook volunteered his time to prepare a bush tucker feast with Kangaroo Stew, Emu Curry, Chicken Curry, Damper, and Scones – a delicious highlight shared with staff and students.

Thursday:
Uncle Dook returned for a Ngarrumban Arts & Cultural Workshop, guiding students through storytelling and art. The BTB room is now filled with vibrant artwork – it’s practically an art gallery!

Friday:
We wrapped up NAIDOC Week with a fun game of touch football on the oval, celebrating teamwork and connection.

A special mention and heartfelt thank you to Kooliha, our incredible CEC, whose leadership, organisation, and unwavering dedication helped bring NAIDOC Week together so seamlessly. Her ability to unite the Indigenous Unit and foster a strong sense of community, collaboration, and cultural pride was felt by everyone involved. From behind-the-scenes planning to hands-on support, Kooliha ensured that each day flowed with purpose and meaning. We’re so grateful for her contribution in making NAIDOC Week a powerful and unforgettable celebration.

Students of the Week

• Week 1 – Isabella Hintz
  Bella came into Term 3 with determination, attending all classes and receiving praise from Mrs Winter for her excellent engagement in Design Tech. Her resilience and commitment perfectly reflect what it means to be a Bronco.
• Week 2 – Mia Bland (Year 7)
  Mia participated in every NAIDOC activity, creating beautiful art and encouraging others to join in. She displayed Respect, Commitment, and Sportsmanship all week.
• Week 2 – Bella Duncan (Year 11)
  Bella continues to shine as a leader, helping where needed, engaging in all activities, and being a role model for younger students.

Looking Ahead – Term 3

Term 3 is shaping up to be full of opportunities, including:

• ADF (Australian Defence Force) engagement session for First Nations students, with a potential visit to the Oakey Army Aviation Base
• More cultural workshops and student-led volunteering projects
• Career and university pathway sessions
• Continued focus on improving classroom engagement and attendance

We’d like to thank all families, staff, and students for supporting our Beyond the Broncos girls as they continue to grow as leaders, learners, and proud young people.

Jordie McLellan (Proud Bundjalung woman)
Amanda Brady (Proud Mardigan woman)
Beyond the Broncos – Wilsonton SHS

Last Tuesday saw Wilsonton SHS staff and students celebrate NAIDOC at our whole school assembly. NAIDOC Week this year marked a powerful milestone: 50 years of honouring and elevating Indigenous voices, culture, and resilience.

The 2025 theme, "The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy," celebrates not only the achievements of the past, but the bright future ahead, empowered by the strength of our young leaders, the vision of our communities, and the legacy of our ancestors.

Special thanks to Aaron, Tasha and Jayden for this year’s NAIDOC staff shirt design.

As the School Based Youth Health Nurse, I work with the school community to promote health and wellbeing, create a supportive, healthy school environment and connect people with other support services.  Most students by the age of 12 have all their adult teeth except their wisdom teeth (third molars). So looking after our teeth with good dental hygiene prevents oral health diseases.

QLD Health recommends:

• Drink well, preferably water. Avoid drinks with added sugars like soft drinks, cordials, juices, sports drinks, energy drinks and flavoured milk helps against tooth decay.
• Eat well, by eating a variety of healthy foods. Avoid foods high in sugar and regular snacking on sweet or processed foods as this can increase the risk of tooth decay. Snacks that are dairy-based can help protect against tooth decay.
• Clean well, you should brush your teeth twice a day with a small, soft toothbrush, and floss daily. Avoid medium or hard toothbrushes as they may damage teeth and gums.

Use a fluoride toothpaste, gently clean all surfaces of the teeth and along the gumline.

• Stay well, don’t wait until there is a problem. Regular dental check-ups (usually every 6 to 12 months) are important to keep teeth, gums and mouth healthy. and most children and teenagers in Queensland are eligible for free public dental care. Through free public dental care or the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS).
• Wearing mouthguards for sport. Accidents involving teeth and related oral tissue are very common, a considerable number of these injuries occur during contact sport. A mouthguard can minimise injuries to teeth, the jaw and surrounding tissue. You can buy Mouthguards from chemist’s and supermarkets but it is recommended to get a custom-made mouthguard by a dental practitioner that fits the mouth accurately.

