Student services and support programs

​​​​​​Head of Engagement​

Jess Maxwell
Available 5 days a weed

At Sunnybank State High School, Jess Maxwell, our Head of Engagement, play​​​​s a vital role in ensuring every student feels connected, supported, and empowered to succeed. Jess works closely with students, families, teachers, an​​d support staff to build strong relationships, improve attendance, and foster a positive school culture where every young person can thrive.

In this role, Jess leads whole-school engagement initiatives, supports students to overcome barriers to learning, and coordinates targeted interventions that promote wellbeing, behaviour success, and acad​emic progress. She also oversees key programs and partnerships that strengthen student belonging—from House culture and student leadership to wellbeing programs and community connections.

Through proactive guidance and a commitment to understanding each student's individual needs, Jess helps create a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment where every student is encouraged to participate fully in school life and achieve their personal best. 

​Head of Special Education Services

​​Tess Wise
Available 5 days a week

The HOSES helps to facilitate change and build the capacity of teachers to provide ​​effe​​ctive and diff​​erentiated instruction for all students. The goal is school-wide teacher collaboration and pr​​ofessional learning to improve staff knowledge of the pedagogical strategies that promotes student engagement.

Within the CREW, the HOSES investigates the student that has been referred to the CREW. Tess supports in reviewing reports, collecting data, and report key recommendations to staff, so the teachers are able to more effectively support each individual student in their classes.​

Guidance Officer​​​

Naomi Dowden
Available 5 days a week​

Our Guidance Officer Naomi is a fully qualified counsellor who provides confidential counselling on vocational, educational and personal issues.

Guidance counsellors help empower students to meet the challenges they face, as well as help them cope with complex decision making that comes with adolescence.  This service is provided to all students and their parents or carers on an individual or family basis. 

Throughout the year our guidance counsellor helps students with career decisions, subject selections and with the applications for universities and TAFE colleges through the QTAC application process. Our Guidance Counsellor also supports students to apply for Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments (AARA) in their senior years, to ensure that students are supported to overcome barriers to their ability to complete assessment.

Chapl​ain​

Ben Archbold
Available - 5 days a week

The chaplaincy service provides physical, emotional, social and spiritual support to the students and families of Sunnybank State High School.  The service is available as a safe environment for students to "get things off their chest".  The service is available for all students, regardless of background or beliefs.

The service also offers a number of programs and events to enhance students' lives, develop lives, develop skills, or expand students' views of the world and help others.

As our Youth Support Coordinator, Chappy Ben is also a qualified Youth Worker who provides holistic support to students. This includes emotional and wellbeing support, assistance with transitioning into external educational pathways, links to support providers, LGBTQI+ support, grief and loss programs, and more.

The Youth Support Coordinator also case manages students at risk and implements targeted intervention programs.

Chappy Ben has put together a list of shops and agencies to assist our Sunnybank SHS families in times of need. He can be reached in his office in block 2.​​

School Based Police Officer​

Lisa Comrie
Available - Wednesdays

The School Based Police Liaison Officer (SBPO) is a sworn officer of the Queensland Police Service and works with Sunnybank State High School on Wednesday of each school week.

School Based Policing (SBP) is a joint initiative of the Queensland Police Service and Education Queensland and helps provide a safe and supportive learning environment for all students. The SBPO is able to provide information sessions and presentations to students in relation to topics of concern and relevant issues including, but not limited to:

• drugs and alcohol
  
• domestic violence
• safe partying
• police powers and police role
• policing as a career
• road safety
  
• internet safety
• bullying​

The SBPO aims to be a support person for students and to bridge the gap and enhance the rela​tionship between youth and police. The SBPO works in schools but is employed by the Commissioner of Police, Queensland Police Service. ​