28 March 2024

Principal’s Address

Principal’s Message

Kaya / welcome. 

As Term 1 ends, I would like to share with you some of the events that have occurred and/ or will be happening at the school during the last half of the term. 

The school’s Athletics Carnival will be held in Week 9, on Wednesday 27^th March 2024. This is an opportunity for students to represent the houses of Galahad, Lancelot, Lionheart, and Arthur.

This day is always filled with students competing in a variety of sporting events. The main theme of the day is full participation. The students with the highest points will be selected to be the school’s representatives at the Inter-school Athletics Carnival. Thank you to Mrs Smith again for coordinating the day.

This term we also celebrated Harmony Week at a special assembly. This involved students creating a video and interviewing some staff to find out about their origins and what they believed harmony week is all about. Later in the day, following the assembly, there were a variety of lunchtime activities and the opportunity for students to taste foods from some other cultures. It was also great to see how many staff wore orange, and to see the student exec members in their orange high-vis outfits.

Country Week team selection and preparation for the big week are underway. The teams are busy training and getting ready for the week-long competition in Week 11 of Term 2.

A reminder to parents that there is a strict payment schedule, and we would appreciate if you could ensure all money is paid to the Accounts Office on time.

School Photo Days were Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th of March. Our new photographer this year was Photo Hendriks. This company had lots of great options, including choosing your own background and creating your own package, and we are also doing our bit for the environment as there are NO envelopes being sent home: all orders must be placed in their online system. Please ring the school office if you want to know more about how to order your child’s online photos. 

The results are in for the Subs in Schools Adelaide Nationals. A podium finish for our magnificent team Dolphins! They've taken home third place, scooping five awards along the way, including Best Managed Enterprise, Best Team Portfolio, Best Engineered ROV, Best Engineered CAD and Best Manufactured ROV!! Well done team Dolphins, we couldn't be prouder.

Next term there will be a specialist program evening (Science Horizons and Engineering) on April 30^th. During the evening, parents will be provided with information from the Science staff about the many exciting opportunities and competitions that students are involved in while they are part of our specialist program.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the parent community for their support this term, and to thank the staff for their ongoing efforts. I hope you all have a very enjoyable Easter and school holiday break and get to spend some quality time with family and friends. I look forward to seeing you refreshed and ready for an exciting Term 2.

Susan Kerr  M.Ed.Admin, B.Ed,Dip.Teach
PRINCIPAL
Newton Moore SHS

From the Finance Team

Country Week 2024

Parents of our Country Week teams will have received the Country Week Information Pack by now which includes the payment schedule.  If you don’t have your statement, please email newtonmoore.shs.accounts@education.wa.edu.au and it will be sent to you.

Please ensure you meet each deadline for the next 6 instalments to avoid your child being removed from the team.  Payments are now $80 each fortnight.

Need to discuss the payment schedule? Contact the Accounts Office 9722 2419.

Contributions and Charges

Statements have been emailed out to all parents in the past three weeks, if you did not receive one, please email newtonmoore.shs.accounts@education.wa.edu.au to have it sent to you.

The school would appreciate payment of the contributions and charges by the middle of Term 2, or for parents to have an active payment plan in place. Payment plans are available to all parents and can be set up in your internet banking, so you don’t have to remember it.  Parents set the amount and frequency of payments to suit the individual family budgets.

Please ensure you enter your child’s name or student number in the details section of your payment, or you can use BPay by using the school biller code.

Account name:   Newton Moore Senior High School
BSB:                     036-134
Account #:          19-7827
Reference:           J.Smith

BPay Biller Code: 106708 with your child’s student number, which you can find on the statement, or request it by emailing newtonmoore.shs.accounts@education.wa.edu.au

Please note that specialist programs, including Science Horizons, Science Engineering and MASH have compulsory charges to pay. For your child to remain in the program, these must be paid. 

The Australian Government School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) is offering free home internet for eligible families with school-aged students until 31 December 2025.

To be eligible, families must:

• Have no active broadband service.
• Have a device capable of accessing the internet.
• Live in premises where they can access a standard NBN service.
• Have a child living at home who is enrolled in an Australian school.

