30 March 2017

Newsletter Articles

PARENT-TEACHER INTERVIEWS

Parent-Teacher Interviews – Are they really important?

Parent-Teacher Interviews form one part of the Assessment and reporting practices of schools. These events can sometimes be frustrating for both Teachers and Parents when we do not have a common understanding of why we have them. Interviews are not just about reporting on progress, a report with grades only tells you what your child did not achieve. It rarely highlights the strengths outside of curriculum that may need to be nurtured to improve curriculum results.

It has long been established that as the first and most influential educator in a child’s life, Parents have an important role when it comes to their child's academic success. It has also been established that the Parent is the prime role model for their child. While teachers are important as well, the child will benefit more if there is a collaboration that involves regular communication and models what a productive working relationship can look like.

Parent-Teacher Interviews provide a wonderful opportunity for teachers to:

1. Outline the skills and the concepts that are being introduced in the classroom so that Parents may reinforce them at home through an assortment of learning activities
2. Highlight the strengths your child is exhibiting in other aspects of school life
3. Discuss concerns that you as a parent may have regarding your child’s progress
4. Reinforce the ways in which parents can nurture a growth mindset in their child through practical activities

In the lead up to Parent-Teacher Interviews on Tuesday 11th April (Week 11) think about what you want to know about your child’s progress and come prepared with some questions to get the most out of the time for you and your child.

A few ideas to get you thinking:

1. What are the children working on now in class?
2. Is there anything my child needs that I should know?
3. Does my child ask questions, participate in class discussions/ class room activities?
4. Is my child's reading progress satisfactory?
5. What activities does my child seem to enjoy the most at school?
6. Is my child's numeracy progress satisfactory?
7. What kinds of things will the class be doing over the next few weeks?
8. Can you tell me the best time and way to contact you if I have a query or concern?
9. Do you have any concerns about my child?
10. How is my child progressing in comparison to others in his/her year level?

If you don’t have any particular concerns, you might wonder whether it’s worth going to Parent-Teacher Interviews. But going along is one way to show your child that you’re interested in their learning and what’s happening for them at school.

Finally, Parent-Teacher Interviews are a good chance to hear about how your child is going, from someone other than your child. Older children and teenagers don’t always talk as openly about what’s happening for them at school. Teachers and support staff like counsellors are in an excellent position to watch how your child is developing and learning.

PARENT- TEACHER INTERVIEWS

Year 8 to Year 12 Parent – Teacher Interviews will be held from 3:30pm to 7:00pm on Tuesday 11th April.

You can now book interviews at times that suit your family best

by accessing the link displayed or by accessing the website. This year because of ongoing building works, we will be holding all interviews in the “Southern Flinders Sporting Complex” at the town oval.

For parents that don’t have access to the internet at home, at work, at a friend’s house or on their phones, parents may send a note to school with the approximate times they require, or phone the school on 8662 2171. Interviews are strictly 15 minutes and spaces are limited. If you require more time, please contact your teacher direct to make alternative arrangements.

Parents can change their interview bookings, any time prior to the closing date, by re-visiting the enewsletter link or the website. Remember to use the same name and email address you used when you made your original booking. Parents wishing to change their interview times after the closing date should contact the school direct on: 8662 2171.

2017 GHS GOVERNING COUNCIL MEMBERS

Kathryn Hansen – CHAIRPERSON
Fraser Smith - V/CHAIRPERSON
Brooke Hodgson - SECRETARY
Catherine Combe - TREASURER
Jodie Zwar
Julia Wardrop
Scott Watson
Sonya Wilsdon
Merrilyn Smith
Stephen Duffield
Kathleen Hoare – PRINCIPAL
Michael Manson – STAFF REPRESENTATIVE
Scott Crawford – COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE
Ethan Langenberg – STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE
Chloe Smart – STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE

Governing Council News

GHS Governing Council is up and running for 2017. We have now filled all positions on the council.

