27 October 2022

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Address

Principal’s Message

We have had a very busy few weeks at the start of the term with loads of great activities, excursions and events, some of which are featured in this school-zine edition.

Our Year 8 Science students are embarking on the “Innovation Project” this term. We have two teams of Science students under the leadership of one of our science teachers, Elouise Gaylard, working together to create an innovative world. The students have been tasked with the challenge to create an innovation that would make a difference to the community. We are also preparing for our involvement in the Einstein-First project. This is a proven approach to teaching modern science through hands-on activities. This project was designed in collaboration with UWA, Curtin and the Australian Research Council. I can’t wait to see what the students get involved in on this discovery journey.

Our Lightening Carnival is happening soon. I am sure our students will give their best, just as they always do. We remind students at these events that winning is nice, but what is of greater importance, is the ability to demonstrate good sportsmanship. There are also several Outdoor Education camps and expeditions being conducted, and the experiences our students gain from these is extraordinary. Through hard work and perseverance, our students continue to show terrific skill development.

At the end of last term, we had our NAIDOC celebrations jointly organised by our Aboriginal Education team and some key students. There was a fantastic assembly, plenty of food, and a lot of fun activities. The day was enjoyed by community members, students and staff. It was a wonderful way to celebrate our school’s values of inclusivity, unity and respect. A special thank you to all of the parents and community members who attended.

Over the next few weeks, we have Year 6 students attending our special transition programs. The aim is to help familiarise them with a high school setting and understand the standards and expectations we have here at Newton Moore SHS. Their days will be filled with a variety of activities and lessons which enable them to get a taste of high school and to assist in alleviating some of the anxiety that typically comes from incoming Year 7 students.

It was nice to have staff acknowledged on World Teachers Day on Friday the 14th October. We held a morning tea for staff to thank them for their efforts. I am sure you will agree with me the teachers at this school do an amazing job.

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

From the Finance Team

Unpaid Specialist Program Charges

If your child is participating in one of the specialist programs at NMSHS, including Horizons, MASH or Engineering, please ensure that you have paid the program’s compulsory charges.

If this is not paid by the time your child chooses their selections for next year, they may be excluded from that program in 2023. Please contact the Accounts Office on 9722 2419 regarding payment of these charges.

2023 Secondary Assistance Scheme and Abstudy Supplement Allowance

The Secondary Assistance Scheme (SAS) is to assist low-income families with secondary schooling costs for students in Years 7 to 12. It is made up of two allowances:

• $235 Education Program Allowance (EPA) paid directly to the school
• $115 Clothing Allowance (CLA) paid to the applicant or the school.

The $79 Abstudy Supplement is to complement the $156 Centrelink ABSTUDY allowance and is paid to the school to support the student’s contributions and charges.

The forms attached provide more information, and parents/guardians can complete these forms now and return to the Accounts Office to ensure you do not miss out on applying for this financial assistance for the 2023 school year.

Lower School Deputy Principals’ Update

Attendance Mentoring

Across Term 4, NMSHS will commence a mentoring program for students whose attendance fell between 50 -70% in Term 3. Mentoring will take place by the student’s Wellbeing Coordinator and/or Academy staff and involve students reflecting on reasons for current attendance, establishing an improvement goal for Term 4, and fortnightly reviews with their mentor. All students achieving their goal and/or a significant improvement in attendance will participate in a reward activity in the last weeks of Term 4. This new process will be established with the NMSHS Attendance Plan to educate students that ‘Every Day Matters’.

OLNA Year 9s Week 3-4

Due to changes in NAPLAN 2023 onwards and a disrupted 2022 NAPLAN due to Covid, SCSA has scheduled Year 9 OLNA for Term 4, allowing students to “pre-qualify” before reaching Year 10 as a Band 8 in NAPLAN otherwise would. There are currently 34 Year 9 students who have achieved a Band 8 or above in one or more of their NAPLAN strands and will therefore not be required to sit their OLNA for these strands.

