22 August 2019

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s News

The Learning Hub is hosting an exhibition from the History Trust to celebrate the Centenary of the Victoria Cross. Year 6/7 students from Laura Primary School visited on Tuesday to see the display and at the same time they were involved in a Chemistry lesson with the Year 11’s, a PE activity and a Maths treasure hunt with the Year 8’s. Members of the local RSL also viewed the exhibition today.

We also hosted the Reception/1 class from Laura Primary School on Tuesday as part of the Stage 2 Child Studies group activity. The interactions between the students was a delight to see and the effort and planning the Year 12 students had put in was very evident.

We are looking to develop the area near the bus entrance and whilst we have some initial designs from the Learning Environment Opportunity Study we are keen to develop some more detailed plans. With grant opportunities currently available this area is an ideal proposal to put forward. If you know anybody with landscaping design skills who would be keen to help design the area please let us know.

Thank you to the various staff who have recently attended the Year 10 Careers Camp and the Year 9 Ski Trip. From all reports the students were extremely well behaved and represented our school very well. Our show teams also did very well at the Crystal Brook Show. We wish our Agriculture teams who start heading to the Royal Adelaide Show next week all the best after the months of preparation.

Rowan Ramsey Award

We are seeking nominations for the Rowan Ramsey Award. Nominations are open to a staff, parent or community member who has ‘gone the extra mile’ dedicating and volunteering their time and skills for the school. If you can think of anyone who you feel meets this criteria, please complete the nomination form below.

Your Name:

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A reminder Friday 30th August is a School Closure Day.

Tyler Hogan
Principal

Year 9 Ski Trip 2019

Heading off at 9pm Saturday night we travelled by bus to the Victorian Highlands, only stopping for toilets and some fast food. We arrived to enjoy lunch and settle into our cabins at Mount Beauty, with stunning scenery of snow-capped mountains and a freezing rushing river. It was certainly different scenery to our Mid North.

Each morning we headed up to the snow fields, a windy 50-minute drive up the hill. Reaching Falls Creek, you could see the full effect of the snowstorms with cars fully engulfed by snow. The days were near on perfect with blue skies and very little wind.

Professional instructors took our classes for lessons, firstly teaching the basics of how to stop and steer. Skiing is not an easy skill, and everybody fell at some point, but with persistence and taking on feedback from instructors everybody made huge improvements. By the end of day two we had all mastered the 2.2km green slope, Wombats Run, and by the end of the week everybody had gone down 2 blue slopes. As the week went on and the skills increased, we were able to take on more and more challenging slopes with some of the favourites being skiing through the village streets and stairs, and the open and steep ruined castle.

Each evening we enjoyed a pub meal next door to the caravan park and in our evening meetings there were many stories told of crashes and slides, with one of the favourites being Mr Bartlett’s crash in front of his whole group.

As staff we were very impressed with how our students conducted themselves on and off the snow. Looking forward to doing it all again in 2020!!

Jordan Smith

History Trust Exhibit

Gladstone High School has been fortunate enough to have the Story of the Victoria Cross display in the Learning Hub, courtesy of the History Trust. This has been an informative display with students and the wider community able to look through the history of this prestigious award. On display is Gladstone’s very own Arthur Sullivan (from which the school’s House Team Sullivan derived its name). Arthur Sullivan was awarded the Victoria Cross:

‘For very conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty during a withdrawal across the Sheika River, North Russia, during the withdrawal of his platoon across the river on a narrow plank, after a rearguard action to cover the column. One officer and three men fell into the swamp, which was very deep. Without hesitation, and under intense rifle and machine gun fire, he jumped into the river and rescued these four men one by one. But for his gallant action these men would have undoubtedly been drowned. It was a splendid example of heroism, more so as everybody was on the verge of exhaustion and the enemy were less than 100 yards away from him.’

