Unexplained attendance of students 

Over the course of the year, the number of unexplained student absences has risen. This occurs when no reason for a student’s absence has been provided by parents/caregivers. Our process involves sending an SMS to parents when a student is marked as absent on the roll. Please reply to this SMS for the reason of the absence. This can occur by replying to the text, calling the school or writing a note in your child’s diary. Another popular option is to submit in advance non attendance via the Sentral Portal. Contact the school if you need any any assistance with this. 

Attendance on school grounds 

We have noticed there have been a number of students entering the school grounds outside of school hours. During this time, students have been accessing areas that are dangerous. A reminder there should be no one on school grounds outside of school hours. 

Ski Trip 

Quite a few of our year 9’s with the support of Helen Gaunt, Brianna Pullan, Jack Kennewell and Ali Gulin will begin the trip to the snow along with Booleroo Centre District School and Jamestown Community School students on Saturday evening. Lots of work has gone into preparing for this trip, and I would like to acknowledge Deb Davis, who has tirelessly worked with all of the companies involved to organise quotes and bookings for all three schools and working alongside Sue Foulis to organise all of the payments is a monumental task and very much appreciated. 

Staffing News 

We are excited to announce two of our new leaders for 2025. Danya McKay and Lauren Amey will be joining us in the two new Assistant Principal positions of Curriculum and Pedagogy/School Sport and Curriculum and Pedagogy/Timetabling respectively. 

In addition, we congratulate Helen Gaunt, Emma Jeffries and Alison Johnson on winning the positions of 7/8, 9/10 and 11/12 Coordinators. 

YEAR 10 WORK EXPERIENCE 

In Week 9 of Term 3 our Year 10s adventured far and wide to undertake work experience. Work experience is a wonderful opportunity for students to explore career pathways and build valuable life skills as evidenced in the insightful reflections made by our incredible Year 10 cohort.

Thrive Health Centre - Imogen Cunningham

I learnt good communication skills as you must know how to communicate with clients you don’t know as well as clients with different conditions and disabilities. I also learnt to be resilient and flexible as many clients cancel or fail to show up to their scheduled appointments.

Heidelberg Cakes - Amelia Venning

The most valuable lesson I learnt from this work experience is that it is okay to make mistakes, everyone is still learning and that voicing your thoughts is the best way to discover and evolve yourself and your workplace.

Brett Cunningham Builder - Hudson Seidel

This work experience align with my future goals because I am interested in being part of the building industry and I will carry forward the skills I learnt.  The valuable lessons I learnt was that all the little measurements are important and, if I could do anything differently, it would be to ask more questions.

Spirit of the Coorong & The Big Duck Boat Tours - Tess Cleggett

I developed a new perception of how the tourism industry works and what factors it takes to run the business, as well as a better understanding of the marine life and environment in the Fleurieu Peninsula. I also learnt interesting facts about the animals and plants from each tour. Talking to everyone on the boat also improved my social skills. These skills contributed to my growth because overtime, I became more confident to engage with people and be more involved in the tasks.

School Sport SA - Macen Taylor

It showed me that I could be interested in the sport industry and could be good at it. Some things that will stick with me for my future will be working with a team and speaking clearly. This work experience helped me realise that I can be good at things if I try to be.  

Jamestown Hospital and Health Service - Madi Clogg

My main aim was to get a feel of the available occupations within the hospital environment. I enjoy helping people and valued the time spent with each resident.  I enjoyed going for walks, cooking, solving puzzles and attending the residents meeting as well as meeting the welcoming staff, making beds, restocking rooms and following med and meal runs. A huge highlight was learning how to use the machines to measure someone's heart rate, finger pulse and prick a finger to determine a blood-glucose level. Overall, my work experience supported my opinion on my current future goals. Completing my Cert 3 in aged care next year is definitely something I wish to do before graduating and hopefully studying at University to become a nurse. 

YNLHN Laura District Hospital - Lilly Gregory

My main task was shadowing a EN nurse around the aged-care ward and my responsibilities were if the nurse forgot a towel or an item of clothing, I was able to retrieve them. My work experience have allowed me to understand that working in aged-care takes a lot of patience, communication and gentleness. The most valuable lessons I have learnt from doing work experience is how to make connections with patients and co-workers, and the importance of all health care workers, even the housekeepers and cooks

Kerin Agencies Nutrien - George Rackham

Some of my main tasks were driving forklifts and moving chemicals. Along with paddock inspections and working on the sprayer. My work experience aligned very well with my future as I want to do farming. I learnt a lot about different diseases and chemicals in my time at Kerins.