The free broadband starts from the day the service is activated with a participating internet provider. Families will not be placed on a paid service by the internet provider at the end of the free service without consent.

For more information and a list of participating internet providers, visit NBN Co School Student Broadband Initiative or call 1800 626 269.

If you think you are eligible and want to self-nominate for the free broadband offer:

• call the National Referral Centre on 1800 954 610 (Monday to Friday, 10 am to 6 pm Australian Eastern Daylight-saving Time).
• visit the School Student Broadband Initiative website.

For technical support in more than 100 regional and remote communities throughout Western Australia, contact your local Community Resource Centre.

Get ready to claim the WA Student Assistance Payment.

The ServiceWA app is the fastest and most convenient way to claim the payment.

Download the latest version of the ServiceWA app and log in with your Digital Identity (myGovID) so you're ready to apply for the offer from 15 April 2024.

Apple Store: 

Google Play: 

For app support, head to WA.gov.au/servicewaapp
For more information on the payment, including eligibility criteria, visit education.wa.edu.au/wasap 

Lower School Deputy Principals’ Update

As we approach the end of another bustling term, it's time to reflect on the exciting adventures and educational journeys our students have embarked upon. Here are some of the activities our lower school have undertaken this term:

• Year 7 Clontarf induction/engagement camp.
• Year 7 STARS induction day.
• Year 9 STARS Dockers coaching Course.
• Year 7 MASH high ropes.
• Clontarf Albany Basketball Carnival.
• Year 7 Social.
• Year 7 Emerging Nights Day.
• Year 8 Solar car challenge.
• Year 8 MASH Camp.

Providing a rich and varied learning environment is crucial to developing students who are equipped with the skills for the future. The year ahead holds many more opportunities for our students, and we look forward to providing these learning experiences for them.

Our Year 7’s have settled in well and have started to familiarise themselves with the Newton Moore SHS way of life. They are engaging well with all aspects of high school life, and we welcome them into the Newton Moore SHS family.  Below are some photos from the year 7 social.

As we have reached the halfway mark of Semester 1, we encourage Parents to make contact with teachers if further information about your child progress is required. There is an expectation at Newton Moore SHS that teachers will make contact home by the mid-semester mark if they have any academic concerns for your child achieving a satisfactory grade.

NAPLAN

NAPLAN is over for 2024, with results expected in early Term 3. The earlier timeline will ensure we can analyse data and adjust Year 8 and 10 curriculum programs to address identified common gaps in literacy and numeracy. For students in Year 9 who achieve Band 8, no further testing will be required as they have pre-qualified for OLNA within upper school pathways.

Year 7 Enrolments 2025

If you have a child entering Newton Moore SHS in 2025, application forms for the school’s specialist programs, Science Engineering, Science Horizons and our MASH Sports Program, are now available.

Promotional visits to local primary schools will take place early in Term 2, where further information will be provided to students alongside copies of the application form and our 2024 enrolment form. Program testing will take place Early-Term 2.

Attendance

At Newton Moore SHS, we expect and reward positive attendance at school. Students achieving above 95% attendance will receive a Term 1 certificate and students achieving good standing, incorporating positive attendance, will be invited to attend Week 9 reward activities.

Please continue to communicate with the school if your child is unwell or has a genuine reason for school absence so this can be explained. Please do not hesitate to contact the school if you are struggling with your child attending school as further strategies to support can be offered.

Homework Classes

Homework is a crucial part of the learning process. Reviewing the content covered during the day aids students to commit information into long term memory, some other benefits of homework are;

• Teaching students how to manage their time.
• Prepares them to take on challenges and find solutions.
• Offers a second chance for students to review course content.
• Parents can view their children’s lessons.
• Students develop a sense of responsibility by taking ownership of their learning.

A reminder that staff are available in the Library every Monday and Wednesday from 3:00pm – 4:00pm to assist with homework.

Senior School Deputy Principals’ Update

As we come to the end of Term 1, our senior school students are working hard to achieve their WACE. The Year 12’s only have two terms left and we encourage them to really focus as the finish line is in sight. 

