Awards and Recognition
Staff at Cairns State High strive to acknowledge the outstanding efforts and achievements of students across various academic, sporting, and cultural pursuits formally and informally throughout the year.
Formal celebrations showcase the talent, dedication, and perseverance of students in our school community.
Classroom recognition and praise
Effort based or behaviour specific praise tells students what they have done correctly. By teachers providing this type of praise, research shows that students feel that teachers are being honest and are more willing to continue to work hard – and to look for strategies to overcome obstacles. Constructive praise is characterised in that it is:
- Specific
- Focused on process and progress – not just the outcome
- Clear about expectations and standards.
- Sincere
- Avoiding comparisons with other students
- Recognising hard work
- Not overpraising
Positive Postcards
Staff are able to use the attendance software, IDAttend to record positive messages that are emailed home at the end of the day.
Micro-credentials
The school is implementing the use of micro-credentials to acknowledge skills and abilities valued by employers and the community that are not complete qualifications. Some of these are 21st Century skills or indicators or readiness for the world of work.
Term One progress
Term One progress reports provide an opportunity to review the strategies students have articulated in One School at the conclusion of the previous year.
Achievement at Reporting junctures
At the end of Semester (Y7-10) and following submission of tasks in Year 11 and 12, the school reports to parents/carers on progress. The achievement data is converted to a Grade Point Average (GPA) and students are eligible for Achievement Awards:
Honours
| Level of Achievement Semester previous GPA 5.0 (excludes COE achievement) |
Excellence
| Level of Achievement Semester previous GPA 4.8-4.99 (excludes COE achievement) |
Merit
| Level of Achievement Semester previous GPA 4.5-4.79 (excludes COE achievement) |
Commendation
| Level of Achievement Semester previous GPA 4.0-4.49 (excludes COE achievement) |
Effort and behaviour grades are combined to calculate a second GPA and high attainment is recognised with:
Gold Diligence
| Effort and Behaviour Semester previous GPA 5.0 (excludes COE achievement) |
| Diligence | Effort and Behaviour Semester previous GPA 4.0-4.99 (excludes COE achievement) |
| Good standing | Effort and Behaviour Semester previous GPA 3.5-3.99 (excludes COE achievement) |
Award Cycle 1
Semester One (Week 3) (Years 8-12)
- Honours, Excellence and Gold Diligence awards are presented on Year level assembly by the Head of School.
- Students are presented with a Summary certificate by their Connect teacher.
Semester One (Week 4)
- Awards based on previous year's S2 report card are emailed to students by the Principal.
- The Principal hosts an afternoon tea to congratulate Honours students entering the roll.
Award Cycle 2
Semester Two (T4 Week 3)
Monday-Wednesday - Year 7-11 students: Connect teacher presents student with a Summary certificate.
Thursday 6pm - Year 7 Awards
- Achievement: Honours, Excellence, Merit, Commendation
- Gold Diligence, Diligence
- Full & Half Sporting Blue
- Vincit
- Special Awards
Thursday 7pm – Year 7 Celebration BBQ
Friday 10:10am Awards Parade (Year 8-11)
- Achievement: Honours, Excellence
- Gold Diligence
- Full Sporting Blue
- Vincit
- Special Awards
Friday 6pm (Year 12) Graduation and Valedictory
- Presentation of Graduation certificates, Summary certificate, Honours & Special Awards
Semester Two (T4 Week 4)Email to students:
- Honours, Excellence, Merit, Commendation
- Gold Diligence, Diligence, Good Standing
- COE
- Sport Full/Half blue
- Special awards
Special Awards
These awards are determined by an Awards team with representatives from relevant faculties/groups:
Ben Grosetti Award
| Student who excels in General English, English and Literature & Extension Literature (or a combination) |
| Competition Win/High placing | Nominated by Head of Department to recognise achievement at external competition |
| Daniel Donaghy Memorial Award | Presented to a student with exceptional emerging talent in Basketball |
| Excellent Representation of the School | Nominated by Head of Department to recognise high level representation of the school |
| Executive Principal's Award for Excellence | Discretionary award for exceptional contribution to a positive school culture |
| Sportsperson of the Year | Junior, Intermediate and Senior student nominated by Sport HOD exhibiting singular achievement in the school. |
| Leadership in Sport | Student(s) who demonstrated commitment to sport and led others in engaging in sport. |
