Hat = Safe play

Oval open: Hats on!

The oval has been re-opened for student play now that the rain and heat have eased up - and being out of the shade increases the risk of skin cancer developing later in life.

Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. Skin cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in Australia. About two in three Australians will be diagnosed with some form of skin cancer before the age of 70.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) starts in the basal cells of the epidermis. It makes up about 70% of non-melanoma skin cancers. BCC can develop in young people, but it is more common in people over 40. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) starts in the squamous cells of the epidermis. It makes up about 30% of non-melanoma skin cancers. SCC occurs mostly in people over 50.

In Queensland melanoma is the second most common cancer diagnosed in men and women. Every year more than 4180 people are estimated to be diagnosed with melanoma in Queensland.

For more information about the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma please check out the Cancer Council's Melanoma page.

Risk factors

Anyone can develop skin cancer, but it’s more common in older people. The risk is also higher in people who have:

• Fair or freckled skin, especially if it burns easily and doesn’t tan.
• Red or fair hair and light-coloured eyes (blue or green).
• Had short, intense periods of exposure to UV radiation, e.g. on weekends or holidays or when playing sport, especially if it caused sunburn.
• Actively tanned or used solariums.
• Worked outdoors or been exposed to arsenic.
• A weakened immune system, which could be caused by taking certain medications after an organ transplant (immunosuppressants) or ongoing blood conditions such as chronic leukaemia.
• Lots of moles on their body or moles with an irregular shape and uneven colour (dysplastic naevi).
• A previous skin cancer or family history of skin cancer.
• Certain skin conditions such as sunspots.

People with olive or very dark skin have more protection against UV radiation because their skin has produces more melanin than fair skin does. However, they can still develop skin cancer.

2026 enrolment for Programs of Excellence

The Expression of Interest (EOI) for Year 7 access to our Programs of Excellence closes next week. We have around 800 people attending the information night and participate in the tours. If anyone missed out, all the information is on the school website.

Marker students signposting success

Cairns State High students are performing at very high levels. Our achievement data is amongst the best in the state - yet this does not mean that we relax and coast along. We continue to look for ways to be 'the best we can be'.

Our chosen way forward is to focus on a number of different students whose performance, circumstance or needs can possibly be better met. By improving support for them, the way something new is taught, or using some research-based strategy in class, the quality of learning improves for several, if not all pupils. These are our 'Marker students'.

We very much want to see every student succeed and achieve their potential. It is because we believe that every student can learn and we can all do better - even just a little bit - that we are directing our professional learning, observations and feedback in this direction. Improving our A & B achievement, and A, B & C achievement is critical to us getting to even higher level of schooling success.

Marker students are not published, or told that they are a teacher's focus. This is a technique that improves achievement for many/all by focusing on a few specifically. Would you like your child to be a marker student? They can be. They can be YOUR marker student and by investing more time with them, you are taking a big step in helping them reach their dreams.

Semester 2 Year 7-11 Performance Summaries

Regards

Christopher Zilm

A reminder to parents/carers to organise student leave passes prior to school commencing in the morning.

We seem to be getting a lot of parents coming in last minute to sign out students.

Centre of Excellence Comedy Night @ Zombie Land!

We are thrilled to announce that the 2025 Centre of Excellence Comedy night is being held at Bulmba Ja Theatre Thursday 3 April.

Warning there will be Zombies!

Book Now, before it’s too late!

Flame 2025 opening

Congratulations to Cairns High year 11 Art student Emmy Carlon and Anabelle Ambrose (Year 12 2024) who are part of the Flame 25 exhibition that has opened at the Tanks Art Centre. Special shout out to art teacher Holly Mervyn-Jones who was one of the artist mentors.

“FLAME 2025 is the exhibition outcome of the FLAME Visual program, providing young artists the opportunity and skills to explore their arts practice and maintain a creative life.”

Cairns State High School Staff and Students are very excited to be presenting Mamma Mia at CPAC 29-31 May.  We are are all delighted with the energy and commitment of our Sunday Musical rehearsals. Can’t wait for the opening night May 28. Tickets will be on sale soon!

The following staff and parents are leading the production roles.

Of course there will be many more parents, students and staff that will have assisted by the time the musical bumps out at the end of May so thanks in advance to those people and thanks to parents and staff below who have already been giving of the time to support this wonderful whole school event.