Terese Louise Beauty - Georgia Emms

I learnt more about skin types and what kinds of treatments improve it depending on what treatment they were looking for. I learnt that some treatments may impact the skin in a negative way and that it is important to keep track of the background consultations to make sure you don’t put any negative toxins on the skin layer. My knowledge about beauty therapy grew and I was able to learn what to do and what not to do when it comes to skin types as some skin you can’t put certain chemicals on as it may burn the skin itself while others are completely fine. I would like to become a beauty therapist and possibly have my own little business for it, this way I was able to see the challenges and responsibilities that come along with that.

Pirie Embroidery - Eloise Cowin

This aligns with my future career because its something that I am now considering doing in the future and contributes to the skills that I will need in order to do so. The most valuable lessons that I had learnt were the sewing skills because I will always carry these forward.

BNS Concrete - Hamish Hillyer

My main tasks were gathering information from pdf files and developing a website which contributed to the overall goals for the organisation because it helps customer get in contact easier. My most valuable lesson that I learnt wear my communication skills and my programming skills.

YEAR 12 RETREAT 

Attending the Year 12 Retreat as a staff member was an amazing experience. It was such a joy to have a few days away from school to continue building positive and lasting relationships with my homegroup. We spent our time laughing, having fun, getting a little competitive at 8-Ball, and trying new things, making sure to capture some memories on camera. My personal favourite activity was Bounce on the last day, but ice-skating was also great fun as it never fails to make people laugh as we fall over while learning. Ethan also cooked an amazing sausage, egg, and mushroom breakfast on the last day, which Jensen and I still describe as 'bloody good'. I'd like to sincerely thank Tegan Johnston, who did all the preliminary planning and Alison Johnson for all her planning and booking, and the Year 12 students for their exemplary conduct and attitude while on camp - they were a joy to take away. - Mr. Rutjens

Retreat was a memorable and heartfelt experience that will resonate with us for life. Although each day was full of many activities, the wholesome night in the cabin watching Outerbanks with the crew, accompanied by our delicious candy salad, was indeed the most enjoyable experience. Thank you to Mr Rutjens and Ms Johnson for giving up their time to make our last school camp a camp we will continue to remember. – Asia Brand

BASKETBALL COMPETITION 

Community Studies is a cross-disciplinary SACE subject that allows students to investigate an area of interest to them, participate in volunteering in the community, or run events to help others. In Term 2, Year 11 students Danyl Haskell and Latrell Smith organised and umpired a lunchtime basketball competition. They wanted to strengthen their own umpiring skills, get experience in organising an event and provide a fun activity for GHS students. Below is an extract of their reflections on the experience:

Many things were successful, such as, how well the games ran, how the games were structured, and how much research we gathered. As the schedule had to be altered, it turned out successful because of the low number of teams that participated. It allowed for a more simplified game schedule/finals bracket. The games ran extremely smoothly because they were shorter to fit into the lunch breaks, and also because we didn’t have to worry about teams having many substitutions because most teams had no more than 5 people. I did improve upon my basketball umpiring knowledge and skills.

The competition that my partner and I created affected not only the people who participated but, also the people who watched. The way it affected the participants was by giving them the ability to show off their basketball skills and have an enjoyable way to spend their lunch breaks. When it comes to the people who cam and watched the games it allowed them to see what possible future competitions may be like, but also gave them the opportunity to support their friends and fellow classmates while also having something to do during their lunch break.

Kate Seidel

MNSEC FORMAL 

A group of twelve Year 11 and 12 students travelled to Peterborough to attend the annual MNSEC Formal on the 21st of June. The night was enjoyed by all, including the supervising teachers Mr Rutjens and Mr Wren, who broke into a surprise dance by the end of the night! A grazing table was provided by Peterborough High School which looked great and tasted good, and the venue looked very impressive. A digital photo booth was also set-up in the room, which proved extremely well-used by all schools and gave students the opportunity to capture memories from the night. In addition to this, a larger photoshoot section was dedicated to the professional photographer who captured some impressive shots of our school group. Overall, the 2024 MNSEC Formal was a great night for all, and allowed students to socialize with other schools in the area. We are looking forward to seeing Mr Rutjens improved moves at next year’s formal!