This month commemorates 100 years since Arthur Sullivan received his Victoria Cross. For more information about Arthur Sullivan visit Australian War Memorial website below:

Year 8 Homework

In Weeks 5, 6, 7 and 8 the Year 8 Teachers will be focussing on homework. We believe it is important for students to complete homework to assist in their learning. Without homework we are finding that students have not been retaining concepts from lesson to lesson, therefore, it has been difficult to develop the higher order thinking skills which are required in today’s society. In addition: homework encourages discipline, involves parents with their childs learning, teaches time management skills, provides time to complete the learning process, provides a different (more comfortable) environment in which to study and reduces screen time.

As parents/caregivers you are integral in this process, as are the Year 8 teachers who have committed to place all homework on Sentral for this period. Each night students can indicate that they have finished their homework and the next lesson teachers can check that the homework has been completed. In addition, at the beginning of each week we will be emailing information on how much homework your child/ren has been completing. We believe that with your involvement we can increase the effectiveness of this very important teaching tool. After this period, we will be evaluating the effectiveness of this trial to determine its value in assisting students to retain and reuse concepts.

Stephen Bosch
Year 8 Coordinator

Agricultural Education Day

On Friday the 9th of August 22 Students from Gladstone High School attended the Crystal Brook Show's inaugural Agriculture Education Day held at the show grounds. Students learned how to judge grains and competed in the Grains Junior Judging competition. Tanisha Wakefield and Max Crouch received First and Second respectively, winning a footy for their efforts.

Students rotated around the showgrounds learning about Merino Sheep and Wool Junior Judging as well as Live Cattle Assessment.

A Grand Opening was held at lunch time with Local MP's and Councillors present.

In the afternoon the School exhibited their steers in the Led Steer Competition for the Inaugural Pirie Meats Prize. All the steers paraded well with the Speckle Park Steer donated by Andrew Grieg of Crystal Brook receiving Second for his class and the Black Angus, donated by Ben and Bronwyn Mumford, winning First in the Heavy Weight followed in Second by the Red Angus Steer donated by Anama Angus Stud.

Gladstone High School were lucky enough to receive the Overall Champion prize with the Steer donated by Mumford's. The judge commenting how he is carrying a large volume of meat on his moderate frame. He currently weighs 708kgs.

Students also entered other competitions over the weekend in the grain shed. Congratulations to Shanay Wastell and Finn Cunningham for winning their sections in the Pest of Grain Crops and Insect Motel competitions.

Kim Zohs
Agriculture Teacher

On Friday, August 9, a group of Agriculture students from Years 9, 10, 11 and 12 travelled to the Crystal Brook Showgrounds to take part in an Agricultural Education Day. We learnt how to judge cattle, wool and grain. We also had the opportunity to complete in a grain judging contest. The top 4 people from the grain judging were then invited to explain the reasoning for their results. To end the day the school steer competition was held. Gladstone High was fortunate to be named Champion Led Steer for 2019.

Tanisha Wakefield
Year 10 Agriculture Student

Three-Way Conferences

Congratulations to the following students who have won canteen vouchers for their outstanding achievement in their 3-Way Conference preparation and presentation.

Jaxon Brand
Amelia Chapman
Luke Hombsch
Shavana Gronemyer
Eliza Stubbs

Year 9 Alternate Program

While the rest of the Year 9 students were away on ski trip, we had lots of fun on our Alternate Program. Monday, we cooked with Miss Edge, played badminton with Mr Wade and did Art with Miss McAllister. Tuesday, we went to Port Pirie and went ten pin bowling with Mr Wade and Mr Martin. We also went to the RSL to see the Helicopter. Wednesday, we cooked pasties and sausage rolls with Mrs Wells, for our picnic on Thursday. Thursday, we travelled to the Blyth Cinema and saw Men in Black International. After the movie we went to Clare for lunch and had Subway. Friday, we cooked again with Mrs Wells, played some sport with Mr Norton and watched a movie with Miss Roberts.

