Smithfield State High School

Tropical North Learning Academy- Smithfield State High School
Location
Cairns, Queensland
Australia Australia
Coordinates 16°48′47″S 145°41′44″E / 16.81306°S 145.69556°E / -16.81306; 145.69556Coordinates: 16°48′47″S 145°41′44″E / 16.81306°S 145.69556°E / -16.81306; 145.69556
Information
Type Public State, Secondary
Established 1983
Principal Barry Courtney
Enrolment 1072
Campus Smithfield
Website smithfieldshs.eq.edu.au

Smithfield State High School is a secondary school located in Smithfield, Queensland, in Australia. It attracts students primarily from Cairns and Kuranda.

The school has about 1000 students enrolled since 2015 (ranging from years 7 to 12).

History

The school opened in 1983.

On 28 October 1998 an arson was committed at Smithfield State High School destroying a computer block and the school's radio station. The arson remains unsolved with a A$50,000 award. The attack on Smithfield SHS was the biggest arson in the history of Education Queensland.

Junior School

The Junior School at Smithfield State High School incorporates Years 7, 8 & 9.

The Junior Secondary model has been developed in conjunction with the Six Principles of Junior Secondary (see flow chart below) and offers a rich, challenging and stimulating environment designed to inspire a passion for and the value of learning.

Our Junior Secondary model incorporates

The chance to access experience in a wide range of subjects over Arts, Technologies and Language to complement the Core Curriculum. learning Support and targeted programs for students with special needs.

Senior School

The Senior School at Smithfield State High School incorporates Years 10, 11 and 12.

Year 10

Year 10 operates as a transition year from the junior to senior phase of Secondary education, with many subjects forming an introduction to courses available in Years 11 and 12. Students are encouraged to continue studies in areas where they have achieved success in Year 9 or to align their elective selections with their career aspirations.

Learning Program

Seven subjects are taught per semester. English, mathematics, science, humanities and health and physical education are compulsory, and two subjects are electives. There are 16 subjects offered across the fields of art, humanities, health and physical education.

In Year 10, students are required to develop their Senior Education and Training (SET) Plan, which details their specific goals for Year 11/12 and beyond.

Years 11 and 12

The school offers two pathways:

Students are guided into the pathway where they are most likely to achieve academic success and be QCE (Queensland Certificate of Education) eligible.

Learning Academies

The James Cook Learning Academies are the cornerstone of the Tropical North Learning Academy, a partnership that exists across Smithfield State High School, Trinity Beach State School and James Cook University. The goal of the academies is to drive a culture of aspiration and success across both schools, with an expectation of high academic achievement. Students are supported in developing the attributes of a lifelong learner [1]

Program summary

The academy programs are designed for high performing students to support their intellectual development and to help them reach their full potential.

There are 4 academy phases that target specific year levels:

Curriiculum offerings

Distinctive curriculum offerings that distinguish TNLA Smithfield State High School are:

Extra curricula activities

Night

[2]

Description of how non-attendance is managed by the school

Non-attendance is managed in state schools in line with the DET procedures, Managing Student Absences and Enforcing Enrolment and Attendance at State Schools and Roll Marking in State Schools, which outline processes for managing and reco TNLA Smithfield State High School’s Policy is as follows:

marked on a roll for each class they attend.

verbal or sighted permission is required.

10.30 am each day to parent/caregivers mobile phone notifying them of the student absence.

contact and/or meeting, detentions and counselling.[3]

International Students

Tropical North Learning Academy – Smithfield SHS welcome students from all parts of the world. International students are able to enrol as full time students looking to graduate from a Queensland high school, or simply wanting to study in another part of the world and experience a different culture for periods of time from 10 weeks to one year.

Philosophy of the extra-curricular sporting program

The extra-curricular sporting program aims to provide a plethora of sporting opportunities for our students to be involved in. The sporting ethos of the coaches allows the students to become involved in sports to further develop their physical skill and sporting prowess in a competitive environment, engage in inter school competitions, foster competitive drive and continue to enhance their social development.

Smithfield State High School is fortunate enough to have a number of staff who have experience in a wide variety of sports and are therefore able to provide a high level of coaching in the lead up to any inter-school competition.

Sports regularly offered

Innovation

Smithfield State High School has partnerships with NEC, Microsoft, HP and several other major companies. The school grounds are completely covered by a wireless LAN network and all teachers and students are equipped with a PDA that facilitates roll marking, behaviour management and communication for teachers and writng up assignments, using onenote and emailing teachers for students.

Awards

Subject Areas

The Arts

"The Arts offer different ways of 'knowing' that embrace divergent ways of thinking. Divergent thinking encourages adaptability, flexibility, self-reliance, initiative and team work."

In all our Arts offerings the focus is on the communication process, understanding and presenting. As a result, students will be better equipped to understand and respond to their environment and the range of inputs they are constantly exposed to.

Subject Information

Media, Dance, Drama, Radio Studies (Year 10 only), Visual Art, Music, Instrumental Music program (strings, percussion, woodwind and brass)

'*Years 11 & 12'

Dance, drama, Film -Television & New Media, Photography, Radio Studies, Visual Art, Visual Art in Practice, Music, Music in Practice, Music Extension, Instrumental Music program (strings, percussion, woodwind and brass)

Special Programs

Jazz Academy (see section in excellence programs)

Events and activities

Humanities

At Smithfield State High School we "study the past to define the future".

