17 November 2017

Newsletter Articles

SRC student, Caitlin Edwards with Prefects, Andrew Prior and Jai Baker representing KHS at Kapunda’s Remembrance Day ceremony

From Our Principal

KHS – ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY

Last week our Year 10 students participated in mock interviews with business and community members as interviewees. This is an important part of the compulsory SACE Stage 1 Personal Learning Plan (PLP) subject and gave students invaluable experience with employers, many of whom are regularly involved in hiring staff. Most importantly, students received valuable feedback that will assist them prepare for ‘real life’ interviews.

On Friday evening, five of our Year 9 students performed at the Kapunda Primary School Spring Fair. It was a great opportunity for our music students to gain confidence in playing in front of a large audience.

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending the local Remembrance Day ceremony with along with prefects, Jai Baker and Andrew Prior and SRC member, Caitlin Edwards. Jai, Andrew and Caitlin placed a wreath on behalf of the students and staff of Kapunda High School.

PUPIL FREE DAY – POSITIVE CORRECTION AND RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

On Friday, November 10, staff worked with Educational Consultant (and former KHS student), Bill Hansberry, on strengthening behaviour management approaches that support relationships between students, other students and teachers – rather than erode them.

Restorative practices involve the offending student in directly repairing or restoring the damage that has been caused. They teach accountability to their victims and to others affected by their actions. Furthermore they involve:

• A genuine attempt to strengthen the social bonds between those involved in incidents of harm or conflict, instead of weakening them
• Approaches that hold students accountable to each other (rather than just to the teachers, rules or school leadership)
• A shared commitment to values and agreements about how we treat one another
• Processes that get people talking
• A view of people as fundamentally good but capable of harmful behaviour

PRESENTATION EVENING – Monday, December 11

All members of our school community are cordially invited to attend the annual presentation evening on Monday, December 11 in the school gymnasium. Guests are asked to be seated by 7:15pm for a prompt 7:30pm start.

The main purpose of the evening is to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of our Year 8 to 12 students.

A significant number of students will be the recipients of prizes recognizing effort and achievement. There are also a range of prestigious awards and scholarships presented on the evening.

Special guest for the evening is former student, Rosina Helbig (formerly Booth) – now a Jetstar pilot.

As one of the most important events on the school calendar, it is expected that all students receiving awards are dressed in full school uniform, including footwear.

The night promises to be a great one with entertainment from the concert band and several soloists.

BYOD IN 2018 – LONG TERM LOANS

As previously advised, from the beginning of 2018, all families will be expected to have made arrangements for a device for school.

If you indicated that you wished to be considered for a long term loan of a school device and have not returned the application form, it is critical that you do so as soon as possible.

Please note that priority for long term loan devices is those families experiencing financial hardship.

An investment in our school

The Hon. Tung Ngo MLC came to visit Kapunda High School on Friday, November 3 to tour the school and get a sense of how the $10 million investment in building works will benefit a range of learning areas and cater for the projected growth within the district.

Member of State Parliament, Tung Ngo with Deputy Principal, Tim Jones

Be SunSmart!

Bailey, Jack, Seth, Cassie and Liam are ready for the summer season.

Next week is National SunSmart Week and KHS students will be doing some activities to promote SunSmart awareness.

Upcoming Pupil Free Day

The next Pupil Free Day will be:

Friday, 1 December – Week 7

Year 10 Mock Interviews

Week 4 saw Year 10 students undertake mock interviews as part of their Personal Learning Plan – a compulsory SACE subject. The mock interviews are well supported by local employers and community members who bring a wealth of beyond school knowledge and experience. By donating their time to interview a group of about six prospective employees for a particular role, then choosing a successful candidate who ‘wins’ the role and providing constructive feedback to all group members, they are allowing our students to have as close to a real life, preparatory experience as possible. We value and appreciate their time and input greatly. This year’s employers were:

Students have already identified that they have some interviewing strengths and have, through group discussions, identified ways that they could better prepare themselves for future interviews. The next task requires them to reflect deeply on this learning, and consider how they can best identify employer needs and address appropriate position criteria prepare ensuring that the set themselves up for future success.

Penny Chancellor
Flexible Pathways Coordinator

Preparing for my mock interview, I learned how to make a resumé and cover letter to a high standard. For the interview, I learned to dress and present myself well and behave maturely.

Liam Helmore

I liked how it was as close to a ‘real world’ situation as possible.

Dyllen Marks

STRIKERS GIRLS CRICKET

The Lower North Zone Strikers Girls Cricket School League is run by the Lower North Zone. The purpose behind this program is to provide a new opportunity to Year 6-10 school girls to come and try cricket and to provide a pathway for girls into the Mid North and Barossa Strikers Girls Cricket Leagues if they wish.

