30 November 2018
Newsletter Articles
Principal’s News
We are fast approaching the last few formal events for the school year and the number of activities occurring across the school don’t appear to be slowing down.
Yesterday we hosted the final judging of the Crop Science Investigator projects which was a tremendous success. A very big thank you to Belinda Cay from Ag Communicators, Malcolm Buckby from South Australian Grains Industry Trust and Harry Moate, Careers Pathway Manager for our region for enabling this to all happen. Students from across our region competed for significant prizes and it was very interesting to see the creativity of the ideas students came up with for improving agricultural practices. The project has showcased the range of careers available in Agriculture. Congratulations to all of our Year 10 students for their efforts.
In the last newsletter I failed to acknowledge and thank the students who participated in the Remembrance Day Ceremonies representing Gladstone High School. On Friday 9th November, Tahlia Chapman, Clay and Braden Hadley met our staff at the ceremony and helped to lay crosses that had been prepared by all of our Year 8-11 students. On Sunday 11th November, Alyssa Crisp and Nikala Schmidt laid a wreath on behalf of GHS. Thank you.
Today all Year 11 students have been completing ‘Provide First Aid’. We believe this is a vital skill for our students and appreciate the community support we have received to enable this to happen.
Thursday and Friday of next week we will welcome our 2019 Year 8 students for transition. This is an important time for students, as transition provides an opportunity for students to learn the location of classrooms, meet their classmates and if required to learn their new bus routes. We very much look forward to welcoming the 2019 Year 8’s to GHS.
This week interviews were conducted for the important role of our School Leaders for 2019. We are delighted to announce the successful applicants;
- Sophie Crouch and Lachlan Hansen - School Captains
- Ellen Crisp and Savannah Brice - Deputy Captains.
Congratulations and we look forward to working with you in your new leadership roles.
2019 staffing is still being finalised however we are happy to announce further new appointments since our last newsletter:
- Rachel Wells – Ag (Yr8-9) and Science
- Eden Caputo – English and HPE
Sadly we will be bidding farewell to Josh Palmer, Dean Humphries, Luke Huiskamp, Sonia Pringle, Renee Thamm and Molly O’Dea.
We are still looking for a Farm Manager so if you know anyone who may be interested ask them to please call the school.
I am pleased to advise the school community that our school has committed to undertake a ‘Learning Environment Opportunity Study’ or ‘LEOS’. This is a strategic review to assess existing facilities and identify opportunities to improve spaces for teaching and learning on the school site. It provides schools with professional advice to assist with prioritising. LEOS is collaboration between the school community; staff, students, parents and their architect for long term planning of the site to enhance contemporary curriculum delivery and improve learning outcomes. We have been discussing this over recent months at our Governing Council meetings. On Tuesday, December 4 at 4.30pm there will be an opportunity to attend a LEOS update in the GHS Resource Centre, so we extend an invitation to you all to come along and hear about this exciting undertaking.
Tyler Hogan
Principal
Spotlight Stage 2 Visual Arts
Alice Jackson planned and executed two outstanding oil paintings during her studies this year. The first, untitled, depicts the fighting spirit of a girl who has been subjected to domestic abuse. The second, A Still Life, reflects her memories of home and the ideas of romance inspired by popular culture movies. But these are not the only way you can read her work. Alice intends for you to arrive at your own meaning in her work: “The one thing that fascinates me about art is that it can be interpreted in numerous ways by different individuals. This is the beauty of art. You can look at the surface of my painting but wonder beyond and you might just find yourself assembling a story of your own, full of memories and emotion.” Congratulations Alice.
Alyssa Crisp found inspiration this year from music in her first practical and produced an image which reflects the way she is influenced by lyrics in songs. Her second practical, explores the theme of body image and self-acceptance. The work is a celebration of our flaws and imperfections.
Student Absences
Just a reminder if your child is absent for 3 or more consecutive days due to illness a medical certificate is required.
Governing Council
It’s been another big year for Governing Council. We raised well over $2000 for upgrading school facilities, the bus shelter has been built, welcomed a new Principal and have been promoting the school at events around the community.
