19 February 2025

From the Executive Principal’s desk

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Welcome to the new school year; and of course, to all of our 3,816 students. I sat down to revisit my first newsletter topic of the year, ‘Making the Most of 2025’, when I was struck by the date. I’ve been in and out of classrooms for nearly four decades! Over that time, I’ve come to appreciate a particular sound as THE best, most satisfying and peculiarly comforting of my career. It is a buzz that sits just above the whirring of fans and air-conditioners. It’s a sound you can feel in silence or clamorous excitement. In fact, it’s not really a sound at all, but more a vibration; the hum of 25-28 students absorbing, thinking, processing, wondering and synthesizing. No, I’m not losing my mind, and yes, learning is a sound.

Learning is a deeply sonorous tone that compounds as the number of learners multiplies. You must listen with all your body to hear one student learning in a class full of distracted, disengaged children. A classroom of learners though? That’s a beautiful hum. And an entire school of learners? A place where every child feels cared for, seen, that they belong and are compelled to grasp the education presented to them in every lesson, every day? That kind of vibration hits you out on the pavement.

Our teachers, staff and parents have created this incredible place because we have a shared commitment to the success and wellbeing of our students. As a schooling community we have created a culture of belonging and a spirit of steadfast strength.

Two clear consequences of this can be seen here:

• The results from our 2024 Graduates are absolutely astounding!
• Our enrolment numbers continue to grow this year; being in the Mansfield catchment area is now one of the top selling points for real estate agents!

When I think about ‘making the most’ of every year, I revisit what makes this vibration so loud and impossible to ignore. It is this; at Mansfield, we make the most of every lesson, every day. Quality learning and teaching continues in every lesson, every day. Maximising this learning means attending every lesson, every day. It also means being on time in the correct uniform with the right equipment every lesson, every day. Really, making the most of 2025 involves being diligent with routine; when our students are prepared and on time, the possibility of stress or anxiety is diminished and learning is maximised. From there the hum gets loud; achieving beyond our best becomes a reachable, tangible target.

Making the most of 2025 is not a one-sided project though. We appreciate the productive partnership we have with our parents and caregivers, with the success of our students in the classroom indelibly tied to what happens at home. In this, communication between the two is vital. Please keep informed with our Newsletter and Weekly News sheets from the Heads of Year. Conversely, if there are concerns, please contact the school.

Finally, our Year 12 cohort have devised their theme for 2025. Each year I think the theme couldn’t be more intelligent or insightful, and every year I am blown away by the maturity and intuitive nature of Mansfield’s seniors. In 2025, the theme is:

Belonging is what makes us hum and shout; We are MANSFIELD!  It’s what sets us apart and gives every one of our students the opportunity and support to achieve their absolute best. Together we will make the most of 2025, and I know it will be our best year yet.

Mrs Karen Tanks
Executive Principal

Leadership

Associate Principals

Deputy Principals

Heads of Year

Heads of Department

School notices

Student Council

If your child is interested in being a voice for their peers, keen to lead and wants to be involved; please encourage them to consider joining our School Council. Nominations close on Friday 21 February. They can nominate by accessing the nomination form on SharePoint, print and complete the form and hand it to their SDP teacher before Friday. Nominees will then make a speech to their SDP class who will vote for their class representative.

2025 Open Days

Open Days are an opportunity for future students to learn more about our school. Year 7 students enrolling in 2026 should attend one of the follow Open Days:

• Tuesday 1 April 2025
• Wednesday 2 April 2025
• Thursday 19 April 2025.

Open Days start at 9.00am in the Assembly Hall. No booking required.

The key dates for applications, including in the Programs of Excellence are on the school website. Updated applications packs will be available after the Open Day on Wednesday 2 April.

Student Resource Scheme

Mansfield State High School is a state government school and as such cannot charge fees for for services which the Department of Education receives government funding such as facilities and employment of staff. Funding does not extend to individual student resources such as equipment for personal use, and items used/consumed by the student in the classroom. Supply of these items is the responsibility of parents.

To provide parents with a cost-effective alternative to purchasing learning materials and/or resources elsewhere, Mansfield State High School is operating a Student Resource Scheme (SRS) for 2025.  