The OLNA window for Year 9’s in Term 4 will run in Weeks 3 and 4 (24/10/2022 – 4/11/2022). As per the usual requirements, the Writing test will need to be completed within the first 3 days (24th-26th October), however students will complete Reading and Numeracy within their English and Maths classes across Week 3 and early Week 4. Catch up sessions will be available in Week 4.

This Year 9 window will replace Round 1 within Year 10. The next OLNA opportunity for this year group will be in Term 3, 2023.

Incoming Year 7s for 2023

NMSHS is still awaiting over 30 enrolments for the 2023 Year 7 cohort and I am aware a number of these are for younger siblings of students already in attendance. Without enrolment, students cannot attend the transition activities commencing in Term 4, so I encourage parents to complete enrolment forms as soon as possible. If any assistance is required in completing these forms, or if you have any further enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact the Front Office for further support.

Enrolment acceptance letters should have arrived within your emails and further information will come as the year progresses. Please note that the Year 6 NMSHS Transition Day is Tuesday, 6th December 2022.

Semester 2 Reports

The beginning of Term 4 brings a reminder to students that they have just passed the midway point of Semester 2 and there is only a matter of weeks and a small number of assessments prior to their Semester 2 grade being achieved. In recent weeks, NMSHS staff have committed time in communicating any academic concerns to parents/carers. Should any parent wish to enquire regarding their student’s progress, please email teachers via Connect or call the school on (08) 9722 2400.

Semester 2 reports for Years 7-10 will be emailed home on Wednesday 14th December 2022.

Senior School Deputy Principals’ Update

Year 10 Examinations

The Year 10 exams will be held in Week 6, from Monday 15th to Friday 19th November. In preparation for these important exams, it is essential that your child spends time revising the Semester 1 & 2 content as advised by their teacher. Personalised exam timetables will be provided to all students during Week 4. Please take time to read the information contained on the timetable with your child, to ensure that they have the knowledge and understanding of the conditions and equipment required for the week.

Year 11 examinations

The Year 11 ATAR exams will begin at the end of Week 5, commencing on Friday 12th November through to Friday 19th November.

Students can collect their personalised examination timetable from Tania Martyn in Administration from Monday 1st November. This timetable must be presented to supervisors at every examination. Students are not required to attend school during the examination period – see below for more details.

VET students

• Attend the normal school timetable during the examination period.

Students studying 4 or more ATAR courses are:

• Not required to attend school during the examination period
• To wear school uniform to examinations.
• To bring their personalised examination timetable to all examinations.

Students studying 3 or less ATAR courses and VET students

• Attend the normal school timetable during the examination period.
• For morning examinations are not expected to attend school the day prior to and the day of their scheduled examination(s). For afternoon examinations are not expected to attend the day of their scheduled examination(s).
• Are to attend the Media room in the IRC for study during all timetabled ATAR lessons or Study lessons.
• Are to wear school uniform to examinations.
• Are to bring their personalised examination timetable to all examinations.

If you have any questions about the 2022 Semester Two Examinations please contact Kate Nightingale, Deputy Principal, by phone, 9722 2400 or email kate.nightingale@education.wa.edu.au

STUDY SKILLS TIP

7 Ways Mindfulness and Meditation Can be Helpful to Students

Do you experience feelings of anxiousness? Why not give meditation a go? It can be as simple as closing your eyes, breathing deeply and counting your breaths in and out. There are lots of great Apps out there, for example ‘Mindfulness’, ‘Headspace’, ‘Relax’ and ‘Positivity’. These will guide you through simple meditation and mindfulness exercises. You could even try the new mindfulness colouring-in books for adults that are all the rage. But what is it all about and why should you try it?

What is Mindfulness?

Headspace ( www.headspace.com ) defines mindfulness as “the intention to be present in the here and now, fully engaged in whatever is happening, free from distraction or judgement, with a soft and open mind”.

What is Meditation?

Meditation is a way of transforming the mind, making it calm and silent. According to the Australian Teachers of Meditation Association meditation is a discipline that involves turning the mind and attention inward and focusing on a single thought, image, object or feeling.

How does meditation and practicing mindfulness help you with your schoolwork?