| Meredith Louise Ward Memorial Award | Year 12 Special Award presented to a student with disability who has achieved excellent standard. |
| Program of Excellence Awards | Awarded to students in Centres of Excellence for outstanding achievement and commitment with A for Achievement, and Excellent grades for Effort and Behaviour |
| Robert Favell Award for Music Excellence | Awarded to a student who has excelled in leadership in Music |
| School Based Trainee of the Year | Awarded to a student who has excellent commitment and development in their traineeship |
| School Based Apprentice of the Year | Awarded to a student who has excellent commitment and development in their apprenticeship |
| Service Award | Students who deserve special mention for the work they have done to make the school a more positive environment. |
| Sporting Half Blue | Regional sports representative |
| Sporting Full Blue | State sports representative |
| TAFE at School Award | Most committed student engaging in a TAFE at school program |
| Vincit Awards (Respect, Responsibility, Resilience) | Year level awards to students who exemplify the school's values |
| Work Experience Student of the Year | Most outstanding student engagement in Work Experience |
| Year 12 Outstanding achievement Subject Award | Outstanding achievement in Year 12 subject |
Year 12 Awards of Distinction
Students have the opportunity to nominate for the following awards. Nominations are also accepted from peers and teachers.
| Trevor Gordon All-rounder | Student engaged and achieving at a high level across a range of pursuits offered by the school |
| Bernie MacKenzie Cultural Award | A student excelling the cultural life of the school |
| Bob Manning Centenary Ambassador Award | A student excelling at community leadership |
| Cullen Family Creativity Award | Special Award presented to an individual who exhibits special talent in creativity in any media |
| David Hudson Centenary Ambassador Award | A student leading initiatives in culture and/or diversity |
| Edna Taylor Centenary Ambassador Award | A student leading with compassion |
| Environmental Award | A student who works to promote environmental protection/undertake initiatives to preserve the environment. |
| Angela Toppin Global Citizenship Award | A student who promotes international understanding, values diversity and promotes cultures |
| Jim Brooks Human Rights Award | A student who has positively contributed to the recognition of human rights in the school. |
| Jules Steer Creative Writing Award | A female student who has demonstrated excellence in creative writing. |
| Lyn & Ken Rudge Award for Excellence in Music | A student who has striven to develop an excellent level of music performance and/or composition. |
| Lyn & Ken Rudge Award for Excellence in Sport | A student who has engaged in the sporting life of the school, competed with distinction at high levels. |
| Lyndell Sellars Research Award | A student who has reached highly sophisticated use of research in their study. |
| Norm Crosswell Award for Leadership | A student who leads the student body |
| Percy Walter Moorhouse Centenary Award | A student who leads initiative to address a specific outcome in the school community |
| Trevor Gordon Allrounder | A student excelling across the range of activities in the school. |
External Award systems
ADF Long Tan STEM
| Student excelling in STEM |
| ADL Long Tan Leadership | Year 10 and 12 only exhibiting the characteristics valued by the ADF |
| JCU Rising Star scholarship | Year 12 student wishing to attend JCU having exhibited outstanding achievement and commitment to studies. |
| JCU Shield (Yr7-12) | Achievement of meritorious note by a student in a designated year level |
| QATSIF Leadership Award | Year 12 Special Award presented to a First Nations student who has exhibited positive leadership characteristics. |
Academically Most Outstanding (Dux) Awards
To ensure accuracy, the calculation of best result depends on the final results achieved by students. Presentation of Dux for Year 10, 11 & 12 occurs in the following year at the Induction of Captains and Prefects.
Year 10 Dux
| Most academically excellent achievement by a Year 10 (Not including COE performance) |
| J.A. Barnes Memorial Prize Year 11 Dux | Most academically excellent achievement by a Year 11 (awarded in the following year, and based on QCAA achievement) |
| Year 12 QCAA Dux Alex Whittick Memorial Prize | Most academically excellent achievement by a Year 12 QCAA program (awarded in the following year, and based on QCAA achievements)
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