Max Pedler

PYJAMA DAY

On the last day of Term 2, the Year 12s organised 'Pyjama Day'. Kids showed up in their PJs and enjoyed some delicious pancakes and hot chocolates. In the afternoon, the kids watched a movie in the School Hall before being dismissed early and heading off on their holidays. It was wonderful to see the Year 12s working so well together to organise the event and the food and drinks. Thanks to all that participated on the day!

RAP 

The motto of the Road Awareness Program (RAP) is that “you can choose the risk but you can’t choose the consequence” and addresses the choice that young people have to be safe on our roads whether they are a driver, a passenger or a pedestrian. Aimed at Year 11 students, the 90 minute presentation was a hard-hitting and confronting session professionally delivered by a specially trained firefighter. The session used the stories of real-life people, with students watching graphic videos of road accidents, hearing the firefighter’s emotional stories of crash sites and listening to the personal experience of a crash survivor who had severe mental and physical repercussions after electing to get into a car with a risk-taking driver. 

The session effectively highlighted for our young people how the choices they make on the road impact others and how they can support each other to make better decisions.

RURAL DOCTORS WORKFORCE AGENCY 

In Week 1 of Term 3, the RDWA came to chat to students interested in health pathways about how students can pursue health careers and return to rural areas where health professionals are desperately needed. The presenters, Dale and Isuri, addressed misconceptions and barriers for country students who want to study medicine. This was an informative and interesting session for our students interested in careers in health.

SPOTLIGHT ON JUDY CROSBY 

Did you know that our ACETO, Judy Crosby, is also a gifted artist? She and I were chatting recently and I wanted to share her reflections on her role as a valuable member of the Aboriginal Art community:

I am very lucky to have cultural knowledge holders in my family and community.  

A lot of this networking is reflected in my art. Which I am very passionate about! 

Over the years I have collaborated with different service providers through Art and Design workshops that I have facilitated!  As many may not be aware I work across 3 Educational sites one where I mentor Aboriginal Art as part of the Aboriginal Learners Social and Emotional connection to culture. I am a member for Experts by Experience helping to voice for our mob in Health and Wellbeing at Port Pirie Regional Health Service. 

My latest collaboration recently was with the Port Pirie Correctional Service. I created artwork for their Acknowledgement of Country. The design is about the 'client' connecting with service providers and reconnecting with the community. The client's journey of rediscovery of themselves with supports of holistic healing on the lands of the Nukunu people who are the traditional custodians.

I am awaiting unveiling of another collaboration with the Port Augusta Health Service. 

I will be facilitating jewellery making in the 2024 Winter SALA in Port Pirie. Over the many years I have contributed to small and large gathering delivering workshops around art and design and the Acknowledgement of country to the wider community. 

I am very lucky to have the knowledge and skills to share so that others may embrace our culture from a different perceptive.

PPEP Talk!

On Tuesday 6 August, 2024 Nicola from Periods, Pain, Endometriosis Program (PPEP) met with our Year 9 girls. She took the group through a presentation. The PPEP Talk is a positive, interactive, enjoyable program that de-mystifies periods and educates on the latest in modern knowledge and the neuroscience of pain. All students participated positively and it was a great way to ask questions in a safe environment.

More information can be found at:

https://www.pelvicpain.org.au/ppep-talk-schools-program/

We are well and truly into Semester 2, and the year is flying by. Students have settled into their second semester subjects, and everyone will now have changed elective subjects. Middle school students get a taste of Home Ec, Design & Tech, Digital Media, Drama, Music, Textiles and Visual Arts with specialist teachers in these areas. We are extremely fortunate to be able to offer such a large range of subjects to our students. Our teachers are always available to discuss student progress and answer any of your questions. Please feel free to make contact by phoneing the school or email at any time.

It's an exciting time to be a Year 9 student as we prepare for the Ski Trip and Alternate Activities week coming up in Week 4. The Ski Trippers will leave Saturday night, 10^th August, travelling on buses bound for Falls Creek. Thankfully, there has been some good snowfall recently. Other Year 9 students will participate in a range of activities and excursions including Tenpin Bowling in Port Pirie, movies at Blyth Cinema, cooking and a nature walk, and an Amazing Race. Thank you to all the teachers and SSOs who have put enormous time and effort into organising all these fantastic excursions and activities for the students to enjoy. It will certainly be a week of firsts for some and a week to remember for all.