1. Reduces anxiety and risk of depression - By becoming mindful, a person stops judging themselves and those around them and recognises that every situation “is what it is”. When you stop judging and comparing, you are able to reduce anxiety.
2. Increases resilience - resilience is the ability to experience something bad but to not internalise it and to be able to move on, still gaining benefit even from a negative experience. Practicing mindfulness and meditation quietens the mind and enables acceptance without judgement, which is key for achieving resilience.
3. Improves ability to learn and recall information - research by the University of Miami has shown that practicing mindfulness for 12 minutes a day improved attention and memory.
4. Improves concentration - regular practice of meditation may help improve concentration by enabling the brain to focus more accurately and to filter out unwanted or unhelpful messages.
5. Improves creativity - practicing mindfulness and meditation has the potential to allow the brain to unlock and unleash creativity. Creativity is of benefit to all students, not just in terms of artistic talents but also in relation to problem solving.
6. Helps manage exam stress - meditation can help you calm and focus your mind which helps to manage stress related to exams. This tool can be used in the lead up to the exam and also during the exam if stress levels begin to rise.
7. Leads to better sleep - getting enough sleep is crucial to ensure students have the mental and physical energy to learn. However, as academic and social pressures increase, this can lead to students having difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. By reducing anxiety and stress you can ultimately sleep better and longer.

You can learn in the Managing Stress unit at www.studyskillshandbook.com.au by logging in with these details:

Attendance

Positive Behaviour Support (PBS)

Congratulations to Arthur, the Champions of Term 3

All factions did well to earn PBS points throughout Term 3. At one stage, there was a very small difference in points between the leader and second place, however Arthur managed to earn enough points to be the winners of the Term 3 faction competion.

As a reward for their efforts in following our PBS expectations of Respect, Responsibility, Learning and Wellbeing, they received a pizza luch on the last day of Term 3.

Admin Report

Student Services Update

Career Practitioner

The first week back of Term 4 has been a busy one with Year 9 Career Taster activities.

Year 9 Career Taster: The Careers Department workshop & membership

All Year 9 students experienced a workshop by The Careers Department on their first day back at school. They learnt about what the future of work looks like and what employers are looking for.

Students activated their individual accounts and completed a profiling activity to assist them in their career pathways. Students can continue using their The Careers Department subscription, on a suitable device with internet access, until August 30th 2023.

Year 9 students will again use this tool as part of Year 10 Careers Week in 2023. It enables access to virtual work experience, information on industries, skills training, a resume builder, a job finder and more.

Year 9 Career Taster: TAFE Taster

On Friday 14th October, sixteen Year 9 students were invited to attend a TAFE Taster day at South Regional TAFE, Bunbury. Students got to learn about the following courses and industry areas:

• Science
• Building and Design
• Horticulture
• Fitting and Machining

Learning activities were hands-on and delivered by Lecturers with current industry experience. Feedback from students was very positive.

School Nurse

Sun Protection

Protect your skin

For best protection, we recommend a combination of sun protection measures:

1. Slip on some sun-protective clothing that covers as much skin as possible.
2. Slop on broad spectrum, water resistant SPF30+ (or higher) sunscreen. Put it on 20 minutes before you go outdoors and every two hours afterwards. Sunscreen should never be used to extend the time you spend in the sun.
3. Slap on a hat – broad brim or legionnaire style to protect your face, head, neck and ears.
4. Seek shade.
5. Slide on some sunglasses – make sure they meet Australian Standards.

Learning Areas

VET

Important information – VET Term 4 2022

Current Year 10 VET Induction Meetings – VET Information for 2023

For those Year 10 students who have chosen VET subjects in Year 11, you and your parents are required to have a meeting with Ms Read-Smith and Mrs Potter to discuss the VET program for 2023. If you have not booked one of these meetings, please ask your parents and caregivers to contact the school to make an appointment as soon as possible.

2023 Year 12 Work Experience

As a Year 12 student on the VET grid, you are required to locate your own work placement for 2023. All placements for Year 12 students must be identified and information given to the VET office by the 11th November so we can organise the required insurance paperwork.

