Newsletter

Miles SHS Showcases Community Spirit and Innovation

Back to the Bush Festival – Celebrating Our School Community This Saturday, Miles State High School will proudly take part in the Back to the Bush Festival Parade, with a spectacular float designed, built and decorated by our Senior construction and engineering students. Led by Mr Moffatt and Mr Gordon, the teaching team has been working tirelessly to represent the flora and fauna theme of the festival while incorporating a glimpse into the diverse nature of our school curriculum. The float is a tribute to the hard work, creativity, and pride that defines Miles SHS role as a leading school and vibrant member of this wonderful Miles community. — don’t miss it!

Miles State High School Scoring Thousands of Likes Have you seen our latest social media reels on our FB site?  Our students have been busy bringing learning to life across a range of exciting projects:

• 🥚 Agribusiness Egg Manufacturing – Students are exploring sustainable production and packaging, showcasing real-world skills in Agriculture and Business with our accredited egg manufacturing school business. Please contact the school on 4628 5111 if you wish to purchase farm-fresh eggs $8.00 a box.
• 🎁 Father’s Day Boxes Fundraiser – A creative and heartfelt initiative by our senior students to raise funds for their formal. The enterprise, design, and community engagement that becomes the result of their dedicated effort out- weighs the funds raised for all concerned. Many thanks to Miss Turner, the FB reel showed what a well-oiled machine the team was. Great community spirit too with your donation to our local hospital for all the incredible work they do for our community.
• 🔧 Engineering & Construction in Action – From welding to woodworking, our students are gaining hands-on experience and building skills for the future. View the skills and knowledge of our students engaged in Certificates of Furnishing, Engineering and Construction. 

Stay Connected

Keep an eye out for more…... Emily Beutel our Community and Industry Liaison Officer is on a mission to share our school’s engagement, innovations, student success and post-school outcomes with our community and the world 😊

Many thanks Emily, for your media skill and ongoing commitment to sharing our incredible school. Together, we’re building a school and wider community that’s proud, passionate, and ready for the future.

See you at the festival.

Josette Moffatt

WHAT DOES POSITIVE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

IN THE CLASSROOM LOOK LIKE?

1. Class ready – correct equipment, on time

2. Following Adult instructions, the first time

3. Engaging with classwork to the best of my ability

Teachers will be giving out raffle tickets in class when students meet this criteria. Our top 50 Raffle ticket earners will qualify for VIP status.  

Parents and Carers are welcome to attend this event. It is a great way to celebrate a term of hard work. Because this is a variation to school routine the department requires Parent / Carer permission to participate in the event. Permission forms will be sent out today.

Simon Wilson

Assignments and exams are flowing thick and fast at the moment. Please make sure that you are keeping an eye on the stress levels of your students. One of the best tools in their toolkit to perform well is to get a good night’s sleep. According to sleep federation teens of the age between 13-18 should be getting 8-10 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. On top of this many teenagers have trouble getting to sleep because the sleep hormone, melatonin starts to be released later and later in the night as they age. There are a few things that you can do to help your teen get to sleep quickly according to Health Direct:

1. Use your bed for sleep: many teens spend large amounts of time in their bedroom on their bed. Your bed should be a place where you go to get sleep. It is advised that they spend as close to the 8-10 hours sleeping as possible.
2. Avoid using screens before bed: computers, phones, TVs and gaming devices can disrupt your sleep patterns. Students should have a calm down period between bed and activity. This enables the body to start releasing melatonin which helps it go to sleep.
3. Relax before bed: just like in the point above the body needs time to go to sleep. Routines are important for your body. Having regular times and activities before bed will help your brain know that it is time to go to sleep and start to release melatonin.
4. Avoid caffeine and large amounts of sugar: while many people say that these chemicals have no impact on their sleep; your body must use energy to process them. This means that your body does not go straight into a relaxed state. So, you will need more time when you are asleep to reach the required time of rest.
5. Don’t nap during the day: Sleep during the day can make it more difficult to fall asleep at night. If you really need a nap, limit it to 20 min and at least 4 hours prior to going to sleep that night. This works with the natural chemical processes in your body.
6. Don’t check the time while going to sleep: avoid checking your phone or clock while you are trying to go to sleep. Like a watched pot never boils, so when you are watching the time, you are keeping yourself awake. Also, this can heighten your anxiety as you start to think that you should be asleep or lead to distractions.