Staff

• Nicole Cleland – Director and Choreographer
• Kathy Carruthers - Director (Parent)
• Lizanne Smith – Music Director
• Maureen Cameron – Music Director
• Ash Cawse – Assistant Music Director
• Stephanie Grenning - Assistant Stage Manager/Assistant Music Director
• Kristen Abel – Costume Designer
• Tracey Kingston Bull – Costumes (parent)
• Ken Nixon – Technical Director/ Assistant Stage Manager
• David Marsden – Producer and Sets
• Steve Carpenter –Set designer (Parent)
• Lauren Portman – Choreographer
• Anna Webster – Assistant Stage Manager
• Holly Mervyn Jones – Sets
• Stella Grossman – Sets
• Kelly O’Mahony – Props
• Andrea Leumann – Props
• Chris Zilm – Merchandising
• Brendan Begley – Set Logistics

Thank you all for your support of our Choirs, Orchestra, Bands, Ensembles, teachers and music students. Our rehearsals are well underway, repertoire is chosen and students have been placed in ensembles that are suitable for their age, instrument, voice and standard. You should have received your invoices all music involvement and we look forward to supporting you and your family in a fantastically exciting year of excellence in music. 

Now, as we enter week 7, our students have a plethora of music to be working on at home. Their instrumental teachers working hard to provide a rich variety of technical exercises and pieces, balanced with what they must learn to keep up in their ensembles and choirs. 

Home practise

Thank you, parents, for the work you are doing at home, this is paramount to success as a musician, and as a parent of a young musician, I know how tricky that is to fit in to your full and vibrant lives. I make sure my daughter has a space to practice, we set time every day, there’s a music stand, and I make sure she knows that I love listening to her play (even those learning moments in repetition, frustration and failure – that’s where the growth happens).

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact one of our dedicated instrumental specialists or myself mxcam12@eq.edu.au. 

Focus on Vocal and Choral work at CSHS

CSHS are privileged to have access to one of the top choral educators in Australia on a daily basis. Lauren Haney has been at CSHS for more than 25 years, and in that time has consistently won state and national awards. As a school of music excellence, we pride ourselves in finding ways to work in partnership with Professional musicians from around the world.

Every two weeks, Lauren is joined by Patrice Hogan, our partnership, vocal specialist from Edge Hill State School. Patrice assists with sectional rehearsals, and is on hand to offer a guiding musical expertise. Edge Hill State School boast a high level, community conscious choral programme. Vocal programmes starting in classroom prep lessons with Rachel Curtis, our feeder school is in exceptionally talented hands.  Thank you, Patrice and Rachel, for your selflessness, we are grateful for your ongoing support and friendship.

Most recently, Lauren invited Lyn Williams, OAM to lead our young ladies in Chorale in a intense session of vocal mastery covering techniques and style pertaining to their current repertoire. 

Lyn Williams, Artistic Director and Founder of Gondwana Choirs, has been recognised in this year’s Australia Day honours with an upgrade from her Medal of the Order (OAM) to become a Member of the Order (AM), in recognition of her services to the Arts and work with young people, in particular the founding and development of the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir.

Thirty years ago, Lyn founded the first of her choirs, the Sydney Children’s Choir. Under Lyn’s inspirational leadership, the Gondwana Choirs organisation has grown to include 23 ensembles of the Sydney Children’s Choir; six choirs, a composer school and conducting academy as part of the Gondwana National Choirs; and the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir (GICC). 

Our girls were delighted and enthralled by the expertise and attention to detail covered in their session, and we thank Ashley Cawse for his piano accompaniment for that session. We look forward to a continued partnership with Lyn and thank her for her services to our school Chorale Programme.

Fanfare - Choral

Every 2 years, our Chorale works towards Fanfare Chorale – a State wide competition for State School Choirs. There are categories for Junior and Senior Schools and levels within both sectors. We wish Lauren and Chorale the best of luck as they work hard towards the Heats. En-route, there will be extra rehearsals, sectionals and a 3-day Choral Camp: - Genazzano will host our 70+ strong choir, our bi-annual Choral Camp, held in week 10 this term – Monday 31 March – Wednesday 2 April. We will be joined by Sandra Milliken, a contemporary Australian female composer / arranger, choir conductor, music adjudicator, music educator and teacher. You can find out more about our esteemed Clinician by visiting her website.

Prior to the 3-day camp, Cairns State High School Chorale will play host to Australian baritone Shaun Brown who has performed and studied in England, Germany, France, Italy and the US, where he completed a Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of North Texas. Shaun will visit our Young Men’s sessions in E20, to contribute and teach our young male vocalists of the future.