One of the roles of GC is to support the school through various sub committees. We currently have committees for Agriculture, Grounds, Facilities and Equipment, Finance Advisory, Stadium, Ewart Oval, Uniform and Fundraising. We are looking into the possibility of having an Education Committee also. We are eager for parents and community members to be involved in any of these committees, so if you or someone you know is interested in any of the committees, please contact Kathleen or myself for further information. Governing Council is keen to raise some funds for the beautification of the school grounds, so we are particularly looking for someone with bunches of enthusiasm to lead our Fundraising Committee. If this sounds like you, please get in touch!

Governing Council is YOUR voice in the school. Please feel free to contact a member of the Council to discuss your wants, needs or concerns regarding GHS. We look forward to a successful year.

Kathryn Hansen
Chairperson
GHS Governing Council

2016 SCHOOL MAGAZINE

The long awaited for 2016 magazine will be available next week. Please contact Front Office if you wish to order/pay for a magazine $15, or send payment with your child.

We apologise for the delay and thank you all for your patience.

LAURA FOLK FAIR BISCUITS

Please deliver biscuits to GHS Friday 31st March, biscuit packing at Gladstone High School Hall 1:30 to 4:00pm Friday 31st March.

Coordinators: Merrilyn Smith 0427632354
Catherine Combe 0429866322
Kylie Sawley 0429029561

GLADSTONE HIGH SCHOOL SHIRAZ

STAGE 1 AND 2 PE CAMP

The Stage 1 and 2 Aquatics Camp was held in Port Augusta from Wednesday to Friday of Week 8. The Stage 1 students participated in kayaking, while the Stage 2 students participated in sailing. Reports from students of both groups are detailed below:

Stage 1 Kayaking report

When we had to capsize we had to partner up; one person will rescue while the other one capsizes. Before capsizing you have to ensure that your spray deck, which is like a skirt that covers the cockpit to ensure no water gets in, is correctly put on and the tab is out, otherwise it won’t come off when you capsize. Right before you capsize you tuck yourself down and make sure your legs aren’t bent, otherwise it will be very tricky to get out. Once you have officially capsized you have to be sure not to panic, which is hard while you are upside down, underwater and you are getting water up your nose. While you are underwater you have to bang the side of the kayak three times at a slow pace. These three knocks will alarm others that someone has capsized and you need to be rescued. After you bang the side three times you have to feel around the cockpit, until you can feel the tab that was left out. Once you have the tab in your hand, you pull it and the spray deck will come off and you will slide out. Once you reach the surface someone will be there to help you and ensure you are okay and not hurt. The rescuer will drain the kayak and flip it over and help you with getting back in with lots of communication to the one who has capsized, because they can be a bit distressed. When all these steps have been completed you have completed capsizing.

Nikala Schmidt and Sarah McLean

The instructors, Wendy and Steveo, taught our group kayaking skills one being the sweep stroke. The sweep stroke is used when you need to turn around. To execute the sweep stroke well ensure the correct hand grip is used, place the blade near your feet in the water close to the kayak with outstretched arms and a rotated torso. Pull the water around the centre (being your torso) ensuring your arm pulling the water is near straight the entire motion and your other arm slightly bent or comfortable, the blade in the water should end near the back of the kayak. To execute a reverse sweep stroke simply reverse the above motion: begin near the end of the kayak and sweep around to the front of the kayak.

Chloe Bartley and Alice Jackson

Emergency stops are used for stopping promptly. Learning about the emergency stop was very useful when someone accidently cut across where you were paddling. The stroke was to be completed between 4-8 strokes. The strokes were quick, short and sharp.

Jemma Leighton

Stage 2 Sailing report

During Week 8 four Year 12 PE students participated in an Aquatics Camp where we learnt the ropes of sailing. On the first day we learnt the basics of how to rig the sail boat (set it up), leave and come back to shore, tack (turn into the wind) and gybe (turn away from the wind). We then learnt how to sail in different points of sail according to the wind. On the second day we developed our skills and were assessed on a triangular shaped course. On the last day we learnt how to perform a safe capsize. The weather and the three days were great and I definitely enjoyed my time and loved learning how to sail. Thanks to Miss Thamm and Mr Smith for their supervision and cooking and preparation of our meals.