Having said this, there are a host of activities planned for our senior school students to enjoy as they navigate their final years of schooling

Term 1 saw our Year 10’s head off to the RAC Arena in Perth to attend the Road Smart Conference; five of our Year 10 Engineering students jetted off to Adelaide to take part in the Subs in schools’ competition; our Year 11’s and 12’s have had a number of guest speakers come in to discuss pathways and planning for their future; and our Active Volunteering students have been busy helping out at the Dolphin Discovery Centre and Milligan House as part of their certificate. Providing students with these opportunities takes a lot of input from our staff, and we thank all the staff for their dedication and effort to make these events possible.

School Ball

I had the privilege of attending the school ball, and I must say that our students really pulled out all the stops. From the décor for the enchanted forest theme to the outfits worn, everyone came and impressed.

We thank all staff and students who were involved in the setup and supervision on the night, it really was spectacular. Below are some photos from the evening.

OLNA Round 1

A reminder that Term 2 will bring with it the first round of OLNA for 2024. Students are reminded that this is a WACE requirement and that adequate preparation needs to be put in. Speak to your teachers about what you can do to prepare. Below is the schedule for OLNA testing.

Wellbeing

As we move through 2024, it’s important to take care of ourselves; one great way to do this is through exercise. Exercise is beneficial for students for several reasons, impacting both their physical and mental well-being, and helping them become better learners! Here are some areas where exercise can make a difference, especially as a brain boosting activity:

COGNITIVE FUNCTION:

• Enhanced memory and learning.
• Improves brain health.
• Establishes routine.

PHYSICAL HEALTH:

• Improves cardiovascular health.
• Enhances muscle and bone health.
• Improves sleep.

MENTAL HEALTH:

• Reduces stress.
• Helps manage anxiety and depression.
• Gives a sense of achievement.

SOCIAL SKILLS:

• Teaches teamwork and leadership skills.
• Creates opportunities for socialising.
• Promotes healthy lifestyle choices.

You can learn more about how to optimise your performance as a student at:

Click here to visit the Study Skills Handbook webpage.

Attendance

ATTENDANCE MATTERS

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

School attendance is critical for the achievement of academic results, positive wellbeing and a sense of belonging. Student attendance is recorded for all classes and students are required to attend school every day from 8.40am to 3:00pm. Our expectation at Newton Moore Senior High School is that students attend school 90% of the time or more, and absences from school can be explained with a reasonable cause. Student Services, in collaboration with staff, will support students and their families to attend school regularly.

Did you know you only have 7 days to explain student absences from school?

Absences can be explained by:

• Replying to the SMS absence notification sent on the day of the absence.
• Message 0400 207 827 with student names, date, and reason for absence.
• Sending the school an email newtonmoore.SHS@education.wa.edu.au
• Phoning the school 08 9722 2400

After 7 days, an unexplained absence is recorded as “unacceptable” and will affect your child’s ability to attend camps and reward activities, and will appear within the attendance percentage on the semester academic report.

SMS

The school requires that an explanation of a student’s absence is provided on the day of the absence.  An SMS will be sent home to parents for all students who are marked absent without notification on the day of the absence. The easiest way to explain any absence is to reply to this SMS immediately.

SMS: 0400 207 827

Please save this number to your mobile device

Term 1 school holidays commence on Friday the 29^{th of} March. We wish all our Newton Moore SHS community a safe and happy Easter! For our students, we hope you find some time to relax after all your hard work in Term 1. We look forward to seeing you all back refreshed and ready for Term 2! 😊

Positive Behaviour Support (PBS)

Well done to all the students for following the PBS expectations so far this term. It is important we all take responsibility for following the PBS expectations as we all have a role to play when it comes to maintaining safe learning environments that promote learning.

This term, a whopping 28, 842 points have been allocated to students across Years 7 to 12. A reminder that these points can be used to purchase items from the PBS shop during Weeks 3, 6 and 9 of every term.

Year 7, 8 and 9 students can purchase items from the shop on Tuesday at recess and Year 10, 11 and 12 students can purchase on Wednesday at recess during the respective weeks.

Our current PBS focus is “Actively listen to the teacher”. Parents are encouraged to remind students of the importance of listening in class to retain information and ensure no important details are missed.