Shaun Brown, a former Opera Queensland (OQ) Young Artist, his engagements with the company span more than three decades, and he has appeared in over fifty productions, in addition to numerous concerts, festival events, workshops and masterclasses. He is known to Queensland audiences for his appearances including roles in Don Giovanni, The Merry Widow, Die Fledermaus, Così fan tutte, Carmen, The Marriage of Figaro, and the Brisbane and touring productions of La bohème, The Barber of Seville and Ruddigore, or The Witch’s Curse! In 2021, he performed A Poet’s Love, a recital with Sarah Crane and Alex Raineri as part of OQ’s Studio Series in partnership with Brisbane Music Festival. Most recently, he performed in OQ’s new 2022 productions of The Sopranos and La traviata, in which he created the role of Baron Douphol, and appeared in Winton and Longreach as part of the 2022 Festival of Outback Opera. 

Flute, Oboe and Clarinet Masterclasses Friday 21, Saturday 22 February

Woodwind students at Cairns State High School enjoyed attending masterclasses by renowned master teachers Eve Newsome and Tim Munro.  

Eve Newsome is a professional oboist and Lecturer in Wind at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University. She is the creator of the Flow Music Method, designed to assist musicians to experience the feelings of flow or ‘being in the zone’ during music practice and performance.

Tim Munro is a Brisbane-based, triple-Grammy-winning musician. As a flautist, writer, broadcaster, and teacher, he treats audiences as equals, welcoming them into musical worlds with passion, intelligence and humour. He is an Associate Professor of Music at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, in Brisbane, Australia.

Quin Hoshino, Kotoha Kitatsuji, Kuga Kamiya, Sora Sasaki, Emrys Birkbeck McKay, Amy Cork, Malin Henze, Emily Kimber, Miu Hanamura, Abbey Ankers, Dash Heo and Samuel Hughes participated in the masterclasses. In the lessons students were taught about breath support, embouchure, tone production, playing in tune and articulation. Thank you to Lizanne Smith and Alannah Bowen for organising the weekend.  Such a privilege to have these inspiring musicians teaching at Cairns High.   

Jazz Music Course

Run by CQ University in partnership with St Augustine’s College, Cairns. There is a workshop for students grade 9 – 12 who have an interest or focus on Jazz Performance. Please refer to the poster for information. Remember – the second day of this course is on the final day of our College Musical. Please contact music@cqu.edu.au if you are interested in being involved.

Year 6 – Year 7 Programmes of Excellence Information Night!

Thank you to the soloists, teachers, accompanists and administration who turned up to welcome the potential POE students for 2026.

Congratulations and thank you to our soloists on the evening: - Voice - Erin Clyde, Trumpet – Benjamin Kennedy, Maya Hadar-Pagliari – Cello, Gabriel Havini – Alto Saxophone and Joseph Seo – Marimba.

All soloists presented themselves as experienced, confident, technically and musically proficient young performers and delighted the many audience members with their flair and musicality. Congratulations to their tutors and mentors, and particular thanks to their invested parents.

CDJE – Cairns and District Junior Eisteddfod, 2025

As always, CSHS music department will be entering many choirs and ensembles to the 2026 Cairns Junior Eisteddfod, held in Week 9 / 10 of Term 2 in the CJDE Hall (soloists), and then in CPAC for choirs and ensembles. At the moment, we are in discussions with our conductors and leaders of groups to match our ensembles/choirs to the sessions and classes offered by our Eisteddfod.

CDJE is run by volunteers, and our Director of Music, Lizanne Smith acts as Music Convener for the organisation. CSHS is also a sponsor of several of the trophies and prizes. We are excited to be working towards the Eisteddfod and will let you know very soon who / what that involves.

Eisteddfod Solos

We would like to consider entering your child to be involved in the solo sections. This is a wonderful performance opportunity which builds confidence, self-esteem and provides a personal goal for the students. This is a community event that we encourage our students to support as it is one of the only external solo performance opportunities in our region.  Read more about Solo Sections here.

End Note

I maintain that it takes a village to raise a child, then when you add a musical instrument, choir or ensemble on top of the rigours of our daily life, our village becomes an extended network of love, support and guidance. Term 1 has been a rich, rewarding and fulfilling musical journey for our department and extended music community. Thank you to the many hands who have assisted us in bringing their best to our village. Thank you all – keep up the great work! Loving it!!!!

Our Cairns High chess team had a very successful day at the Term 1 Tournament held at Trinity Anglican School on Thursday 6 March.