Taryn Kelly

During the sailing course, we learned the two different techniques of turning. One technique requires you to turn the sail boat into the wind, in order to face the other way. This is called a tack and is known to be the safest technique to use. The other technique requires you to turn the boat away from the direction of where the wind is coming from. This is called a gybe however is more dangerous as the risk of being hit in the head by the boom (metal pole which the main sail is attached to) is much higher. In order for the boom to swap sides on the boat, says “gybe ho!” and swings it across the crews head. This was one of the most fun parts of sailing.

Mikayla Glenn and Jim Treasure

MENINGOCOCCAL B VACCINE STUDY

Immunisation Providers will be visiting Gladstone High School on Thursday 6th April 2017 at 9:00am. To participate in this study, students must be present on this day.

All consenting students will complete a questionnaire, have a throat swab taken & receive a $20 iTunes card.

Allocation of groups will not be disclosed until the day of the visit. If Gladstone High School is allocated “Group A”- they will receive Vaccine Dose 1 on this visit & then Vaccine Dose 2 in June 2017. If Gladstone High School is allocated “Group B” they will not receive a vaccine until 2018.

Further information will be provided after the first visit.

Any queries contact Dymph, Gladstone Health Centre ph: 86622158
or dymphna.catford@health.sa.gov.au

GHS ATHLETICS DAY

Prior to Athletics Day students participated in three mornings of athletics practice. For each of the practice events students calculated their 5 star points awards, these points were added as bonus points to their team on Athletics Day. The bonus points allocated to each house were as follows:

Oswald 84
Sullivan 74
Richards Gale 56

The 1500m event was held on the Wednesday prior to Athletics Day. For this event, there was no cap on the amount of participants allowed to compete. Every competitor that finished the race scored a point for his or her house. This year saw positive participation in the event with 72 students racing, across all age groups.

There were multiple highlights on the day with 5 broken records including the Under 16 Female 1500m with Chloe Jackson setting a new record of 6:00.84 minutes. This record was previously held by A. Lloyd (2012) in a time of 6:05.00 minutes. Chloe Jackson also set a new record for the Under 16 400m sprint in a time of 1:11.09. This record was previously held by D. Crouch (2010) in a time of 1:11.20 minutes. Chloe’s third record of the day was in the Under 16 Javelin. This record was previously held by S. O’Brien (2006, 24.28 metres), with Chloe throwing 25.17 metres. Jake Clements now shares a record with S. Peryman (1996) in the Open Male High Jump with a measurement of 1.85 metres. Charlotte Durrant now shares a record with A. Crisp (2013), jumping 1.35 metres in the High Jump.

The Age Group Champions are as follows:

Year 6/7 Female

1. Charlotte Durrant
2. Lillie Sheperdson

Year 6/7 Male

1. Samuel Shepherdson
2. Ben Flowers

Under 14 Female

1. Elyce Malycha
2. Jessie Harslett

Under 14 Male

1. Josh Clements
2. Andrew Horace/Max Crouch

Under 16 Female

1. Teneal Malycha
2. Chloe Jackson

Under 16 Male

1. Ben Treasure
2. Henry Woodlands

Open Female

1. Taryn Kelly
2. Mikayla Glenn

Open Male

1. Nathan Hooper
2. Nash Macfarlane

Overall scores – Primary School

Crystal Brook 207
Gladstone 185
St Josephs 164
Laura 142

Overall scores – High School

Sullivan 982
Oswald 944
Richards Gale 864

A big thank you to all of the volunteers in the canteen. Thank you also to our House Captains and the other Year 12 students for their enthusiasm and leadership on the day. Congratulations to all the Age Champions and to Sullivan who were the overall winners on the day. At this stage of the year, we have seen Sullivan win the Swimming Carnival and Athletics Day; the challenge is now for participating students to be successful in SSSSA Athletics.

ATHLETICS DAY

This year has been such a successful one for Sullivan, winning the swimming carnival by a narrow margin and now being the champions of athletics day. We believe this was due to the large participation of all house members and we Captains would like to thank everyone who participated in events on the day. Congratulations to Richards Gale and Oswald on being such good competition as well, it definitely was no obvious result at the end of the day and we’re glad that we won with such good sportsmanship surrounding us. Good luck to Sullivan for next year, hopefully they can make it two in a row! I would definitely recommend any student to go for House Captain in the future because it is such an enjoyable experience and one I won’t regret.

