Positive Education Week
Positive Education Week is always one of my favourite parts of the school calendar, and this year it brought such energy and joy to our campus. We kicked off the week with a warm and delicious Pancake Breakfast out the front of A Block, which set the tone perfectly for a week of connection, gratitude and fun.
That same day, the Courtyard was buzzing with activity as the ARC Fair took place. All our student portfolios put together some incredible and interactive experiences. The Sports portfolio challenged students with a high jump competition, while Journalism captured smiles at their photobooth.
The Production portfolio offered students the chance to try their hand behind the camera, Robotics wowed the crowd with demonstrations of their FTC competition bots, and Technology set up a station with VR games. Our Academy Captains even ran a Q&A booth where students could stop by and have a chat. It was a wonderful showcase of student leadership and creativity.
Tuesday saw a wave of kindness and appreciation as students wrote heartfelt Gratitude Cards to acknowledge the people who make a difference in their lives. These were beautifully displayed along the walkway and brought smiles to many faces throughout the day.
On Wednesday, the courtyard transformed once again, this time into a playful space with oversized games like Connect 4, Cornhole, and giant Jenga, creating laughter and friendly competition during lunchtime.
Friday was filled with House spirit as the MYP Interhouse Trivia Round took place in the Auditorium. It was great fun watching students from Years 7 to 9 test their general knowledge and compete for points for their House. We'll find out the results in Week 3 to see who will take the crown this year. That afternoon, Year 11 students enjoyed a relaxing Movie Afternoon in the Auditorium with a screening of Inside Out as a lovely way to wind down after a big week. Thankyou to Newton House Dean Mr Prasad for running the week, as well as to all the staff members and student leaders who helped contribute to making Positive Education Week another success!
Tertiary Expo
On Monday afternoon, we proudly hosted the 2025 Tertiary Expo in our Auditorium, and what a fantastic event it was. This is always an invaluable opportunity for students and families to explore the many pathways available after school, and it was wonderful to see our community engaging so enthusiastically.
We welcomed representatives from some of Australia's top universities, including UQ, QUT, Griffith, and Bond, as well as interstate institutions like the University of Sydney, Monash, and UNSW. International options were also on display, including Education USA and St George University Medical School. Students had the chance to ask questions, gather information and think deeply about the possibilities ahead. Thank you to all the institutions for generously sharing your time and expertise, and to our students and families for participating with such curiosity and purpose.
Student Achievements
It gives me great pride to celebrate some truly outstanding student achievements this week. Stephy in Year 7 has taken out the gold medal in the Queensland Schools Individual U15 Girls Epee competition. This fencing discipline requires incredible precision, speed, and strategic thinking, and to win as a Year 7 student competing against older students up to Year 10 is no small feat!
Not to be outdone, Chloe, also in Year 7, placed third in the Brisbane School Individual Championships for Senior Women's Foil. Competing against some of the best senior fencers in Brisbane, Chloe demonstrated extraordinary talent and determination.
We also want to recognise our incredible Robotics teams, who travelled to Sydney last weekend for the First Tech Challenge Australia Pacific Open Championships. All three teams reached the final playoffs, with Team Shabsters finishing as a fourth-place alliance and receiving the Judges Allrounder Award for their excellence across all judging categories.
Team VegeMight won the prestigious Think Award, recognised for their outstanding use of design, science, mathematics and strategy throughout the competition. These achievements are a testament to the hard work, innovation, and collaboration our students show in STEM.
Looking Ahead
There's plenty to be excited about as we look ahead to the coming weeks. Week 3 is all about Book Week and the much-loved Costume Parade, where students and staff bring their favourite characters to life. It's also Year 12 Spirit Week, which ends on a high note with the Year 12 Formal on Friday night, and I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone dressed to the nines and celebrating this important milestone.
Week 4 will see the return of the Golden Paddle table tennis tournament in the courtyard, as well as the Jackson and Hollows House charity event. In Week 5, we launch into National Science Week, the biggest week of the year at QASMT! I always look forward to events like Brunch with a Scientist, the STEM Showcase, and our Science Colloquium, as well as the many exciting activities that run throughout the week. It's also when our Year 10 students head off to Perisher for the Ski Trip.
Later in the term, students and staff will depart on our International STEM Tours to Europe and Japan. I'm thrilled to be accompanying the Europe tour once again, a highlight of the year for me, and I can't wait to share the experience with our students.
Warm regards,
Kath Kayrooz
Principal