4 May 2017

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPAL’S NEWS

Welcome back to Term 2.

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Easter and school holiday period, I know I did!

As we start another super busy and action packed term it is important to remember the keys to a successful term of learning at GHS are;

1. Attendance – Everyday matters, if you are not at school you cannot be fully engaged in your learning
2. Organisation – be prepared for lessons, have a homework plan, keep track of work in your diary
3. Goals – set targets, have a plan and stick to it

At school we constantly reinforce the importance of these three aspects of learning by;

• Modelling our own attendance and the importance of not missing days
• Being on time to lessons and being prepared for the teaching day ahead
• Explicitly teaching time management and reminding students of the importance of diary use
• Setting learning targets in the classroom and
• teaching goal setting strategies that are accessible to students

Attendance is the most significant factor in ensuring good organisation and achievable goals so we need to get this part right!

You can help with Attendance from home by;

• Acting early – don’t let a one off absence become a weekly absence!
• Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day, make that the expectation. Regular attendance at school sets up good behaviours for regular attendance at work.
• Help your teenager maintain daily routines such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep. On average, teenagers need 8-9 hours of sleep to be healthy and alert.
• Try not to schedule hair, dental or medical appointments during school hours.
• Don’t let your teenager stay home unless genuinely sick. Complaints of headaches or stomach aches may be signs of anxiety.
• If your teenager wants to stay home to finish an assignment, rather than letting them stay home, expect them to go to school – make attendance the number one priority.
• Be sure to set a good example – how you meet your commitments impacts on how they will meet theirs.
• Talk to your teenager. What are their feelings about school? What interests them at school? Are there any difficult situations?
• Try to be aware of your teenager’s social contacts. Peer influence can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated.
• Encourage meaningful extracurricular activities that your teenager enjoys, such as sports and clubs, to develop positive relationships and experience success outside of a classroom setting.
• Set clear parameters around part-time work. Make sure that the hours your teenager is working do not impact on their ability to go to school the next day, or interfere with school assessment expectations or exam preparation
• Monitor your teenager’s attendance and school performance. Periodically check with their teachers to find out how things are going.
• Let us know as early as possible the reason for an absence.

Consistent messages between school and home will increase the educational impact we can achieve.

Remember - EVERY SCHOOL DAY MATTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kathleen Hoare
Principal

HOW CAN I GET MY TEENAGER TO SCHOOL?

Many teenagers seek independence and think they know best. No matter how hard parents try, some students may be reluctant or refuse to go to school. These are some ideas which may assist parents to deal with teenagers and school refusal. Addressing attendance issues promptly and setting up good patterns in adolescence can lead to future success.

Did you know?

• Patterns of late arrival at school or missing classes are early warning signs
• Missing one day of school each week adds up to 2 months missed over a year
• Each day absent in high school has an impact on skill development and social connections
• Poor attendance may be associated with future unemployment, criminal activity, substance abuse, and poorer health and life expectancy

Some causes of school problems:

Some of the more common causes of school problems are underlying learning difficulties or learning disabilities or behavioural or emotional issues. But there are many other reasons why a young person might not be engaging fully in their education.

School factors might include:

• bullying
• disliking, or not feeling connected to, the school culture or environment
• disliking school subjects, not liking the choice of subjects, or not feeling challenged by the work
• poor school or academic support, especially in relation to heavy workloads
• not getting along with teachers or other students at school
• competing demands on time, such as extracurricular activities

Personal factors might include:

• chronic illness
• intellectual or cognitive disability
• behavioural or developmental difficulties or disorders
• mental health issues such as depression or anxiety
• history of abuse and neglect
• poor self-concept or self-esteem
• poor communication skills
• poor social skills
• difficulty with listening, concentrating or sitting still

Family factors might include:

• parents who aren’t involved in their child’s education
• a home environment that doesn’t or can’t adequately support a young person’s learning
• family problems such as relationship breakdowns
• competing family or social responsibilities, such as caring for family members, or working outside school hours

Contact us to discuss your concerns - 08)8662 2171 or via email Kathleen.hoare292@schools.sa.edu.au and kerrlyn.elmer873@schools.sa.edu.au

DOCUMENT WALLET

Every child received a document wallet on Wednesday 3rd May containing GHS Term 2 Calendar and updated information regarding Admin moving whilst the new roof is being completed. Please keep this handy wallet for future communications. If your child did not receive theirs please have them check with their home group teacher.