Shavana Gronemyer, Caitlin Philips. Bodi Freer, Bradley Chabaj, Kane Ferguson and Ryan Schmidt

Year 11 Work Experience

Week 4 was a busy week for the Year 11’s, who spent the week engaging in work experience at various locations. A number of students went to Adelaide, whilst others participated locally, with Port Pirie proving to be the most popular location. The students undertook a range of work placements, with a number of them visiting aged care facilities and trades a common choice. They had a great time and gained a lot from the experience. We would like to thank the many employers who gave them this opportunity!

Jacqui Edge
Year 11 Coordinator

Online Protection

On Monday 19th of August, the Year 8 and 9 students participated in a presentation by Police Officer Ashlee Bowman, at Gladstone High School, as part of their Shine SA unit within Health. The presentation discussed how to protect their online information, how to overcome online challenges, how to manage respectful relationships, the risks and consequences of sending inappropriate photos and messages and supporting these ideas through real police case studies.

Students discussed the risks, laws and consequences of sharing inappropriate content online and being in possession of inappropriate content including images. Students learnt that sharing explicit material of a person under the age of 18 can be a criminal offence and can include some jail time. It is important to avoid meeting someone in person that you have only ever spoken to online, however, if you do always meet new people in a public place and tell or take a trusted adult. From this, the students were given safe online contacts and numbers to phone if in need of any help or if they have any questions. It is never too late to seek support or advice. Your safety should always come first!

Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800
Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636
Head Space - 1800 650 890
Q Life - 1800 184 527
Eden Caputo
8/9 PE Teacher

New Books in the Resource Centre

They told her that her body belonged to men and her mind didn’t matter. They were wrong.

“What if I don’t want to marry?” Lillian held her breath. She had never said the words out loud. “Not want to marry?” Her aunt frowned. “What else would you do?” Set in a Ugandan village, Lilian has learned to shrink herself to fit other people’s ideas of what a girl is. In her village a girl is not meant to be smarter than her brother. A girl is not meant to go to school or enjoy her body or decide who to marry. Especially if she is poor. Inspired by and written in consultation with young Ugandan women, I Am Change is the tragic but empowering story of how a young girl finds her voice and the strength to fight for change

This is an inspiring story of a man who has overcome deadly adversity to become a lawyer and committed worker for the disenfranchised, helping refugees in Western Sydney. It is an important reminder of the power of compassion and the benefit to us all when we open our doors and our hearts to fleeing war, persecution and trauma.

From debut author Nina Kenwood comes a tender and funny novel about first love and its confusions, and all of the awkwardness of teen romance. When her parents announce their impending divorce, Natalie can’t understand why no one is fighting, or at least mildly upset.

A full list can be accessed via the electronic version of the newsletter.

Lost Property

There is a large pile of lost property located in the Front Office. If your child/ren are missing any items, please ask them to collect their clothing.

GHS Canteen Roster Weeks 6-7

Week 6

Week 7

Please arrive on time to help with preparation from 10.30am. If you are able to volunteer in any of the available spaces please contact the Front Office.

Community News

Southern Flinders Regional Stadium

The Annual General Meeting of the Southern Flinders Regional Stadium will be held on Tuesday, August 27, commencing at 7.00pm in the Function Room. All welcome. Apologies can be sent to Scott Crawford, Chairperson skcrawford3@bigpond.com

WIRRABARA TENNIS CLUB

The Annual General Meeting for the Wirrabara Tennis Club will be held on Monday, August 26, commencing at 7.00pm. The meeting will be held at the Wirrabara Sporting Complex. All Welcome. Apologies to Robyn Trott, trottelectrical@bigpond.com

Jamestown Mural Festival

Forthcoming events from 1st September to 15th September 2019, “event - full” (eventful) over the 15 days

All further enquiries contact June Swearse M: 0407 326 198, for delivery / collection of 15cm x 15cm canvas

The Mural Festival this year is in association with the Brush with Art