Filter Content
Abbie, Emily, Shanae and Taylor venture into the unknown during Operation Flinders (see article below)
This week at KHS, we have been recognising the contributions of our Support Staff who work in a variety of ways to support the learning programs within the school as part of Support Staff Week. We are fortunate to have a highly specialised team of SSO's who work in a variety of areas to support school operations.
No words can describe how much you all have helped me through the beginning of the big step up to high school. I thank you all for everything you do and for always being there for me and others.
Hannah Lucas
Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best. SSO's are like teachers, good at teaching, just as good at being there for them.
Regyna Rivett
Support Staff undertake a diversity of roles at Kapunda High School, including:
- Grounds maintenance and development
- Resource Centre support
- Co-ordination of special events such as Presentation Evening
- Mentoring of individual students
- Classroom support for students with special learning needs
- Managing social skills groups
- IT Network maintenance and development
- Day-to-day management of a $6m operating budget
- Co-ordination of building management
- Administrative support for our Flexible Learning Options (FLO) and VET programmes
- Managing Reception –phones, absences, mail, re-directing emails, receipt of monies, first aid, making appointments, etc.
- Preparing publications, including the newsletter and school magazine
- Preparation of Science experiments
- Canteen management
- Pastoral support
- Oversight of Work, Health and Safety, risk management and medication management.
At Kapunda High School, we have a very committed, highly professional team. On behalf of the whole school community, I thank them for the work they do and the effort they make every day for our school and students.
Work Experience
Last week, the majority of our Year 10 students undertook work experience at a range of workplaces both locally, regionally and in other parts of South Australia. The work experience program provides a valuable opportunity for students to explore future career opportunities and to build confidence by challenging themselves in new ways.
Given our current COVID-19 restrictions, I would like to thank all employers who were able to accommodate our students last week. An enormous thank you to our Year 10 Year Level Manager, Jess Read, The PLP team and VET Administration SSO, Ann Richardson for the many hours behind the scenes to ensure that all necessary documentation and risk assessments were completed.
Preparations for the Remainder of the Term
Kapunda High School has a planned pupil free day on Friday, 3 September. This will be followed by a school closure day on Monday, 6 September. Friday's pupil free day will be used by staff to continue preparations for the double year level intake of students at the beginning of 2022. Teams will be working on curriculum planning and mapping to support the transition of year 7 and 8.
Tim Jones
Principal
$30,000 Available in 2022 from Kapunda High School Centenary Foundation
Many rural and regional students thinking about university study or vocational training courses have no idea what the expected costs will be, and many will be reluctant to take on that risk according to the Country Education Foundation of Australia (CEF), of which Kapunda High School Centenary Foundation is a member.
Said Centenary Foundation Secretary, Mrs Anne Hornsey, “Each year since the start of our Centenary Foundation in 2007, we have noticed a significant increase in the need for financial support to country students. We are pleased our Foundation has been able to make a difference to a number of these students”
To help allay some of that financial worry, and to encourage students to commence their tertiary studies or training in 2022, the Centenary Foundation has recently released details of its grant offerings for 2022.
Including $10,000 worth of continuing support in 2022, there is another $20,000 available in grants available to current senior students, and former Kapunda High School students who will be under 25 years of age as at 1 January 2022.,
At a recent Information Session for Years 12's held at Kapunda High School, Mrs Hornsey advised students that a total of $260,000 had been made available to 100 successful applicants, since the first grant was made in 2009.
Centenary Foundation Chairman, Mr Barry Vogt, addressed students on what the Selection Panel would be looking for at the interview level of the selection process and advised all students to put significant effort into presenting themselves in the best possible way. He asked students to seriously think about what their goals and ambitions were and to focus on setting about being successful in their quest.
Three students who had received grants for 2021, Katlyn Brooks, Sean Dempsey and Sophie McDougall returned to the school and spoke of their experiences to the current students. They expressed appreciation to the Centenary Foundation for its support and encouraged all students to 'have a go' and apply for the offerings available.