The scheme ensures that students have the resources required for them to engage with the curriculum for their education, and saves parents time and money in sourcing the prescribed materials elsewhere. Savings are gained through the school’s bulk purchasing practices and hiring arrangements. The scheme is not used to raise funds for other purposes, and revenue collected through the scheme is applied only to the resources and operation of the scheme. The financial impact on parents and whether the school can absorb any of the cost has been considered before determining the SRS fee.

The scheme’s operation, resource inclusions and participation fees were approved by the school’s P&C Association at the meeting held on 22 October, 2024. 

The 2025 SRS fee is $80 per student.

Statements and invoices

Invoices have been issued for the annual Student Resource Scheme Fee. Parents/caregivers will be emailed a financial statement showing the amount due for all students.  Statements are sent in Week 4 & Week 8 of each term.

If you receive a statement with a negative figure (an amount with a minus sign in front) no payment is due. The negative figure is a credit that can be used towards future invoices. To use a credit towards an invoice, please contact the accounts department.

Payment methods

Invoices can be paid using the following payment methods:

Enquiries regarding invoices, statements and the payments of fees can be directed to accounts@mansfieldshs.eq.edu.au. Parents/caregivers experiencing payment difficulties can contact Naomi Pearce or Val Whitmore via email to discuss payment plans.

Canteen purchases

Our school has two canteens, one located in A Block and one beside the Assembly Hall. Both are cashless with purchases made using either My Student Account (MSA) or an EFTPOS card. Students who are new to the school, may use cash to either pre-order in the morning before school or purchase at first break while they are waiting to receive their new Student ID cards. Once cards have been issued, cash can only be used to load onto your MSA account before school.

Online ordering is not available, however students may pre-order for either break before school in person at the A Block canteen. There is a separate collection point for pre-orders.

MSA instructions

My Student Account (MSA) is the preferred method of payment at the Canteen. It is a cashless payment method, allowing parents to load funds onto the Student Identification Card issued by the school. Funds can be loaded by credit card payment online (allow 30 minutes for the funds to clear), BPAY (allow 3-5 working days for the funds to clear) or by the student at the A Block canteen before school (EFTPOS/cash can be used and funds clear immediately).

Advantages of MSA include:

• Students do not need to carry cash
• No minimum purchase amount
• No transaction fees apply when using the card
• It is not a credit card, only preloaded funds can be spent and daily spend limits can be set by parents
• Historical transactions can be viewed online
• MSA can also be used in the Uniform Shop
• Low balance reminders can be set
• Card top up payments can be made online and at the A Block Canteen before school
• Allergy alerts and prohibited purchases can be set to assist in the management of special diets.

Visit My Student Account to create a parent account and add your child’s details.

Achievement

Celebrating Exceptional Achievement

On Tuesday 11 February, our highest scoring ATAR graduates from our Class of 2024 returned to celebrate their academic success and after school plans. Joined by their families and friends, they walked for one final time across the Assembly Hall stage to be acknowledged.

At the end of the ceremony, our 2024 School Dux was announced recognising two recipients, both who achieved 99.95, the highest ATAR rank possible. Congratulations to Joy Jia and Ker Qing. The rank of 99.95 was only awarded to 36 students across Queensland.  Both student’s showed dedication to their study while maintaining their extracurricular activities and are equally deserving of the recognition as our 2024 School Dux.

2024 School Dux with Mrs Karen Tanks

Diving success

Training since kindergarten, Lincoln’s dedication and pride were evident during a recent diving showcase at the Swimming Carnival. In 2022, he was selected for the Diving Australia National Talent Program. In 2023, he won Springboard and Platform events at the Jnr Elites Championships and School Sports Australia Championships, earning the title Male - Jnr C Diver of the Year. In 2024, he joined the Chandler Elite squad, winning gold in mixed synchronized diving and 3m Springboard. Now in the Jnr B category, he can compete from the 10m platform and is preparing for upcoming championships in Brisbane and Perth. Training 12 hours weekly for three years, Lincoln aims for an Olympic win and advises aspiring divers to "just believe in yourself". 

Learning

Welcome to Year 7 French Immersion

We would like to extend a warm welcome to our new Year 7 French Immersion students. It has been amazing to witness their language progress in just a couple of weeks.

We’re looking forward to meeting our Year 7 Immersion families at the annual French Immersion Picnic on Sunday 23 February.