Taryn Kelly

DID YOU KNOW?

ARTHUR SULLIVAN VC

Arthur Sullivan was born at Crystal Brook on November 27th, 1896. He was first educated at Crystal Brook Primary School before moving onto Gladstone High School.

After leaving GHS he joined the National Bank at Gladstone. He was later transferred to Broken Hill and then to Maitland (SA). He enlisted at Port Pirie on April 27th 1918. He embarked at Melbourne on HMAT “Marathon” on July 23rd 1918 with the 3rd South Australian General Service Reinforcements. On arrival in London on September 27th 1918 he was transferred to the 1st Battalion. From there he went on October 5th 1918 to the Artillery Detail with rank of Gunner. There was by then only a month to go in the war and Sullivan saw no active service.

He then volunteered to join the British North Russian Relief Force, a group of Allied volunteers raised to relieve British and Allied Forces beleaguered in fighting the Bolsheviks in North Russia. He was discharged from the AIF on July 12th 1919 and enlisted in the British Army, serving in the 45th Battalion the Royal Fusiliers. About 300 fellow Australians were part of this force. This relief force arrived in North Russia and was in active combat against Bolshevik forced from mid-July onwards.

On August 10th 1919, on the Sheika River 250kms south-east of Archangel, Corporal Arthur Sullivan, while fighting a rear-guard action under intense fire, jumped into the River off a narrow plank bridge to rescue an officer and three men who had fallen in while trying to cross. All members of the platoon were exhausted, including Sullivan, regardless of his own weariness and disregarding the enemy less than 100 metres away he saved the four men. For this heroic achievement Arthur Sullivan was awarded the Commonwealth’s highest decoration, the Victoria Cross.

On his return to Australia, he was decorated in Adelaide in June 1920, with the VC by HRH the Prince of Wales (later the Duke of Windsor) and in the presence of the Prince’s aide-de-camp Sub-Lt Lord Louis Mountbatten.

Sullivan re-joined the National Bank, firstly at Maitland, then Orroroo, then Sydney and finally as Manager at Casino, NSW.

On January 31st 1937, he enlisted in the Australian Permanent Forces with the rank of Gunner. He embarked at Melbourne with the Australian Coronation Contingent for the coronation of HM King George VI. As part of his duty he handed over the ashes to Sgt A Evans VC, DCM who served at Gallipoli as Walter Simpson.

On April 9th 1937, when returning to his quarters at Wellington Barracks, London, he slipped in the street and hit his head on the kerb. He died the same day in hospital. He was given a full military funeral in London. His ashes were brought to Sydney in July 1937 and placed in the Northern Suburbs Crematorium.

His comrades erected a plaque opposite the spot where he was killed. It reads:

“To the glory of God and in ever living memory of Gnr Arthur P Sullivan VC who was accidentally killed on April 9th 1937 whilst serving as a representative of his country at the Coronation of HM King George VI. This tablet was erected by his comrades of the Australian Coronation Contingent 1938.”

Arthur Percy Sullivan VC is remembered to this day at this school. Since 1927 when it was created, Sullivan House has won many triumphs on the sports field, an area in which he excelled whilst at school.

COMMUNITY NEWS

JAMESTOWN JUNIOR AND ADULT FUTSAL SEASON 2017

Registrations are now open for 2017 Season.

The Friday night Junior competition will start the 1st Friday in Term 2, Friday 5th May. Players need to be born between 1999 and 2011 inclusive.

As per previous years Junior players need to register as individuals and will then be placed into a team for the season.

Details on how to register are available on our website or on the Jamestown Junior Futsal Facebook page. ALL players MUST follow these instructions and register online to be able to play.

Adult competition will begin Monday, 1st May.

Interested players should email their name and/or team name with contact details to jamestownfutsal@gmail.com . Individual players MUST be registered as per the details available on our website or on the Jamestown Junior Futsal Facebook page.

Please contact Marie Irrgang on 0427 282 670 or via email or Claire Smallacombe 0417 867 654 with any queries.

REGISTRATIONS CLOSE ON APRIL 3RD.