• A division (Team 1) won first place and were the overall winners of the tournament.
• B division (Team 1) won second place.
• B division (Team 2) won third place.
• Jasper Gochee in Year 7 won second place in B division.
• 7 individual merit ribbons and one medal were awarded to Cairns High.

Year 10 Coordinator

Year 10 Peer Leaders Take the Lead!

We are proud to announce this year’s elected Year 10 Peer Leaders! These outstanding students have already stepped up to their roles, leading parades and contributing to important decisions regarding upcoming Year 10 events. Their leadership and dedication will help shape a successful and memorable year for their peers.

Congratulations to our 2024 Peer Leaders:

These students will be instrumental in fostering school spirit, organizing events, and representing their peers throughout the year. We look forward to seeing them make a difference!

Upcoming Year 10 Events

Make sure to mark these important dates on your calendar:

• Year 10 Reward Day – To be advised (End of Term 2)
• Work Experience – Week 3, Term 3
• SET Plan Interviews – Week 5, Term 3
• Informal – Week 8, Term 3
• Senior Jersey Orders Close – 30th September

These events are fantastic opportunities for students to engage in meaningful experiences, plan for their futures, and celebrate their achievements. More details will be provided as each date approaches.

Stay tuned for more updates and congratulations again to our Year 10 Peer Leaders!

Kieran Morley | Year 10 Coordinator | 07 4050 3031 

Year 9 Coordinator

The Year 9 students are working hard this term on focusing on their assessments and ensuring they manage their time well.

In Connect, students have been connecting with one another through mixed class activities, developing a stronger sense of community within our school.

The Respect Me Program continues to run, starting important conversations around consent and respectful relationships. Bruce are finishing their sessions, and Collins are set to begin their sessions next.

The Year 9 Connect Leaders are busy running their own weekly Parades, planning their volunteering at International Week in Week 9 and gearing up to help out with the Year 10 Informal.

Year 9 Camp is fast approaching. We will be heading off to Camp Paterson near Mareeba in Week 10 of Term 2 (23-27/6/25). Expressions of interest will be coming out soon, please decide with your child if they would like to go and complete the expression of interest form as soon as possible!

Maddy Duncan | Year 9 Coordinator | 07 4050 3016

School Council meets tonight at 5:30pm to discuss progress of the year to date as well as how to best support the school moving forward:

1. School Strategic plan 2025-8

Strategic Plan 2025-2028

Strategic Plan 2025-2028 1.12 MB

There are four main areas of focus for the years ahead captured admirably by Reever Lee in Year 11 in her graphic:

School Council played a critical role in developing the four year plan and will now shift attention to monitoring the major themes and supporting Chris and the team at school in achieving these great targets.

2. Annual Improvement Plan 2025 and Data plan

To become 'the best we can be' takes ongoing commitment and a clear focus. Taking our school performance from 'very good' to 'great' demands research-based strategies which have high impact. Being precise about the school's work will help achieve regional and state targets in the Equity and Excellence agenda.

3. Critical facilities issues

While I was not able to secure a meeting time with the Minister during community Cabinet on 2 March, I have made this submission to him and met with the Assistant Minister for the Arts this week. The submission has also been presented to Hon. Michael Healy, as member for Cairns, and federal candidates for seat of Leichhardt the upcoming Federal election.

Submission to the Minister for Education & the Arts, John-Paul Langbroek

Issues

The School Council requests support of the Minister to

1. Allocate funding for refurbishment and improvement to the Crosswell Centre of Performing Arts at the school.
2. Ensure that Advanced manufacturing and construction courses at the school are housed appropriately in a purpose-built facility able to adequately pipeline the future workforce as opposed to the currently proposed ‘shed’.

Background

• Cairns State High provides the highest quality education services to young people in the city and surrounds of Cairns.
• The Music Excellence program has a long tradition of high-performance outcomes with Symphonic Orchestra and Chorale winning Fanfare on multiple occasions.
• Active engagement in Gateway to Industry Schools Programs in Advanced Manufacturing, Hydrogen, Information Communication Technology (as well as Health, Hospitality & Tourism, Screen & Media and Aerospace) has added increased enrolment and engagement with industry partners.
• 236 students engaged in Year 10 work experience in 2024, increasing annually.