WILSONTON STATE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CAN ACCESS THE SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE AT WILSONTON STATE SCHOOL.

• Free public dental care with no out-of-pocket cost is offered to all children until the end of year 12. (Please note: From 27/05/25 the eligibility criteria have changed.)

The School Dental Service Team consists of a Dentist, Dental Therapists, Oral Health Therapists and Dental Assistants. They advise if your child needs specialist dental treatment.

• If your child is eligible for the Medicare Child Dental Benefit Schedule, the benefit will be utilised. You can find out if your child is eligible for CDBS by: checking online through MyGov – Medicare or phoning Medicare on 132011 and follow the prompts.
  
  
• Registration forms were handed out to children last week. If you would like your child/children to participate in the dental care program, please complete each section of the registration form, sign and return it to the School Office by Tuesday 05 August 2025. Please note that by signing this form, you are only advising the School Dental service of your wish to participate in the dental care program and providing personal information to allow them to contact you.
  
  
• The process for making your child’s first appointment with the School Dental Service has changed. The first point of contact may be via SMS. If responding via the Call Centre on 1300 082 662, please choose Option 3 to speak with School Dental Service.

PLEASE REMEMBER:

• Children will be seen at the School Dental Van located at Wilsonton State School.
• Parents/Legal Guardians must attend all appointments.
• Medicare Card - please bring this card to the appointment.
• There are limited appointments available before and after school and most appointments will be during school time.
• Oral Health does not accept any responsibility for transport of the children to and from their appointments.
• Appointment changes are often advised via SMS. Please read all text messages carefully.

A reminder even though it’s winter it’s important to be SUNSAFE, wear a hat and put on sunscreen and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

Angela Kain
School Based Youth Health Nurse
Working Mon, Tues & Wed based in the Support Hub

WSHS P&C Executive:

President – Janelle Collins                                                Secretary – Brenda Steger     

Vice President – Brenda Steger                                        Treasurer – Sonya Trim

Contact for the WSHS P&C Association

Operations Manager – Narelle Maynard   email: nmayn12@eq.edu.au

Notice of AGM & General Meeting

The next P&C General Meeting, will be held on Tuesday 19^th August, 2025 commencing at 5.00pm in the Auditorium (AU11 Classroom). New members are very welcome!

Uniform Shop

All Uniform Items can be purchased from the School Uniform Shop which is opened each school day 7.30am until 8.45am.  For all enquiries after 8.45am is by request of appointment time ONLY, please contact the Uniform Shop (Ph: 4639 0408) to book a time.  Second-Hand uniform items are also available (selected stock only). 

By supporting the P&C Uniform Shop, assists the P&C to make contributions back to the school and supporting Students.  Hannas is also an outlet for the school uniform items.  The Uniform Price list can be found on the school website by clicking on the following link:

Uniform Price List

Canteen Volunteers Needed!

If you can spare a couple of hours a week, fortnight or month, please consider volunteering in our school canteen. The school is growing. The canteen is getting busier. We are looking for and welcome new volunteers – all help is appreciated.  If you would like to “give it a go”, please call in to see Kim at the Canteen or phone 4639 0408 or email nmayn12@eq.edu.au

Canteen

Pre-ordering of lunches can be made by completing an order request form at the Canteen prior to school day commencing (ordering available 7.30am up to 8.45am each school day).

The Canteen Menu can be found on the school website by clicking on the following link:

Canteen menu

Both Cash and EFTPOS facilities are available at the Canteen and Uniform Shop.

Flexischools

Online ordering for the Canteen and Uniform shop is possible through Flexischools.

Go to www.flexishools.com.au  to register for Wilsonton State High School!!!

The daily cut-off time for canteen orders is 8.30am.

Canteen items can be ordered for 1st and/or 2nd Break.

Uniform items ordered can be collected by students at the end of 2nd Break the following day.

P&C’s QLD

If you would like any general information about P&C Associations please go to: www.pandcsqld.com.au