An overwhelming 33 teams will take part in this league - the biggest school league in Australia! Thanks to negotiations with SACA, $1000 funding per team from the Growing Cricket for Girls Funding will be received by each school team meeting the funding criteria.

The program involves the LN Zone Strikers Girls School League day on Friday, 24 November and two training/game sessions with either the Mid North Strikers Girls Cricket League at Clare or the Barossa Girls Cricket League.

SACA will be assisting our Zone on the LN Zone Strikers Girls School Cricket League day with one SACA Ground Manager helping out at each oval with setting up, music and trouble shooting on the day. Games will be played at Clare High School Oval (Year 6/7), Clare Town Oval (Year 6/7), Saddleworth (Year 8), Balaklava (Year 9) and Kapunda (Year 10). A Students with Disabilities Competition will be held at Mintaro.

Girls Cricket at Kapunda High School

A skills session was held at Kapunda High on Monday, 13 November with Sarah Jamieson (former student) from SACA. The girls had the opportunity to practice their bowling as well as some batting before they play next Friday. They will also get the opportunity to practice ‘padding up’; ready to play at the carnival.

The Girls Strikers league is a great opportunity to participate in cricket in our local competition. If you would like more information, please contact Megan Samain.

Lillie Rothe, Abbey Uren, Georgia Slager, Anais Morris, Ella Leggett & Zoe Perry with SACA representative, Sarah Jamieson.

Year 11 Bowls

Students have been participating in Lawn Bowls as their practical during Year 11 PE lessons. This will prepare them for Year 12 PE next year.

Thanks, to the Kapunda Lawn Bowling Club for allowing us to utilise their great facility.

Megan Samain
PE teacher, KHS Sports coordinator

Year 10 PE – Fitness Visits

Year 10 PE classes are currently participating in a Fitness unit. The aim with this final assessment and unit of work will be to prepare them for future years. Some students will not participate in PE again at school and therefore this unit will allow them to come up with a fitness program that is based on their own individual needs. Part of this unit involves a visit to the Rex in Tanunda, as well as have guest presenters visit. At the Rex centre, the students participated in RPM and Boot Camp classes. Amy Robinson from Energise also came in and ran the classes through a HiiT session and also a boxing session.

The students have thoroughly enjoyed the sessions and value the opportunity to try some new things.

Megan Samain & Mark Leslie
PE teachers

Artist’s Journey Continues

Having successfully completed a Stage 1 Modified Art program in first semester, Gemma Brett has near completed yet another Art course. This time around, she has been studying self-portraiture as a theme and visually responded to a range of interesting pieces by artists including David Choong Lee, Brett Whiteley, David Hockney and Francis Bacon.

Gemma has taken her own ‘selfies’ with her mounted laptop, selected collage images, applied paint, cropped photographs, chosen colours for her works and composed much of her own pieces.

This particular artwork was based on David Hockney’s photomontages. Well done, Gemma, on your fruitful year.

You can see some of Gemma’s work on display at the Kapunda Combined Schools Art Exhibition in Kapunda (until Sunday, 3 December).

Stuart Hoerisch
Art/Design teacher

Gemma Brett’s ‘Selfie’ Collage

Busking at the KPS Spring Fair

A number of KHS music students performed at Kapunda Primary School’s Spring Fair, last week.

Aneisha Whitmore, Isabel Castaneda & Georgia Flavel entertain the crowds

Concert Band visits Nuriootpa Primary School

The KHS Concert Band recently performed as guest artists and assisted in mentoring at a recent combined primary school music workshop held at Nuriootpa High School.

Year 10 Art

Year 10 students have been using expressive ways to create prints based on the human form. They were encouraged to consider techniques, including collage elements, over-printing and rainbow rolls.

Drew’s Friday Activities

Friday's recess time activity for Week 3 saw many students lined up for the Nerf Shoot Out - hit the Crunchie Bar and it was yours.

At lunchtime, staff and students competed in a Five/5 Cricket Smash on the oval. Each student and each staff member faced one over, but two runs were deducted from their score, each time they got out.

The students batted first and their scores were Fraser Arbon (3 runs), Aaron Hayward (6), Tom Godfrey (0), Tom Swain-Atkinson (5), and James Goddard (3) for a total of 17 runs.

Adam Langford got the Staff team off to a good start hitting 8 runs, followed by Bradley McLeod (6), Jake Smedley (8), Andrew Healy (7) and Tony Gabb (7) for a total score of 36 runs.

Man of the Match award went to Mr Gabb for some exceptional wicket keeping and hitting three runs off the final ball - an underarm bowl from James Goddard.

Drew Mickan
Activities Coordinator