Year 10-12 Science tutoring

Assessment for our senior students is underway.  We look forward to great results again from all our students.  If you are in need of help with Chemistry or Physics, come to S Block from 7:30am on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Senior English

Our English classrooms have been enhanced with special posters created by Mrs Todd and a team of English teachers. These posters have been designed to assist students in understanding specific aspects of the Senior English Syllabus descriptors. Our students are fortunate to learn in classrooms that are both visually appealing and intellectually stimulating. Below are some examples of the set of posters.

QMEA Incursion

Students in Year 7 and Year 9 are enjoying hands on learning experiences with the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA). Year 7 students have been experiencing Physics through pulleys while the Year 9 students have been exploring how light is reflected using mirrors.  Thank you to QMEA and Nathan O’Donnell for bringing this experience to our students.

Senior External Examination for Languages

Year 12 students wishing to sit for a Senior External Examination (SEE) for Languages need to read the information on the QCAA website and Mr Di Bartolo’s email from earlier this term.

A subject result of C or higher in an examination contributes four credits towards a Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) and may contribute to an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). Students must be able to demonstrate they are receiving an appropriate level of tuition in the examination subject. 

If your student is interested in completing a Senior External Exam:

1. Complete the Agreement form and the Declaration form that was emailed to all Year 12 students.
2. Make the payment by Wednesday 16 April 2025.
3. Scan and email the Agreement form and the Declaration form with proof of payment to Mr Di Bartolo by Wednesday 16 April 2025.

For more information follow the link to QCAA website  https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/see/year-12-students.

Year 9 TIC

Our Year 9 TIC students spent a half day with IntegradSTEM from Toowoomba on the development and use of AI in the meat industry. Students worked as Hipster (idea people), Hackers (builders and programmers), Hustlers (pitching and presenting) and Humanists (checking for ethics) on the development of an AI tool to identify contamination of meat for processing plants. This division of roles mimics industry and will feature again in a two-day excursion into the city in Term 3 where they will look at Schooling of the Future in the Metaverse.

Extracurricular events

Japan Study Tour 2024

During Weeks 10 and 11 of Term 4 last year, Mr Frazer and Ms Peel had the pleasure of escorting 20 of our Year 10, 11, and 12 students of Japanese to Japan. Students were able to immerse themselves in Japan’s rich culture, history, and modern marvels. The trip began with a visit to Osaka’s Universal Studios, before continuing to Kyoto and Nara, where students explored ancient temples and enjoyed a traditional dinner with a Maiko. The adventure continued with a visit to our sister school; Gifu Kita High School where students experienced everyday life with local host families and participated in lessons at school.

The group then travelled to Hiroshima to learn about WWII history through artefacts at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum, followed by a visit to the serene island of Miyajima. Finally, in Tokyo students enjoyed a mix of culture and technology, visiting landmarks like Tokyo Skytree and TeamLab, as well as enjoying the magic of Tokyo Disneyland.

Throughout the trip, students gained invaluable cultural experiences, formed strong bonds with their peers and host families, and created lasting memories. It was a fantastic opportunity for everyone involved, and we look forward to organising future cultural exchanges, both inbound and outbound, that help broaden our horizons and deepen our global connections.

MSG Sport

Our Mansfield Sports Group (MSG) teams are taking shape with trials in Futsal, Netball and Touch occurring over the first two weeks of the school year. Selected students will receive a “letter of offer” to join the program via email over the next few weeks.

MSG Volleyball training has started and selected students will receive their “letter of offer” towards the end of Term 1. MSG Basketball will be the last sport to receive offers as their first tournament isn’t held until Term 2.

MSG have designated training times – please see your coach about the location and time of training for your team.

MSG Futsal played their first round of competition at the Queensland Futsal League at Nissan Arean in Week 2. Our U14 and Open squads of boys and girls competed. Both of the girls teams and the U14 boys team were undefeated in this first round. Congratulations to all of our players and coaches. 

For additional information of the MSG Program and included sports, please refer to the email sent in Week 1 by the Director of Sport. This information was sent to all students and gives an overview of the opportunities available in MSG as well as how students can participate in a range of other sporting opportunities available at Mansfield State High School.

Representative Sports

All parents and students have been sent information from the Director of Sport on the pathways to play representative sport. It is essential that students interested in representative sport check Student Notices and the K Block Sports Noticeboard for any upcoming District and Regional Trial notices.