If you have any questions, or need any assistance, please come to the VET office and to talk to Ms Read-Smith or Mrs Potter regarding this opportunity.

Technologies

On Thursday 8th of September, the Certificate II Active Volunteering students completed some volunteering at the Child and Parent Centre in Carey Park. Students assisted with a range of activities on the day, including baking of cakes and snacks for the centre’s playgroup and community programs; painting of gumnuts for a sensory activity for children; brightening up the centre by painting their pavement; and tidying up their garden ready for spring.

The centre appreciated our support and said that it enabled them to be able to put on more activities for the school holidays because they did not need to worry about the jobs piling up anymore as the students had completed them. All students thoroughly enjoyed their time at the Child and Parent Centre, and valued the experience completely.

Aboriginal Education

Stars

It has been a busy start to our final term for 2022. We have four fulltime staff committed to the program for the rest of the year, including Leandra Healy (Program Coordinator), Sharleen Gray (Senior Mentor), Denae Graham (Mentor), and Tara Couzens (Mentor). The Stars girls celebrated in Week Two with a special luncheon, as well as some small wellbeing packs for our Stars who have started the term off with 100% attendance.

Stars Foundation contact time has been filled with some exciting community projects and activities for the term. Starting off the term, our Year 7 Stars are currently working on a community partnership with PCYC and preparing food each week for the PCYC Safe Sister Meal Program. The food prepared is then handed out by the girls after school to all the young people who attend Koolambidi Woola on Thursday afternoons. This programme will continue throughout the term with different cohorts participating in the program.

Our Year 8 Stars girls are having fun and getting fit shaking and moving with Mrs Betty Mac in the PAC. The girls will be completing 5 weeks of Zumba working towards a positive mindset and overall health and wellbeing.

Clontarf

In Week 8 of Term 3, a group of year 8,9 and 10 Clontarf academy students travelled to Kalgoorlie to compete in the returning Goldfields Cup football carnival. For many boys, this was their first visit to Kalgoorlie. After a full day of travel on Tuesday, Wednesday saw around 15 academies from across the state gather at the Oasis playing fields for a full day of football. Joining forces with the Collie academy, the boys competed well all day long, losing only our final game and finishing second overall in the division. Aaron Reed was awarded the Clontarf spirit award for our academy after demonstrating great sportsmanship and effort all day. The boys then spent the remainder of the afternoon cooling down at the pool before having a team dinner together. On Thursday we enjoyed an informative visit around the famous Super Pit, learning all about mining and the various jobs that are available. We left that afternoon and spent the night in Hyden before visiting Wave Rock the next day. The trip was great fun and a fantastic experience for all the boys and staff.

News from Parent Bodies

School Board

Our school Board is made up with a diverse number of staff community members and parents.

I would like to thank the 2023 school Board members for their continual support:

This term, the Board will be focusing on some very important operational items to endorse, such as the 2023 school budget, the charges and contributions book, and the 2023 booklist.

The role that the school Board plays is pivotal, and we are lucky to have such enthusiastic and hard working members.

Events

Battle of the Knights

On the 23rd of September, Newton Moore SHS celebrated the annual Battle of the Knights in style. Students and staff alike dressed to impress, displaying the many interpretations of what it means to ‘battle’ as ‘knights’. Congratulations go to Rhianna Malone (Year 11), Dylan Frazer (Year 10) and Tyson Barron (Year 12) for their creativity and costume design, and winning best costume on the day.

This year saw the introduction of a new ‘Queen’, with Mrs Johanna Rogers stepping into the role and displaying her creativity and skill in designing her own outfit for this day. Thank you to Queen King for her years of service.

The ‘knaves’ of Newton Moore participated in rotating activities, working as a team to be declared winner! With the new activity of Tarp Ball and the inclusion of Noodle Hockey, students enjoyed a day of fun, frivolity and a tie breaker! With Arthur and Lionheart both on equal points, a Tug of War was called to declare a winner for 2022. Congratulations to Lionheart on their win!

Until 2023…

Community Notices