Through the study of Humanities at Tropical North Learning Academy Smithfield State High School we are creating active and informed global participants. By this we mean students will become:

Informed citizens - have a deep knowledge of the historical, economic, social and environmental issues of our world. Active citizens - creative problem solvers and risk takers for real world issues. Global citizens - have a wide perspective and show empathy and understanding Participant - have the skills to become involved or to challenge ways of being life-long learners.

Subject Information

Humanities at Smithfield State High School follows the Australian Curriculum course of study and all students are assessed against national standards and criteria in both knowledge and skills. Our program encompasses the full complement of Humanities subject matter/strand which include History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship.

Events and Activities

Mathematics

Mathematics is a powerful and dynamic discipline that has evolved within and across cultures. Our aim is to make Mathematics an enjoyable and rewarding academic adventure by providing learning experiences that stimulate and inspire students to engage and achieve, through a problem solving focus that integrates technology in a range of practical contexts.

Subject Information

All students must take Mathematics as one of their five core subjects. There is an academy class and a potential academy class in each year level. The other class groupings have students of varying levels and teachers differentiate their teaching to cater for all learning styles and the individual students' needs. As their progress is assessed there may be movement between classes over the four years.

Authority subjects - Mathematics A, Mathematics B, Mathematics C. Please note it is not possible to study Mathematics C without also studying Mathematics B.

Special Programs

Junior Mathematics Academy class - Year 7 - 10 students are challenged and extended with a range of enrichment activities designed to further stimulate their interest in Mathematics.

Short Course in Numeracy - an alternative pathway for Year 10 students, this Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority approved course is the minimum acceptable standard required for numeracy qualification in the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). Successful completion allows for not enrolling in Mathematics in Years 11 and 12.

Tutoring is held every Monday afternoon to give further assistance to students across all year levels.

Recent Achievements

Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC): 4 Distinctions and 49 Credits (2014)

98% of students achieving at or above the National Minimum Standard in NAPLAN testing.

Events and Activities

Instrumental Music

Philosophy of the Instrumental Music Program

The Instrumental Music Program aims to provide tuition on a wide range of musical instruments for the purpose of enjoyment, expression and self development. This program aims to create and enhance opportunities for positive achievement an promote excellence in performance. In keeping with this, students will be evaluated by a criteria of assessment, monitoring of attendance, practice ethic and commitment. The instrumental teacher will explain the process at the beginning of the year.

Instruments offered

WOODWIND - Oboe, Bassoon, Flute, Bass Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone.

BRASS - Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Baritone/Euphonium, Tuba.

STRINGS - Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass.

PERCUSSSION - Drums, Mallet (tuned) and Concert (tune/un-tuned) Percussion in combination.

Lessons

Students take lessons each week, which run for the length of 30 minutes. Instrumental teachers complete timetables weekly showing the day and tie of each lesson. This is based on a rotation system so will not miss the same class each week.

Internet of Things Club

At Smithfield State High School they are currently running an extracurricular club call the Internet of Things (IoT) Club, in the Makerspace area.

In the IoT Club students will be enabled to

Radio Station

The school holds a 24/7 aspirant community broadcasting license and operates 101.9 Coast FM, a youth-orientated music program that is run by students with teacher supervision.

Tuckshop/Canteen

The Tuckshop/Canteen sells an extensive range of healthy foods. Periodically, 'RED' days are held where students will be able to purchase not-so-healthy foods and generally these days will be fund raising events. The tuckshop also supplies school uniforms.

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)

This year students of Smithfieldd State High School were given permission to bring in their own laptops/devices and connect them to the internet under our BYOD program (Bring Your Own Device). The program is to expand next year with the expectation that all students in years 10/11/12 will bring a laptop to school and students in years 7/8/9 will be encouraged to bring in a laptop. Students in years 10/11/12 will be required to bring their own laptops every day for use in all classes.

Vivo Miles Reward Program

2016 has seen the introduction of a new rewards program as part of our School-wide Positive Behaviour Plan. Vivomiles is an online rewards system that helps motivate students to improve. Staff award students with points which can then be redeemed in our online shop or donated to an appointed charity. Points will be allocated based on students demonstrating safe, responsible learning.

Students can log into their online VIVO account at any time to view weekly rewards, see their point’s balance, redeem points for items in the online shop and set themselves goals for items they wish to be rewarded with in the future. Students can access their account by checking their school Education Queensland email which will provide them with a username and password.

During celebration parades throughout each term, students will be awarded with their chosen items once they redeem their points via the online VIVO Shop. Parents can also log on to their student’s VIVO account to share in the celebration of students learning.

School Formal

The first informal for the Year 10 is scheduled to be held at the Grand Chancellor.

Staff

The principal is Mr Courtney. The deputy pincipals are Alice Kaggelis and Mr Charles.

School Contact

Telephone: (07) 4058 4333

Facsimile: (07) 4057 7664

Street address O'Brien Road

Smithfield Qld 4878

Postal address PO Box 500

Smithfield Qld 4878

See also

List of schools in Far North Queensland

References

  1. ↑ https://smithfieldshs.eq.edu.au/Curriculum/Excellenceprograms/Pages/James-Cook-University-Learing-Academies.aspx
  2. ↑ https://smithfieldshs.eq.edu.au/Supportandresources/Formsanddocuments/Annual%20reports/Tropical%20North%20Learning%20Academy%20Smithfield%20State%20High%20School%202015%20School%20Annual%20Report.pdf
  3. ↑ https://smithfieldshs.eq.edu.au/Supportandresources/Formsanddocuments/Annual%20reports/Tropical%20North%20Learning%20Academy%20Smithfield%20State%20High%20School%202015%20School%20Annual%20Report.pdf

External links

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