Sleep and rest are very important and help convert short term memory to long term memory, so it is vital to study that you rest your brain. 

Caleb Kuhl

Preparing for Assessment – Every Day Counts 

As we enter this important time of the year, exams and assignments are on the horizon for all year levels. Our senior students are preparing for their final assessments in early Term 4, while junior and middle years students are currently completing their own assessments. This is a key period where every lesson and every lesson, every day matters — because every day counts. 

The Queensland Department of Education’s Attendance Policy states that every student is expected to attend school every day of the school year, unless ill or genuinely unable to attend. Regular attendance ensures students have access to the teaching and feedback that support success. Even one missed day can mean missed learning that is difficult to catch up on. More information about this policy can be found here: Every Day Counts – Department of Education QLD. 

Regular attendance in the lead-up to exams gives students the best opportunity to:

• Revise and consolidate their learning with the support of their teachers.
• Seek clarification on areas they find challenging.
• Build confidence by practising under exam-like conditions. 

Alongside strong attendance, students can prepare effectively by:

• Planning ahead – using a study timetable to spread out revision.
• Studying actively – through practice questions, flashcards, and teaching others.
• Looking after wellbeing – prioritising sleep, healthy meals, exercise, and downtime.
• Asking for help – reaching out to teachers, Guidance Officer Mrs Perry, and family supports when needed. 

It is also important to understand the procedures around exams and assessment:

• Extensions – If a student requires an extension for an assessment, this must be applied for before the due date and supported by appropriate documentation (e.g., medical certificate or other relevant evidence).
• Illness or absence during exams – If a student is unwell on the day of an exam or assessment, parents must contact the school as soon as possible and provide a medical certificate to explain the absence. This documentation allows the school to consider adjustments and ensure the student is not disadvantaged.
• If assessment is missed – Parents are required to provide either a medical certificate (in the case of illness) or other formal evidence (in the case of exceptional circumstances). Without this documentation, the school is unable to grant extensions or alternative arrangements. 

For our Year 12s, these final weeks mark the culmination of 13 years of effort. For younger students, this is a chance to practise the habits that will carry them through future learning. In both cases, consistent attendance and steady preparation are key to success. 

Together, we can support our students to approach exams with confidence, knowing that every day of learning makes a difference.

Sarah Perry

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.

Sarah Perry

Egg production is in full swing at the Ag Department. Mr Wilson was our first customer!

The Year 8B Ag class and a woolly friend visited Mrs Moffatt bearing produce from the Ag Garden. 

After weeks of debate and voting we now have a name, meet...

MONTY...

Congratulations to Angus and Jack!

Call To Action - Reading is not just an English subject skill—it’s a life skill. Every student deserves the chance to become a confident reader. With the right support at school and home, students can overcome challenges and thrive. 

The Qld Department of Education has this year made a call to action to make this year the Year of Reading. Miles State High School has responded to this call for action to ensure that we develop the essential skills of reading in our students.

In 2025 Miles State High School has responded by:-

• Build teachers capability to explicitly teach reading by including the elements of Word Reading and Language Comprehension across all curriculum areas.
• Ensuring that subject related vocabulary lists and cognitive verbs (The action works that underpin all assessment tasks) are explicitly taught to all students and are on classroom walls.
• Implemented Foundation Lessons for Years 7-9 which explicitly teach the skills and knowledge for students to engage in class activities and assessment tasks. (Maths, English, Science and Humanities).
• Provide increased diverse opportunities for students to demonstrate learnt knowledges and understandings.
• The use of technology to support students’ engagement and understanding of reading activities and tasks.