Thank you for your support.

Admin Report

Wellbeing & Program Coordinators Report

Harmony Day

Harmony Day is a time celebrate Australia's cultural diversity to promote the message that "everyone belongs", and the chosen colour to support Harmony Day is wearing orange.

We celebrated our Harmony Day on Wednesday the 20^th of March. 

We started the day off with our Harmony Day assembly which consisted of our Student Exec leaders presenting information about Harmony Day to our staff and students, including a homemade video interviewing our staff from different cultures.

At lunch time, we had multiple food stalls ran by our Student Exec team. We need to say a big thanks to our cooking teachers and Newton Moore Education Support staff for giving out tasters to our staff and students so they could try food from different countries, including fried rice, noodles, chicken curry, kangaroo kebabs, Dutch biscuits and a fruit & vegetable platter with oranges and carrots. 

We had an exciting multi-cultural playlist which had music from different countries and cultures, including the upbeat Irish jig, to the Conga drums and our very own Didgeridoo sounds of Australia.

We had a giant world map where staff and students could pinpoint their country/culture and learn where others come from around the world. Right next door to this, we had a section of concrete pavers for our students to draw the country flags from around the world with coloured chalk.

It was a fun and successful Harmony Day with all our staff and student involvement. 

We're looking forward to seeing what events and activities we can organise for Harmony Day next year!

Student Services Update

Student of The Month

‘Student of the Month’ underscores Newton Moore Senior High School’s commitment to celebrating students' holistic achievements and contributions to our school community. By recognising students who have demonstrated and upheld the values of the school, consistently demonstrated the PBS behaviour expectations, and maintained regular attendance, we aim to inspire a culture of continuous improvement and personal growth.

Each month, teachers are requested to nominate students, and the student with the highest number of nominations in each year group is recognised as the Student of the Month at the subsequent Year Meeting.

Please congratulate the following students for being Student of the Month for February.

James Ison (Year 12), Jarrah Chandler (Year 11), Jai Jarvis (Year 10), Raije Benoit (Year 9), Denisha Ryder-Hill (Year 7)

Chaplain

Anxiety exists on a spectrum – some people get it a lot and some people get it less, but we can all experience anxiety on some level at some time in our lives – exams, job interviews, performances can all trigger anxiety, and sometimes it can happen for no reason at all!

Anxiety doesn’t define you. It’s a feeling – it may come, but it will always go.

Anxiety happens because a part of your brain (the amygdala) thinks there might be a threat that it needs to protect you from. This threat can be a real thing in the environment, for example, a vicious dog coming towards you, or it can be a perceived threat, such as an approaching assignment deadline. When this happens, it surges your body with a mix of neurochemicals (including oxygen, hormones, and adrenaline), designed to make you stronger, faster, more alert and more powerful so you can fight for your life or run for it. This is the fight or flight response. It’s normal and healthy and it’s in everyone. In people with anxiety, it is just a little quicker to activate.

The amygdala acts on impulse. It’s a do-er, not a thinker – all action and not a lot of thought. It just wants to keep you safe, and safe is a lovely thing to be. The amygdala can’t always tell the difference between something that might hurt you, and something that won’t- and it doesn’t care! All it wants to do is keep you safe. When there’s nothing to flee or nothing to fight, there’s nothing to burn the neurochemical fuel that is surging through you. The fuel builds up and that’s why anxiety feels the way it does.

Because our lives these days are so busy and full of stressful moments, our fight-flight response can be activated so much more than it was designed to be. To make things trickier, we often don’t have the tools to recognise this response and help our bodies to calm down, which leads to the regular experience of anxiety. Our job is to re-teach our brain and body that when our anxiety response is activated but not needed (for example when a teacher says hi to us), it is safe for our body to return to its calm and grounded baseline. The most important thing to practice on your journey to minimising anxiety, is to be patient with yourself. It’s not an easy process and we’ll slip up a lot along the way, because our anxiety response is so deeply engrained in us from our cavemen days. These are some ways we can get started.

What to do:

Mindfulness changes the brain the way exercise changes our body.

