Student Support

COMPASS MENTORING PROGRAM TERM 2

After having a school holiday break, our Compass Mentoring Program started the new term with the students making wooden models (boys and Sarah) and beading (girls). Thank you, Mrs Hay, for showing us how to make jewellery.

 In Week 2, we all worked on our journals. Something different for this year - the students were called on to do impromptu one-minute talks. The next session Mrs Tillack became a mentor as some of our mentors were on holidays. Week 5 was a busy session for us all with reading, then decorating a card and making compliment cards (these were given to both mentor and student). The next week students enjoyed reading and doing more work on their journals. In Week 6 the boys and Sarah painted their models and the girls made a bracelet. The models and bracelets look great.

Congratulations to Mrs Tillack and the Mentoring program for winning the Regional Showcase “Award for Excellence in Schools”.

Sarah Finley (student)  Helen Stanton (mentor)Publicity Officer - Term 2

CHAPPY NEWS

Camp Eagle was held last weekend with a total of nine boys and four girls from Pioneer High attending, some for the third time. Although we froze on Thursday night, the rest of the camp was a huge success. It was great to see students from the four state high schools having fun together.

The Shine and Shine On programmes are having their break-ups this week. It’s great to see the girls opening up and discovering themselves.

Thought; Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries. - Chappies: Maggie and Nick

LIBRARY NEWS
 

Pioneer Library: I would like to recommend to you and your students a new service offered by Mackay city libraries, “Your tutor”

As a member of Mackay City Libraries, students are able to log into a service called “Your tutor”. This service is sponsored by a partnership between Mackay City Council, CQU and Tutoring Australasia. Students connect to the service daily to get help with homework, assignments, projects and exam revision.

Benefits

Available for all students from Year 4 to Year 12.
 

• Available Monday to Friday from 4.00pm to 8.00pm
• Subject areas include:  Maths / English / Science /Research / Study Skills
• File sharing, joint use web browsing and white boards operate in real time!
   

The only other thing you need, to get help with your homework from a trained professional tutors, is your library membership card.

The service is also available from the public computers at Gordon White, Mackay City and Walkerston Libraries. 

How it works
 

1. Students connect to Your Tutor from their home (using their library membership card number), or library computer
2. Students select their subject and year level
3. Students then enter the Online Classroom where they are connected to a live tutor
4. Students then ask their questions and the tutor works through it with the student using the interactive whiteboards, interactive web browser and file sharing tools.

For more information go to the Mackay library website and follow the links to your tutor or go to www.yourtutor.com.au.

VOICE RECOGNITION

Voice recognition using the Dragon Naturally Speaking programme, is once more in full swing.  Many year 8 students are now able to get help with assignments and school work, as this programme enables them to speak into a microphone and have their speech put directly on tot the computer screen.  One student was heard to say "Gee I've finished my assignment by voice - it would have taken ages if I had to do it by hand!"

This programme has been available to Pioneer High Students for many years now, and has truly helped those who have the brains, but just cannot write down their thoughts.