Secondary Insights - Supporting Students Beyond the Scheduled Learning Sessions
Our College is proud of the commitment our staff show in supporting students both academically and personally. We are committed to ensuring every student has the opportunity to strengthen their learning. At Hills College, our staff are committed to supporting students well beyond the learning environment, creating a culture where help is always available and encouraged.
This week, I have seen the following support provided by our Secondary Staff:
- In Mathematics, Mathematics Zone runs twice a week, providing structured opportunities for students to consolidate their learning, seek clarification and extend their knowledge.
- In Chemistry, students are likewise able to access additional support, ensuring they are well prepared for the challenges of the QCAA Senior Science Practical Sessions.
- Our Visual Art Teacher regularly opens her learning environment at lunchtime, giving students the chance to refine their skills, complete projects and receive individualised feedback in a welcoming environment.
- Our English staff are committed to helping students achieve their best. To support this, teachers are available during break times to assist students with developing their drafts. These sessions provide an excellent opportunity for students to receive feedback, refine their ideas, and strengthen their writing before submitting assessments. By working with teachers on drafts, students can build confidence in their writing, improve the quality of their work, and deepen their understanding of the texts they are studying.
These sessions are a valuable way for students to seek clarification, workshop ideas and build confidence in with their learning. I am certainly proud of the dedication shown by our staff in making themselves available outside of class time and I continue to encourage students to make the most of these opportunities to grow as confident and capable communicators.
Thank you to our parents for entrusting us with your child's learning journey. By working in partnership, we can continue to provide the support, encouragement and opportunities that enable every student to reach their potential.
Mrs Julie-Anne Skelton
Head of Secondary
LAWS Awardees
This was shared with me earlier this week, and a very big thank you to Ms Jacinta Goyne for taking the time to contact our families and making note of the wonderful responses to learning.
"I just wanted to take a moment to share how impressed I’ve been with Antoine, Hunter, Zander and Kaushik in our General English class as we begin our exploration of Macbeth.
From the very first lesson, they have shown an outstanding level of engagement and enthusiasm. They have all dived into the complexities of Shakespeare's language without hesitation, offering thoughtful interpretations and asking questions that enrich our discussions. It’s been lovely to see them bring such energy and curiosity to a challenging text.
What stands out most is their willingness to take intellectual risks—interpreting the denser passages with confidence and creativity. They are not afraid to voice an opinion or challenge an idea, which has really helped to liven up the atmosphere and encourage others to think more deeply too.
I’m very excited to see how they continue to engage with the play.
Thank you for the support you clearly provide at home—it’s making a real difference."
Ms Jacinta Goyne
Head of English
Teaching and Learning- Exploring the World Through Chinese Language
This term has been an exciting journey in our Chinese classrooms, with each year level diving into a unique theme. Year 7 students explored the topic “Who I Am,” learning how to introduce themselves and share their identities in Chinese. From poems to posters, they expressed creativity while building confidence in a new language.
Year 8 students took their taste buds on an adventure with Chinese cuisines. They not only learned the names of famous dishes, but also discovered the cultural stories behind them. A few even designed their own “dream menus” in Chinese!
Shopping bags were everywhere in Year 9’s lessons, where the theme “Shopping and Money” had students bargaining, comparing prices, and role-playing real shopping experiences. Their acting skills were as impressive as their language use!
Friendship was in the spotlight for Year 10 with “My Friend.” Students described appearances, personalities, and shared fun stories about their best mates in Chinese.
Meanwhile, Year 11 travelled far and wide with the theme “Travel and Exploration.” They planned imaginary trips across China, creating itineraries packed with history, culture, and adventure.
Across all year levels, students are showing their best efforts—learning, laughing, and proving that Chinese is not only useful, but also fun!
Dr Yuhua Li
Teacher of Chinese
Teaching and Learning - Japanese
This term, we had visitors from Chiba Japanese School join our classes. They actively supported our students by assisting with grammar corrections, engaging them in listening practice, and offering valuable opportunities to improve their speaking skills. Their presence not only strengthened the students’ Japanese language abilities but also created meaningful cultural exchange within the learning environment.
Our students had an amazing experience and we wish all the very best to our Japanese guests. Please enjoy the rest of your time at Hills and we wish them a safe trip home!
Mr Tomoki Kanaya
Japanese Teacher
Teaching and Learning - Health and Physical Education
Celebrating Year 9 HPE: A Hands-On Journey Through Human Anatomy
This term, our Year 9 students embraced a bold and brilliant challenge in their Health and Physical Education (HPE) unit, How the Body Moves. What began as a daunting task soon transformed into a showcase of creativity, resilience, and deep learning as students submitted their final assessment projects—handcrafted human anatomy models that brought the inner workings of the body to life.
The unit focused on three key systems: the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. Students explored how these systems interact to support movement, endurance, and overall health. Through engaging lessons, practical activities, and collaborative discussions, they built a strong foundation of anatomical knowledge—then turned that understanding into tangible, visual models.