Kathleen Hoare

GHS SPORTING CARNIVAL REVIEW

TERM 2 CANTEEN ROSTER

Rosters for Term 2 were sent home with your child in week 11 Term 1. The canteen roster can also be viewed on Schoolzine. If unable to do your shift for canteen please phone the school on 8662 2171.

GOVERNING COUNCIL NEWS

Have you considered what you can do to help with your child’s education? The Gladstone High School Governing Council is committed to supporting your children’s education through many avenues. We provide funds to improve the grounds; a canteen facility; support for the financial running of the school, including consideration of school fees and budgeting; and participate in forming a site plan for the improvement of the school into the future. There are many other ways the Governing Council supports your child. If you are interested in hearing more about what the Governing Council’s role is within GHS, please feel free to contact one of our members or even come along to a meeting! Our next meeting is on the 16th May at 7pm and we welcome any parents or caregivers who would like to have a say in their child’s education (Please note our Constitutional requirements for a Council have been met and your participation is limited to discussion only). GHS has a bright future and the Governing Council is a huge part of that. Please speak up and support your child’s future!

2017 GHS GOVERNING COUNCIL MEMBERS

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

Cheers
Kathryn Hansen
GHS Governing Council Chairperson 2017

GLADSTONE HIGH SCHOOL MEAT BIRDS

For Sale – Gladstone High School Meat Birds
Cost $5:00 per kilogram
Weights range from 2.0 to 3.5 kilograms each. Dressed on 5th April 2017, contact the Front Office on 8662 2171 to place an order and arrange collection.
Dean Humphries – Ag Teacher

VISUAL ARTS

Visual Art students in Years 10, 11 and 12 were pleased to welcome old scholar, Ebony Rodda, who ran a portraiture and life drawing workshop with students as well as sharing her knowledge of the Arts. She talked to students about how Art can go beyond the classroom and can be used in life post-school. She also talked to students about their folios and practical work, time management, and her experiences at the Adelaide Central School of Art. Students got a lot out of the workshop and thoroughly enjoyed it.

“The workshop introduced me to a whole new aspect of Visual Art. I found the workshop incredibly useful” Alyssa Crisp

“I was very grateful that Ebony wanted to come and share her knowledge with us, I appreciated that she worked through the techniques she learnt and applied them to our practicals. I feel as though I have a better understanding of figure drawing and I am more open to a path in the arts after hearing about her experience.” - Jade Cunningham

Emily Johns – Art Teacher

SSSSA ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIP

The SSSSA Athletics Championship was held at SA Athletics Stadium on the 12th of April. This year our MNSEC SSSSA Athletics team competed in A grade Division 2. Listed below are some of the highlights of the day.

Jake Clements achieved a personal best in the Open Male High Jump of 1.85m placing 2nd in Division 2.

Nathan Hooper achieved a personal best in the Open Male Shot Put, throwing 13.10m and placing 1st in Division 2.

Madeline Hansen placed 5th out of 21 students in the Under 14 Female High Jump.

Lucy Wilsdon placed 3rd in the Open Female 1500m.

Tahlia Chapman placed 2nd in the Under 16 Female 90m Hurdles. Tahlia also achieved a personal best of 4.20m in the Under 16 Female Long Jump.

Henry Woodlands placed 1st in Under 16 Male Shot Put throwing 11.03m.

Ben Treasure placed 5th in both the Under 16 Male Hurdles and Triple Jump.

Overall scores for the day are as follows:

Males placed 6th with a score of 265
Females placed 3rd with a score of 287
Combined placing was 4th with a score of 552

For further information on all schools placings in Division 2, please follow the link below.

Congratulations to all students who competed on the day. For further information on all MNSEC students individual scores, please follow the link below.

Renee Thamm – PE Coordinator

COMMUNITY NEWS

SOUTHERN FLINDERS NETBALL CLUB FUN-NET

Girls aged 5 years, (school age) and up are invited to a 10 week session starting on 11th May 2017 at the Laura Netball Courts starting at 4:30pm.

The session will be run by Bec Bennett and Christie Sargent.

Come out have fun learning the game of netball and basic ball skills.

Session cost $25:00
Any Queries contact
Kelly 041289883
Bern 0439864330