Rationale

• The School’s Crosswell Performing Arts Centre has not been fit for purpose and awaiting roof, wall and floor repairs, and air-conditioning replacement for five years.
• A shed is not an adequate solution to the need to meet standards of dust extraction existing classroom spaces were not designed to meet.
• Both projects provide an exciting opportunity for government investment in high-need, high-profile areas of Cairns’ and Queensland’s economy.

Requirements

In order to make Crosswell Performing Arts Centre fit for purpose, a $15M investment is needed to repair existing structural issues and provide fit for purpose much-needed additions:

• Adequate size stage
• Backstage toilet, technical facilities and prop/sets areas
• Instrument storage adjacent/attached to the performance space
• Sound proof teaching spaces
• Dressing rooms and toilets backstage
• Demountable raked seating
• A lift for heavy instruments and sets

That Cairns State High School, undoubtably the Premier Arts School in Cairns, does not have the facilities it needs to support and continue to grow its outstanding arts programs beggars belief.

Construction of new, $21M high-tech facility with embedded School/VET-level offerings, pipeline young people from school, to post-schooling study and then directly into local jobs: A Centre of Innovation in Advanced Manufacturing delivering VET and ATAR pathways in:

• Engineering
• Fabrication
• Advanced Manufacturing
• Design
• Aerospace
• Digital Technologies
• Coding
• Drones
• Internet of Things
• Robotics
• 3D Printing
• Artificial intelligence
• Project management

School-based training courses and academic curriculum link to emerging and established local industry, regional, Brisbane and national Universities to make the most of the physical and online learning environments.

Additional learning spaces increase the ability to enrol students annually denied a place at Cairns State High due to existing impact of the current capacity of facilities.

What better way to invest in the development of a stronger economy, independent of the tourism industry, in Cairns – The Gateway to Asia and the Pacific?

Nathan Lee-Long, Chair, CSHS School Council

P&C AGM is coming!

We next meet on 18 March for AGM followed by a General meeting. Lock it in!

Supporting the 2025 Musical will see P&C hold a themed TRIVIA night on the preceeding Saturday. Lock in the date for Trivia (and the musical). It's going to be a massive week of fun!

See you on the 18th!
Jules Steer, President

Sun Safety

In Queensland, year-round sun protection is important for all children and young people.

Research shows that high ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure from the sun in childhood and adolescence significantly increases the risk of developing skin cancer.

Parents, families and the community also play an important role to model and reinforce the 5 ways to be sun safe with children and young people.

SLIP

Slip into protective clothing 

Choose clothing that covers as much of your skin as possible, such as collared shirts with long sleeves or dresses that hit below the knee.  Close weave materials such as cotton, polyester/cotton and linen are best, especially in darker colours, as they will absorb more UV radiation than lighter colours. Materials such as Lycra remain sun protective even when wet, so it’s a great option for when you go swimming. 

SLOP

Slop on SPF50 or SPF50+ sunscreen, that is also broad-spectrum and water resistant.

Apply a generous amount of sunscreen to clean, dry skin at least 20 minutes before you go outside. Adults will typically need a teaspoon of sunscreen for their head and neck, each limb and the front and back of the body – that’s about seven teaspoons (35mL) for a full body application. Most people apply too little sunscreen and forget to reapply. Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours when you’re spending time outdoors, and always after swimming, towel drying or sweating. Remember, sunscreen is not a suit of armour and should always be used in combination with other sun safety measures. 

SLAP

Slap on a hat

Choose, a broad-brimmed, legionnaire or bucket style hat which shades your face, nose, neck and ears. Caps and visors do not provide adequate protection and, just like your clothes, your hat should be made from closely woven material. 

SEEK

Seek shade

Shade alone can reduce your UV exposure by up to 75%. Make good use of trees and built structures to seek shade, or bring along your own, such as pop-up tent or umbrellas.  Shade reduces UV radiation, but it can still reach you via reflection, so make sure you use shade in combination with other sun protection measures.

SLIDE

Slide on some sunglasses 

Slide on some sunnies but make sure they’re a close-fitting, wrap around style that meet the Australian Standard AS 1067 and provide an Eye Protection Factor (EPF) of 9 or above. Worn together with a broad-brimmed hat, you’ll reduce UV radiation exposure to the eyes by up to 98%. 

Check your skin

Most skin cancers can be successfully treated if they are found early. Without treatment some cancers can be deadly.

It's important to know your skin and to check it regularly, looking for any changes, especially in spots or moles. Visit your GP if you notice anything suspicious and ask about having a skin check.

Look for spots or moles that might be: 

For more information on checking for signs of skin cancer visit here.