A huge thanks to everyone who volunteered time in the canteen; for a fundraiser; at Athletics Day; by donating baked goods; on a committee; and attending Governing Council Meetings. Your time and input is highly valued. To those who have supported me in my role as Chairperson, thank you. A special thanks to Brooke who meticulously minutes our meetings.
The canteen is a service provided by Governing Council. We would like to see this continue in the future and so would ask you to consider volunteering to help out in 2019.
On behalf of Governing Council, I would like to wish everyone a safe and Merry Christmas. May your holidays be full of fun and family and we look forward to seeing you in 2019 for another fantastic year at Gladstone High School.
I take this opportunity to invite each and every one to come along to Presentation Night on Monday 10th December. This night is to celebrate the achievements of ALL students at the school.
Let’s make GHS great!
Kathryn Hansen
GHS Governing Council Chairperson
Counsellor’s Note
This week we saw 2018 Year 11’s begin their transition to Year 12. The thought of embarking on your final year of school can trigger a range of emotions – excitement, nervousness, stress, nostalgia, sadness, or just impatience to get out into the world. Here are some tips to help to get you through Year 12:
Ask for help when you need it
It’s no secret that Year 12 can be stressful at times, and most students will find that at one point or another they start to feel the pressure. If you’re struggling with something — be it a certain topic in class or just school or study in general — it’s a good idea to talk to someone early, before stress starts to build up. This could be as simple as seeking out your teacher before class or chatting to your parents about your study set-up at home. Assistance can also come from your student counsellor, year-level coordinator, home group teacher as well as former students and friends.
Stay organised
This is something you’ve probably heard time and time again but it really does pay to be organised! Consider making up a study schedule before exams, setting aside time for each subject throughout the week, starting assignments as early as you can, setting yourself deadlines to complete work and making the most of free periods or study blocks by heading to a quiet location free from distractions.
Don’t over-commit yourself
Year 12 is hard enough as it is, let alone when you’re trying to balance sporting commitments, part-time work, leadership responsibilities, music or drama rehearsals, family commitments and a social life. If you find that you are struggling to keep up with your workload at school, you may want to ease up on some of your extracurricular activities. It’s also important to learn to say no to things when you really have no time to spare — you’ll find that most people understand how stressful Year 12 can be.
Mix up your study routine
You’re going to spend a lot of time studying in Year 12, so try to mix up your study routine. This will help you stay focused and productive and allow you to absorb as much information as you can. Consider switching between different study techniques — from using flashcards or mind maps, writing summaries and watching online tutorials to getting a friend or family member to quiz you, completing practice tests under exam conditions and working through questions from the text book.
Information from the Good Universities Guide
Kate Cameron
School Counsellor
SAASTA Camp
On Wednesday 21/11/2018 Dylan Davenport and Jorden Smythe travelled down to Adelaide to participate in the SAASTA Shield. The first engagement was a tour of Adelaide Oval which was conducted in terrible conditions. This was followed by a brief cricket workshop which was presented by SACA. On Thursday the SAASTA Shield tournament began with a 3v3 Basketball competition in which the boys represented the Far North Academy. With Dylan showing some early shooting form, it looked like they would be quite successful, however a few untimely losses would sabotage their chances of winning the basketball competition. After lunch it was time for the modified AFLX competition. Each game was marred by the howling wind which meant they were all played at one end of the field. On Thursday night we all attended an Adelaide Bite baseball game.
On Friday morning we attended the SAASTA awards ceremony at Adelaide University before moving to the cricket carnival. The Far North team played well with Jorden and Dylan batting particularly well. The last night was spent watching the Adelaide 36ers play against the Cairns Taipans.
Luke Huiskamp
SAASTA Teacher
Presentation Night Invitation
Parents, Friends and Community Members
You are invited to attend our 2018 Presentation Night.
At Gladstone High School Hall, on Monday 10th December at 7.00pm.
Please join us for a celebration of learning throughout 2018, including Academic and Citizenship Awards.
Supper provided by GHS Students