It is about staying in the present and ‘watching’ your thoughts and feelings without hanging on to them for too long. It’s this ‘hanging on too long’ that gives anxiety the juice it needs to become something bigger. Minds like to wander, especially anxious ones. Mindfulness can help you take control of this.

Exercise! When we move our bodies, something magical happens in the brain. We have a neurochemical, GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), which is the brain’s calming, “feel-good” chemical which is released – like a lullaby for parts of the brain. Neurochemicals are the messengers in the brain that carry important info from one cell to another. When the levels of GABA in the brain are low, there’s nothing to calm down the excitable neurons that often rear their head and make us feel anxious. Exercise is an effective way to increase our GABA levels and boost up that calm, feel-good state.

It can be hard to believe that something as simple and as normal as breathing can help, but it can. When we focus on deep, slow breaths, the “rest and digest” part of our nervous system is activated, rather than our “fight/flight” pathway. This happens via our Vagus Nerve, which runs from the brain down to the heart, lungs and stomach and signals us that it’s time to put on the brakes. Here’s a breathing exercise you can try:

Count in/out breaths in increments of 1-10 seconds. Anxiety can cause breathing that is like 1:1. Slower outbreaths can be an effective tool in calming you. Feel your breathing! Are you breathing in a 5 and out a 2? This is a stress response! Your brain is telling your body to prepare to fight or flee by sending oxygen to the muscles. Try to change the pattern. Breathe in for 2 and out for 3, then try out for 4 and so on. Find out where you’re comfortable. For many people this is at 3:5. A 2:8 pattern is the fastest way to initiate a calming response. This is typically the pattern we use when sleeping.

Research shows a link between what we eat and how we feel. Eating well can help you feel better.

Did you know that up to 90% of serotonin, our happy hormone, is actually made in the gut? Remember the Vagus Nerve that runs to and from the brain and digestive tract? This means our gut health has a role to play in the emotions we feel and the chemicals floating around in our brain.

Make sure you are eating regularly and keeping hydrated. Understand the impact of caffeine on your mood and try to avoid it before bedtime. Look after your gut health and eat foods that are nutritious.

Remember, Anxiety is something that happens, not something you are.

Learning Areas

Science

Subs in Schools Nationals, Adelaide: Team Dolphins is representing Newton Moore Senior High School at the National Subs in Schools finals in Adelaide. The students have designed and built an underwater remote operated vehicle. They built a trade display, developed a marketing proposal, used technology such as CAD software, 3D printing and laser cutting, worked with industry mentors such as the Royal Australian Navy, sought financial backing and collaborated as a team to deliver an industry level final product. This is real world learning in action, and we could not be prouder of the effort team Dolphin has shown to make it to Nationals. 

Synergy Solar Cars: Newton Moore Senior High School held the district wide Synergy Solar car challenge on school grounds recently. There were ten Year 8 senior teams and nine Year 6 teams present. Newton Moore's two teams, Science Engineering Specialist and Science Horizons performed extremely well with the Engineering team taking out the title of the fastest car on the day. They are off to the Grand Finals at Murdoch university on the 26^thof of March.

Save the Date: Tuesday 30^th April, Science Specialist Program Showcase Evening:

The planning for the inaugural Science Specialist Program Showcase Evening is underway. This event aims to highlight to the community and prospective families the wonderful opportunities these programs have to offer. 

English

On Wednesday 6^th March, a group of Year 8 students were fortunate enough to attend the Between the Lines Literature Festival in Bunbury alongside students from different schools in the area. They walked between venues to join a series of workshops with five amazing Australian authors. The authors shared some fun stories about themselves and their own personal writing processes, and taught students a variety of strategies to hook their reader into a narrative. A fun day was had by all, and our very own Archer Rowlands won a signed copy of Will Kostakis’ novel, “We Could Be Something” for his winning first sentence of a novel.

Technologies

In the Year 10 Cafe Culture classes, students have been creating some café style sandwiches. This involves using different types of bread and a variety of fillings and they also plate them up as they would be presented in a cafe with garnishes. They are also developing their barista skills in class and during their recess time in running the coffee club. These courses offer students the chance to develop some knowledge and skills that can be useful in hospitality workplaces.