Coming up later in the term – PAT testing, Year 7-9 Poetry in Action, Year 9 Geography Excursion.

MNSEC Football

This week saw some of our Year 7 and 8 boys competing in the Statewide AFL competition as part of the MNSEC team on Tuesday 6^th August at Kadina. The boys finished 3rd for the day. Followed by Year 7 – 9 girls on Wednesday 7^th August in Burra. The MNSEC football teams are made up of students from GHS, Jamestown Community School, Booleroo Centre District School and Orroroo Area School. Coached by teachers from different schools, we appreciate Miss Brianna Pullan, who has coached the girl's football teams this year.

Congratulations to the girls who came away undefeated for the day, winning their first game 42-0 and their second game 98-1.

Thanks also to the parents and students who have assisted with boundary, goal and field umpiring. Without volunteers for each of these jobs, the competitions could not go ahead and our students would not be able to experience these fantastic opportunities. We appreciate all our volunteers who give their time to help out with jobs and transport. We wish our students luck in their games this week and know they will represent themselves, GHS and MNSEC with pride.

School Sport SA National Tournment 

A huge congratulations to Chloe Nettle, who spent Week 2 of this term in the Gold Coast, representing SA in the 15U State AFL girl's team. Chloe and her team finished on the top of their pool undefeated, which put them into the final, playing against a strong Victorian team. They came away with a win against Victoria and headed to the Gold Medal match. Chloe and her team came away with the Gold Medal after beating NSW 0.3-3 to 3.5-23. We are super proud of your achievements Chloe.

5-A-SIDE Soccer Carnival

The annual 5-a-side Soccer carnival in Booleroo is also this week, on Thursday 8^th August. Thanks to our Year 7 and 8 HPE teachers, Mr Max Rutjens and Mrs Hannah Pech, for all their efforts in preparing our students for the carnival. Students have been learning the rules and developing their soccer skills in HPE lessons this term. Thanks also to our older students, who will take up coaching and umpiring roles at the carnival. It is always fantastic to see our older students as mentors and role models and developing their leadership skills.

In Week 6, on Wednesday, 28th August, our Year 9/10 girl’s netball team, which finished undefeated at the Port Pirie round-robin carnival last term, will head to Adelaide to compete in the state netball finals. We wish them good luck and know they will play some amazing netball and have lots of fun.

Also in Week 6, it is Gladstone High School’s turn to host a MNSEC carnival. All Year 9 and 10 students will compete in a mixed Fast 5’s netball competition on Thursday 29^th August. If you can spare any time on the day, and have some experience in umpiring netball, please let Helen Gaunt or Hannah Pech know. Any help is appreciated.

Preparations for the Royal Adelaide Show have begun in earnest, with show teams being selected and students preparing animals. The Year 9 students completed applications to join the GHS show team and have been diligently caring for the goats that will be taken to the show. The students have been working hard to train the goats to walk on leads, cleaning the goat pens, and weighing the goats on a weekly basis. Both Year 9 and 10 students shared the responsibility for checking goats' and sheep's feed and wellbeing by forming a roster.

Poultry Club has been busily preparing their poster component for the show's school egg layer competition and, over the next few weeks, will begin to prepare and select which chickens will be sent to the Royal Adelaide Show to be judged.

Jamestown Steer & Sheep Education Day:

On Monday 29^th July, Year 10 and 11 agriculture students had the opportunity to attend a steer and sheep education day in Jamestown. Students gained experience in how to judge and show livestock and attended a rotation of workshops. The Year 10s undertook workshops on wool quality traits, ruminant health and what students should be looking for when selecting their own sheep for the show. When back in the classroom, the students put this into practice by first drafting based on wool sample results and then conducting a preliminary selection based on physical characteristics. A special thanks to Tom Ashby for coming in to collect the wool samples for testing last term. Year 11 students attended workshops giving them skills and tips on how to handle their steers and what the judges will be looking for in both a handler and animal. Other workshops included what to expect at the show and how to prepare a steer for shows.