From intricately detailed skeletons to vibrant representations of the heart and lungs, each model reflected not only the scientific concepts covered but also the personal effort and pride of its creator. While many students initially felt intimidated by the scope of the project, their enthusiasm grew as they immersed themselves in the learning. The classroom buzzed with energy as ideas took shape and confidence blossomed.
Student Angelyn Larcombe reflected on her experience, saying, “By making the model I learned more about the body system and functions of the skeleton because I actually had it and implement those function and structure into my skeleton.”
Student Kai Krome shared his journey; “From this assignment, I learned all the places and the scientific names for the muscles and how the cardiovascular system moves blood around the body and organs. The process of making this human body model was mostly exciting and was a great change to other assignments, however there were some stressful and difficult parts of this assignment. The cardiovascular system was a problem for me as I was too focused on making a functional heart model but the materials needed were too expensive and I couldn’t recycle some of the materials. A solution I came up with was drawing a detailed heart and cardiovascular model which was colour-coded to show the de-oxygenated and oxygenated blood, and I decided that this solution also showed my understanding.”
Student Jagoda Zapiec offered a thoughtful reflection: “The biggest thing I learnt about this task was how much is really involved in how our body works and what it looks like under our skin. This was a fun task, and very interesting.”
Student Bailey Perger added his perspective: “In class this term, our class learnt how the body functions and moves. We then had to construct and plan a real-life size model of a skeleton. To construct this, we had to learn the different joints, bones, organs and muscles to make it semi-functional body. The most challenging thing in the making was the skeleton as I had to trace out the skeleton body on 600g cardboard and cut it out and make some of the bones move and have flexibility. If I had to do this project again, I would try and change my time management as I only really got stuff done around the time it was about to be due.”
A huge congratulations to our Year 9 cohort for their outstanding work. Your models didn’t just show how the body moves—they showed how minds grow when given the chance to explore, create, and thrive.
We can’t wait to see what you tackle next!
Mrs Leah Stone
Head of Faculty - HPE
Teaching and Learning- Year 8 Humanities
This term, Mrs Dwyer’s Year 8 Humanities students explored the Earth’s structure and tectonic plate movements through a “tasty demonstration.” Each student used an Oreo cookie to model the Earth’s layers, and mimic the different ways tectonic plates interact – including convergent, divergent, transform, and subduction boundaries. The hands-on activity helped promote fun in the geography classroom, while enhancing their knowledge and application of Term 3 content.
Mrs Grace Dwyer
Humanities Teacher
Teaching and Learning - Year 10 learn to be Upstanders
Earlier this term, our Year 10 students took part in Courage to Care Queensland’s Upstander Program, linking directly to their World War II studies. Trained volunteer educators led a powerful session that explored prejudice, bystander behaviour and the choices ordinary people can make to protect others. Students heard survivor testimony and worked through practical strategies for speaking up safely in their own communities. Courage to Care’s school programs use real stories from the Holocaust to show how individual courage can change lives, which resonated strongly with the year 10 Modern History students.
Ms Alexandria Salmon
History Teacher
Teaching and Learning- Modern and Ancient History
Year 12 Modern gear up for the Vietnam War external
Our twelve Year 12 Modern History students have wrapped up their Nuclear Age research essays and are now turning their attention to the Vietnam War for External assessment preparation. Lessons are focused on refining source skills, practising structured paragraphs under time, and consolidating key content such as contexts, motivations, turning points, and contested interpretations.
11/12 Ancient launch into Alexander the Great
Our thirteen students have submitted their Hatshepsut essays, demonstrating growing confidence with historiography and evaluation of evidence. We now shift to Alexander the Great. Year 12s will study Alexander for their External assessment, while Year 11s will complete their final formative internal task for the year. Teaching will centre on leadership, empire-building, and reliability of ancient sources, with targeted practice in concise analysis and sustained argument.
Ms Alexandria Salmon
History Teacher
Teaching and Learning- Celebrating HPE Week at Hills International College
This week, Hills International College is proud to celebrate Health and Physical Education (HPE) Week, a national initiative supported by ACHPER QLD and Kids Helpline. HPE Week shines a spotlight on the importance of health, physical activity, and wellbeing in the lives of young people. At Hills, we believe that HPE is more than just sport—it’s about building the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that allow our students to lead active, healthy, and balanced lives.
Through movement, teamwork, and reflection, our students learn resilience, leadership, and the value of lifelong wellbeing. Throughout the week, classes will be engaging in a range of activities that highlight the fun and variety within HPE. From team challenges and fitness circuits to discussions around nutrition, mental health, and respectful relationships, HPE Week provides opportunities for every student to participate, connect, and grow.
We also acknowledge the support of Kids Helpline, a vital service for young Australians, and celebrate our partnership with ACHPER Queensland, who continue to advocate for quality HPE in schools. HPE is a cornerstone of our curriculum here at Hills, and we are proud to join schools across Queensland in celebrating the incredible value of this learning area.
We made this week a celebration of movement, health, and wellbeing—because healthy, active kids are happier, more confident, and better prepared for the future.