Information on the scheduled trials can be found online. Students aged 13-19 should check the South District information, while students born in 2013 are in the Mount Gravatt District.

Please support your child to follow the process below if they are interested in trialling for a sport.

1. Remind them to listen out for which sports are having their trials. This will be outlined on the Student Notices and placed on the K Block Noticeboard.
2. Students are to visit the K Block Staffroom (knock on the window beside the Staffroom door) to collect the trial permission form.
3. Students and their parent/caregiver are to complete the permission form at home (with signatures) and the student is to return the form to Mr Morrison at K Block.
4. Students are then to return the next day to the K Block staffroom to collect the stamped and signed form from Mr Morrison.
5. The student MUST take the signed permission form to the trial. Students without a completed permission form will not be permitted to trial.

Please Note: Not all forms will be signed by the Director of Sport. Players need to be playing at a high level outside of school and achieved success previously in the sport to trial.

School events

Meet a Scientist

To expose and inspire students in a variety of STEM careers, the Mansfield Science Department offers free after school presentations which are open to all students interested in Science. These “Meet a Scientist” presentations are delivered by inspiring and recognised local scientists who are keen to share their passion in their field of science.

Meet a Scientist is held on Thursdays from 3:00pm to 4:00pm in SC05 on scheduled dates. The timetable of presentations is below and is also shared with students via Student Notices. These free presentations are open to all year levels, but students must ensure that they have organised a way to travel home as the finish time is outside of normal school bus times.

Volcano science

More than 50 students came to our first Meet a Scientist presentation for 2025 to listen to expert volcanologist Associate Professor Teresa Ubide Garralda from the School of Environment at the University of Queensland. She explained how volcano science aims to better forecast the start, evolution and end of eruptions. Volcanoes can also accumulate metals that are critical for renewable energies and the green energy transition. Therefore, volcanology can offer new clues to finding metals for our sustainable future. Students took the opportunity to ask many curious questions making this first Meet a Scientist for 2025 very engaging.

Key dates

Student services

Student Services team

Recommended resources for parents

Options Career bulletin

The latest Options Career bulletin (Edition 2) is now available for download via the Options Careers app (Apple or Android) to parents and students, using the access code: Mansfield. This fantastic, user-friendly app allows you to find the topics of interest to you, instantaneously, and is highly recommended. Students can also download the latest edition of the bulletin from the Student Share Point page, Guidance Team tab.

eSafety Commissioner

There is a wealth of information available to parents on the esafety commissioner website that can help parents support a safer and more positive experience on line. This site also provides information to report abuse and provide general information or range of topics (issues and advice, parent controls, cyberbullying).  Parent webinars are held regularly and available for you to sign up to and attend on line. These live webinars give parents and carers the knowledge, skills and tools to support their children to have safe online experiences.

Click here for more information: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/webinars

Webinars

The following webinars may be useful:

• Supporting healthy tech use as your child transitions into high school at 3.30pm on Tuesday 25 February 2025
• Algorithms and adolescents: the rewards and risks of recommender systems for young people at 12.30pm on Wednesday 19 March 2025.

Emerging Minds

For over 20 years Emerging Minds has been dedicated to advancing the mental health and emotional wellbeing of Australian infants, children, adolescents and their families. This organisation develops mental health policy, online training and programs to name a few; based on evidence-based research. This organisation develops free resources to help families access the right information when needed. Videos, podcasts and fact sheets are available on a variety of topics such including family and social relationships, bullying and mental health care.

To access this valuable resource click on the following link:  www.emergingminds.com.au

Happy Families

Our school is subscribed to the Happy Families School Membership. Owned and run by Dr Justin Coulson, one of Australia’s leading parenting experts, the membership offers a wealth of parenting education and resources, including weekly Insight Articles and four live Webinars a year.

Don’t miss the upcoming webinar on ‘Emotional Regulation: A Heart-Centred Approach to Supporting Your Child’ on Wednesday 12 March at 7:00pm.

You can access the Happy Families resources at any time using the following link and membership details:

1. Visit: https://schools.happyfamilies.com.au/login/mshs
2. Enter the school password: happymshs

Community notices

Karate and Ju-Jitsu

Australian Navy Cadets