What’s Next:-

• Continuation of Foundation Lessons for Years 7-9
• Building on the increased understanding of how to support our students increase their reading skills. Staff have identified students in Years 7 and 8 that would benefit from a term of intensive literacy and numeracy. This program will provide staff and students with the opportunity to increase the teaching and learning of fundamental literacy and numeracy skills to students whose low reading and number skills are impacting their engagement, learning confidence, and thus learning outcomes.
• Parent/Carers of students, that staff have identified would benefit from a targeted approach to Literacy and Numeracy during Maths and English classes will receive an email requesting permission for students to engage in a one term intensive program.  The emailed letter will provide parent/carers with the program outline and contact details for further information if required. 
• We all have a role to play to support the ongoing literacy and numeracy development for every child.

Often the how do we assist is the blocker to our support. Below is the most recent information that QLD Department created for parent/carers to support a collaborative approach as together we work to increase challenge of increasing the reading levels of all young people.

Why Reading Matters: A Guide for Parents of Secondary Students

Reading is one of the most important skills your child will ever learn. It’s the foundation for success in school, work, and life. But did you know that many students in Years 7–10 are still struggling with reading?

This article explains why reading is so important, what the research says, and how you can support your child’s reading journey.

The Big Picture: Why Reading Is Essential

• Reading is life-changing. It helps break the cycle of poverty and disadvantage.
• Literacy supports mental health. Adolescents with strong reading skills are more likely to have better emotional wellbeing.
• Reading is needed in every subject. From science to history, students must read to learn.

The Current State of Reading in Australia

• Only 57% of Australian students meet the national standard for reading.
• In Queensland, reading performance has declined for both boys and girls.
• Students in regional, remote, and disadvantaged communities are more likely to struggle.
• Many students arrive in secondary school without the reading skills they need.

Why Are Students Struggling?

Historically, reading was taught using methods that didn’t work for all students. These included:

• Memorising words without understanding sounds.
• Using pictures to guess words.
• Teaching reading and writing separately.
• Assuming students “learn to read” in early primary and then “read to learn” in secondary.

These approaches left many students behind. 

What the Research Tells Us

• Reading is not a natural skill. Unlike speaking, it must be taught explicitly.
• All brains learn to read the same way. The most effective method is teaching students to decode words using phonics.
• Explicit instruction works best. This means teaching step-by-step, with clear guidance and practice.

Understanding the Reading Process

Two key models help explain how reading works:

Motivation and Reading

• Students who struggle with reading often lose confidence and motivation.
• Success builds motivation. When students feel capable, they’re more likely to read and learn.

How Schools Are Responding

Queensland’s Reading Commitment aims to improve reading outcomes by:

• Providing expert reading leaders in schools.
• Using evidence-based teaching methods.
• Offering resources and support for teachers.

What Parents Can Do

You play a vital role in your child’s reading journey. Here’s how you can help:

1. Talk About Reading

Ask your child:

• What are you reading in class?
• What do you find easy or hard about reading?
• What words or topics are new to you?

2. Encourage Reading at Home

• Read together or discuss books, articles, or even social media posts.
• Help your child find books that match their interests.
• Use audiobooks if your child finds reading difficult.

3. Support Vocabulary Growth

• Talk about new words and their meanings.
• Explore word origins and connections (e.g., “civilisation” comes from “civis” meaning townspeople).

4. Celebrate Progress

• Praise effort, not just achievement.
• Recognise small wins, like learning a new word or finishing a chapter.

Homework Centre is up and running, 3pm to 4.30pm every Monday and Wednesday afternoon.  Parents will need to complete a permission form from the Main Office and book on Sobs.  If unable to book on SOBS, please ring the office to confirm student attendance.

https://eq.sobs.com.au/pt3/parent.php?schoolid=70139