Semester 2 has kicked off, and we are well into Term 3. Mrs Gaunt is onto her second batch of Year 7’s, and they are in the midst of creating their timber children’s toy projects. I have a class of Year 8s, and after some preliminary safety induction tasks earlier on, we are now practising the construction of housing joints using tenon saws and chisels on veneered MDF (medium-density fibreboard) timber. This will be the main joint feature in the utility box project that is coming up. The Year 9 class is small and has allowed some freedom in the projects that we will focus on. First, we have been practising half-lap joints on 42x19 pine timber. This will be for the rear frame of the timber clock project. We also want to begin some sheet metal folding within the program to keep the 9s stimulated and engaged throughout.

Last semester, the Year 10s wrapped up their metal skills tasks of phone stands and some completed folding BBQ plates which turned out quite nicely. This semester, some are looking to extend their metalworking skills, including folding sheet metal and timber-working skills with Japanese-inspired storage boxes. In Year 11, the metalwork stream completed some sack truck projects; the timber stream almost completed their bedside cabinets. This semester, Year 11’s only have metalwork and have focused on complex joinery with welding. The Year 12s are rushing into the production of final projects, having recently completed cutting and costing sheets in conjunction with supporting theory work.

I was fortunate enough to participate in the South Australia Junior Heifer Expo during the July school holidays. This included spending three nights camping at the Adelaide Showgrounds from Monday the 15th to Thursday the 18th with 195 other competitors from around the country ranging from ages 8 to 24. Through the expo I participated in educational lectures, career mentoring and competitions. Many of these included working with my heifer, Goolagong U Go Girl, which was supplied by Goolagong Santa Gertrudis and Angus Stud, and without their support, I truly could not have partaken in this experience.

An absolute highlight for me was the IVF lecture run by Vytelle. This included an IVF extraction performed in front of the group with viewing access to the ultrasound screen and life cometary. This was extremely educational and insightful for the competitors as possible future leaders in agriculture and cattle.

This program was an experience like no other. I truly understood the meaning of ‘Coffee is the gasoline of life’ after 5 am wake-ups to wash my heifer and ensure the stall was ready for the day and 9-10pm nights preparing for the following day's competition. Although this time was tiring and full-on, the support of the other competitors and my new friends while participating in the same process helped make the expo more enjoyable.

During the heifer class competitions, where the heifer is judged compared to the others at the expo, I was lucky enough to win 3^rd place for the class my heifer was placed in. As it was my first time attending the expo, I was labelled a novice, and this ensured that the committee members knew I had less experience. However, I quickly picked up on the processes and content and was lucky enough to place 12th out of the 54 intermediate competitors aged 15 -17 years. During presentations, I was fortunate to be present as the best-scoring junior judging intermediate novice, where I was scored on my abilities to assess and place 4 heifers without assistance. I Was also presented as the intermediate novice herdsperson title, which is given to the highest scoring novice for the age group from competition, animal care, personal presentation, and more.

Overall, I had a great time and expanded my knowledge of beef cattle more than I thought would be possible. I’m glad I took up the opportunity and look forward to returning next year and continuing to expand my abilities in showing cattle.

Chloe Crawford

Parent survey

You’re invited to complete the 2024 annual Public Education Parent Survey.

The 2024 parent survey opens mid to late July and closes midnight Sunday 8 September.

During the survey window you will receive an email or SMS from the Parent Survey Team with a unique link to participate in the survey.

If you have not received an email or SMS with your unique survey link by Friday 9 August 2024, please check your spam or junk folders. Otherwise, please contact education.ParentSurvey@sa.gov.au and include our school’s name in your email. A new survey will be sent to you.

The survey takes less than 10 minutes and will help us understand:

• what we’re doing well
• where we can improve
• what’s important to you.

It has been coordinated centrally so that added administration workload isn't placed on the school.

Your answers won't identify you or your child. Only collated feedback will be provided to our school.

Information collected will inform school improvement planning and activities at the school.

The survey closes midnight Sunday 8 September.

Congratulations to Laura Rackham and Tess Cleggett and the Northern Demons Virtus Soccer Club Senior Women's Team, for winning their Cup Semi-Final to progress them to the Cup Grand Final on September 15th. We wish the girls all the very best as this is the first time the Northern Demons Womens team will be competing in a Cup Grand Final.