Aboriginal Education

Stars

The Stars Academy were fortunate to be joined by Kerry Collard, Noongar Elder, to celebrate International Women’s Day on 8^th March.

Kerry touched on the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.

She also shared her story of achievement and how fortunate she was as a young Indigenous woman to get an education and go on to further study at university.

Kerry’s message to the Stars girls was one of inspiration and highlighted the importance of education for young Indigenous women, as well as their ability to be the voice to make positive changes in the future.

Clontarf

We are very proud to share that we are on track to have the highest number of Year 12 graduates in the academy’s history with eight boys! After school on Monday of Week 7, the boys participated in a planning session to outline their personal and group goals for the year, along with choosing which destination they would like to visit for the end of year Major Trip Camp. The boys selected the Gold Coast and will be working extremely hard to complete their studies, maintain strong attendance and attend Clontarf activities to make this trip later in the year. The planning session was followed by fun activities and dinner.

Our Year 8/9 group had a fantastic time on camp to Albany. To qualify for this camp, the boys had to have strong school attendance and be regular attendees at morning training. The boys enjoyed some great activities which included the Tree Top Walk at Valley of the Giants, a Clontarf Basketball carnival, a visit to The Gap and cooking challenges.

During Week 8, our senior academy members will be travelling to Perth to participate in the annual Clontarf Cup Football Carnival. For the boys, this carnival is the first step to being selected in the Clontarf WA State Team that travels to Melbourne in Term 4. This two-night camp will also include surfing, leadership activities and plenty of good food!

Other activities in the academy that are keeping our boys engaged have included after-school basketball vs Collie Clontarf, buzzing morning trainings, and visits from the West Coast Eagles and SWAMS during academy class time.

Clontarf Superstar of the Month

Chris is one of the most respected and well-mannered members of the academy. Chris is always someone who upholds the correct Clontarf behaviours which has included his fantastic achievement of having 100% school attendance for this entire term. During the school holidays, Chris also secured a part time job at Subway and completes multiple shifts every week. Congratulations on a great start to 2024, Chris!

Follow the Dream

Curtin University Indigenous School has announced an exciting opportunity for Newton Moore students.

Scholarships are available through the Engineering program. Interested parties can apply via the following link:
 2024 IAES at Curtin Application (qualtrics.com)

Specialist Programs Choice Programs

MASH

Year 8 MASH Camp

On Monday and Tuesday of Week 8, the Year 8 MASH class attended a leadership camp in Busselton.

Day 1 involved packing the bus and heading down to Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse. From her,e the group headed off along the Yallingup stretch of the “Cape to Cape” trail. It was a great day with blue skies and 30 degrees. Along the way were some beautiful sceneries as well as dolphins playing in one of the bays. There were the odd comments of “Are we there yet?” about halfway through. Approximately 4 hours and 15kms later, we made it to Yallingup to the relief of the students.

After a bit of car and bus shuffling, we finally made it to our camp ‘Scripture Union’ campsite where we had some quick team games on the beach and a swim before we headed off to dinner. After dinner, team building games were had with some interesting events that had the group cheering and laughing. My favourite was the dry Weetbix relay. After team building games, the night finished with a short quiz.

We were up early the next morning for some fitness on the beach. It was obvious that some of us were not early morning people! 😊 After a breakfast of cereal and pancakes, we headed off to Yallingup for a surfing lesson with Crystal and Yallingup Surf School. After some dry land practice, it was time to get out there and give it a go.

What an amazing group of students! Everyone had a go and by my calculations, everyone stood up! This included Miss Fennell which was her first time surfing as well!

Finally, it was time to head back home. A great time must have been had as the trip home was quiet with some very tired bodies.

A big thankyou to Miss Fennell and Mr. Hayward!

News from Parent Bodies

Canteen News

Thank you everyone for your support this term. It has been a great term and we appreciate each and every one of you!

Katelin will be out of action for Term 2, but the canteen will still run as normal.

Can you please remember to join My School Connect and sign up for online ordering? This will help the staff and volunteers to run the canteen smoothly and will ensure your child doesn’t miss out on a meal.