Students may apply for the local Foundation Education Grants via the Country Education Foundation website: www.cef.org.au
In the first instance, applications are to be made online. The local Selection Panel will then choose which applicants will move onto the interview round in the Selection process. Applications close on 30 September, 2022.
Day two was the same - walk, talk and look forward to getting to our destination. Some dummy spits, a few tears and with a lot of hugs and support and we made it! Now to cook, clean and get to bed, ready for the next day.
Day three was the worst! We got lost getting to a camp site we could not find. It was cold, wet and dark. In the Flinders Ranges, it is very dark.
Day four started out like any other, but we only walked six km’s before we were able to stop - to abseil down a 25 metre cliff face. Most of us actually made it, and we all tried hard to get over the fear of jumping off a cliff. Then we finished the day with more walking.
We walked for three more days and survived with no running water, with only the drinking water we could carry, no toilets, no showers and no idea where we were.
We meditated in the middle of nowhere and took in the beautiful scenery at dawn and dusk. Except for the fatigue, soreness and missing our families, it was great. We learned self-reliance, persistence and resilience under stressful challenging experiences. We made friends with strangers, we supported each other through the experience and have emerged the other side as better people.
Special thanks to the experience that was Operation Flinders.
Linda Burton
KHS Operation Flinders teacher
Year 12 Society and Culture Social Action
In the turbulent times of Covid, the world has been shook to its core, weighing on the shoulders of the essential frontline workers within our local communities. As a token of our appreciation for these frontline essential workers, the year 12 Society and Culture class has aimed their social action towards recognising their efforts during these times. To achieve this, the class is delivering hampers of gifts and letters of appreciation to the workers of:
- Wheatfields Inc.
- Gawler Hospital
- Gawler Vaccination Centre
- Tanunda COVID-19 Testing Centre
- Nuriootpa Police station
- Kapunda Ambulance Station
These gifts will be symbolic of the appreciation and importance within our local communities of those who are essential workers in the current COVID-19 pandemic. To raise funds for this cause, the class is also organising a staff lunch on Tuesday, 24 August, a student-lead bake sale on the Wednesday, and a casual-clothes fundraising day on the Friday (requiring a gold coin donation).
Callum B
Year 12 student
Congratulations - Year 8/9 Footy
This year's 9-A-Side Football Competition was a muddy event with rain and wind during the competition. Senior student coaches were rewarded with our girls team and one of our boys teams being undefeated, with the other two teams losing few games, too.
Year 8 Science students recently learned about the engineering design process for windmills and how wind can be used to help get work done. They looked at the history and variety of windmills, focusing on the different materials used in the construction and the type of work each one is designed to do. Students were then challenged to design a paper windmill able to lift a small load (20 cent piece) from the floor to tabletop height.
National Science Week is Australia’s annual celebration of science and technology that runs each year in August. This year National Science Week began from 14 - 22 August.
To celebrate National Science Week, the science team have been running lunchtime activities that revolve around this year’s theme of Food: Different by Design. The activities that have been run have including making ice cream in a bag, sherbet, and honeycomb as well as practical based activities that involve everyday food.
In home groups students have also been participating in a quiz where in respective year levels they are competing against the other home groups with a prize on offer for each winning home group.
Staff have also been lucky enough to get involved with science week and are also participating in their own quiz that has some very tough questions in it.
Michael Raschella
Science teacher
Wilderness Escape Outdoor Adventures representative spoke with year 9 students recently about the Mambray Creek camp and what will be required. The camp involves a 3-day expedition style program based in the Southern Flinders Ranges with bushwalking and a team initiative challenge.
Urgent Accommodation
Rental accommodation required – short or long term
Ideally,
- 2 bedroom (2 persons)
- Max $260 pw
but willing to consider all options!
If able to help, phone Michelle 0429 202 219