The updated menu will go up after the holidays- There will be yummy soups, pastas and lasagne added.

ORDERING

We would love you to order online.

By using My School Connect you help us to run the canteen efficiently. Cut-off for ordering online is 9.00am on the day of your order. If unable to order online, manual orders can be placed in the canteen. Please make sure you put your full name & any allergies on your order bag, and specify whether it is for recess or lunch.

Enjoy your holiday break. 😊

Volunteer Search

We are open Mon-Fri - from 8.15 am – 2.30pm

At least 2 volunteers needed every school day.

Morning: 8.30am – 11.30pm
Afternoon: 11.30pm - 2pm

Duties are simple, and training is provided.

If you can spare some time, please contact us at nmshs-canteen@bigpond.com

School Board

This week, the school board met on Wednesday, March 20th.  Topics of discussion at the School Board meeting were:

Student Exec Report - senior school student leaders reported on the future functions and ideas on how to make our school a better place. The students also reported on past activities they have been involved in.

Specialist Programs - our Head of Learning in Science, Celeste Park, gave an engaging presentation about the schools’ specialist programs, Engineering and Science Horizons. She also presented her ideas for the future on how to promote the sciences.

Annual Report - was presented to the School Board. This report provides an overview of events which occurred in 2023 and will be available for parents on the Newton Moore SHS webpage at the end of March.

Upper School Data - our Deputy Principal, Kate Nightingale, presented our upper school data results from 2023 and then gave an overview of the new metrics system that shows how well a school is doing in terms of its upper school results.

Role of Allied Professionals - The MCS, Justine Parrish, gave an overview of the role of allied professionals in the school.

The board also reviewed the planning document: a series of ideas that had been created by Board members at the last meeting.

It was a jam-packed agenda with lots of fruitful discussion!

Once again, a special thank-you to the Board members for the contribution they make to our school.

Events

Year 11 & 12 Ball

The school ball is a night to remember, a time to make memories and to just have fun. Our Year 11’s and 12’s made many memories on the 9^th of March, 2024. The students walked up through the arch of the Mantra Lighthouse and into an enchanted forest realm.

Photos of the couples were taken against an amazing backdrop right before they went in, and they had many opportunities to take their own photos with our photo booth.

As the night got started, dinner was served: a buffet style that included burritos, pasta, arancini bites and many more tasty options. Just as dinner was finished, the music was cranked to the max, encouraging the students to the dance floor, where some didn’t leave for the rest of the night.

The girls looked fabulous, dolled up and with their sparkly dresses, and the boys looked just as dashing in their suits. We strutted all night long, singing to our favourite songs, and dancing to some classics. The fun night winded down with awards: it was hard to award these as Ms Edwards said, “You all look awesome”, but they had to pick one winner for each award. King and Queen went to Sheldon Collard and Elouise Pearce, while Prince and Princess went to Harry Nankivell and Isabella Dillon. Best Arrival went to Michael Heatley Stone, Hayden Robins and Tristen Hollemans; Best Vibes of the night were Kody Healey and Jasper Hubon; Best Dressed went to Olivia Fabry from Ed Support and Jada Kirwan; and our overall Best Dancers were Tenealle Price and Ethan Kelly from Ed Support.

Overall, the night was enchanting and the decorations looked outstanding! All staff and students had a night to remember. Bring on the 2025 Newton Moore ball!

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Year 7 Social

On Tuesday evening of Week 6 after Parent Night, Ms Edwards and the Student Executive team coordinated and ran the Year 7 social in the PAC.

With our highest number attending in years, the Year 7's and student leaders had a blast from 5:00pm to 6:30pm. It was a glow stick dance party to remember! The lights were flashing, the music was pumping, and the student’s energy levels were of excitement and anticipation.

We had an epic time running activities, including Just Dance, group dance competitions, a couple of rounds of the limbo and teaching the Year 7's how to Nut Bush. There was lots of energy and impressive dancing skills displayed by the Year 7's!

We had prizes given out to our best dancers and we finished the evening with a sausage sizzle and juice box to replenish their energy levels from all the dancing and fun.

Well done to all the staff and students involved in helping to make the Year 7 social a memorable one.

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Community Notices