Principal’s Welcome · 2018. 7. 4. · with Damon Gray giving the Acknowledgment of Country. Renee Daish introduced our special guests, David Booth, a Peramangk man, and his two

Term 2 | Week 5 | 1 June 2018

Principal’s WelcomeNational Reconciliation WeekNational Reconciliation Week is celebrated across Australia each year between 27 May and 3 June. The week is a time for all Australians to learn more about our shared histories, cultures and achievements and to explore how each of us can join the national reconciliation effort. The theme for this year is ‘Don’t Keep History a Mystery: Learn. Share. Grow.’ and all Australians are invited to explore Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history hidden ‘just beneath the surface’.

On Sunday 27 May, Renee Daish (Aboriginal Education Teacher), Jasmine Ingram (Aboriginal Education Officer), and I participated in the Walk for Reconciliation from the Blackwood Uniting Church to Colebrook Reconciliation Park, the site of the former Colebrook Training Home for Aboriginal Children, located on Shepherds Hill Road. Past residents of Colebrook spoke to the large gathering about their lives as children in this home. These stories helped us to understand the significance of this site as a place of healing for the Stolen Generation and their families.

As a school community we acknowledged Reconciliation Week with a whole school assembly held on Thursday 31 May. The theme of the assembly was to celebrate Cultural identity at Blackwood High School including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. The assembly was hosted by the Student Leadership presidents, Misa Hirahara and Jai Brown with Damon Gray giving the Acknowledgment of Country. Renee Daish introduced our special guests, David Booth, a Peramangk man, and his two sons, who shared their Aboriginal culture through storytelling, music and dance. This was a wonderful performance for students and staff reinforcing the Reconciliation theme of ‘Learn, Share, Grow’.

The assembly also provided an opportunity for our international students to share their experience of living in Australia and attending Blackwood High School. The assembly concluded with a moving

musical performance by a small group of talented international students.

Staffing ChangesThis term we have had a number of staff changes. While we endeavour to limit the impact that such changes can have on classes, at times this can be challenging. Often a change of teacher is due to a staff member taking some form of leave, if the teacher is in a leadership role this creates not only a teaching vacancy but also a leadership vacancy. This can create a ‘domino’ effect as the school works through a selection process to fill the leadership vacancy.

Sometimes teachers and leaders have opportunities to work in other locations for short periods of time which also create vacancies. This has been the situation this term with both Luke Northcote and Tash Thornton seconded to State Office. Hence, the following staff will be responsible for the leadership portfolios below:• Ben Dening – Leader, VET and Year 11/12• Adelle Matthews – Leader, Personalised Learning

and Pathways• Adrienne Kajewski - Leader, Year 10

As a result of these changes, we welcome Simela Petridis in a short term teaching contract.

Whenever a change in teacher occurs, the teachers involved work together to ensure the smooth transition of the teaching and learning program. However, if parents/caregivers have concerns about their child’s learning, please contact me or Jason Loke, Deputy Principal, to discuss these.

You are invitedto the Governing Council

General Meetingheld on Tuesday 19 June at 7pm in the

Conference RoomRSVP to Peta Clasohm by Monday 18 June

([email protected])

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Helping Children and Young People LearnIt takes a village to raise a child is a well-known African proverb that acknowledges the importance of family and community working together for the betterment of the child. In a school community this means developing shared responsibility and positive partnerships with families to support student learning, wellbeing and achievement. This is one of the key priorities of the Department for Education and a range of resources to support parent/caregiver engagement are available on the department’s website including information about helping children and young people learn. The fact sheet ‘Helping young people learn - What you can do in secondary school’ may be of particular interest to families as it provides advice for families about how to support their child’s learning throughout the secondary years.

Also, Parenting SA has developed a range of Parent Easy Guides that provide evidence-based, easy to read information on a wide range of parenting topics. These are also available on the department’s website and in hard copy from the school’s front office.

Blackwood Rotary Dinner at Blackwood High SchoolOn Tuesday 22 May the Year 12 Food and Hospitality students catered for the Blackwood Rotary Club held at Blackwood High School. This is a special event in the school calendar as it provides an authentic opportunity for students to apply their learning as well as an opportunity for the school to show its appreciation for Rotary’s ongoing support.

Forty guests (members and partners) experienced a delicious two course meal prepared and served by our students. Also, the Stage 1 and 2 Accelerated Spanish students provided a presentation in Spanish about their recent visit overseas to Salamanca, Spain. Our special guests were most impressed by the quality of the meal and the student presentation. Thank you to all the students involved including the Year 9 and 11 students who contributed to the event ensuring it was a great success. Also, thank you to the staff who supported the students in this application of their learning to a real audience.

Governing CouncilThe Governing Council provides an opportunity for parents/caregivers to contribute to setting the broad directions of the school, and monitoring and reporting on achievements.

At Blackwood High School we currently have 16 members on our Governing Council which inlucdes parent/caregivers, staff, students and community members.

At our last Governing Council meeting I asked members if they could share why they decided to be part of our Governing Council:Helen Keen (chairperson) - I volunteer on the Governing Council because parent involvement is a great privilege in our children’s high school education (and all surrounding experiences) and I want to ensure that their experience is as good and holistic as it can be.

Di Edwards (secretary) - I have been a member of GC for the last year and a half, and am currently the Secretary. I joined because I wanted to participate in school life as a parent, stay informed, and contribute to the school that will be a big influence in my daughter’s life. High School unlike primary school does not require parents to participate as much, and so there is a loss of connection. GC has enabled my family to stay connected. The GC is not onerous, just a couple of meetings a term that take about an hour and a half on a Tuesday evening. We may attend (or not) extra activities such as Open Day or graduation. I work full-time and of course have a busy family life, but I enjoy the contributions I am able to make through GC and appreciate that I am invited to do so by the school.

Michael Shanahan (treasurer) - I am on the Governing Council because I believe that parent involvement makes the school a better place for our kids.

Sarah Tucker - I am involved in the Governing Council as it is an opportunity to be involved in decisions relating to the school and to keep abreast of what is happening at the school.

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Blackwood High School high achievers• Congratulations to Lily Whitcombe,

Olivia Smith, Taylah Jayne and Kiera Mueller who were all selected in the State U15 Girls Football Team. They will be participating in the National Championships in Adelaide from 21 to 28 July 2018.

• Congratulations to Jackson Roberts who will be participating in the National Football Championships in Adelaide from 21 to 28 July 2018.

• Congratulations to Willow Homersham and Kiera Mueller who have been selected in the SANFL U16 State Team. They will participate in a game against the VFL U16 Team in Horsham over the June long weekend.

Pre-order to support Blackwood High School raising funds for Himeji Trip!We are raising funds for our School and you can help. Order the NEW 2018 | 2019 Entertainment Book or Entertainment Digital Membership and you will receive hundreds of valuable offers for everything you love to do, and you will also be supporting our School. PLUS, order now to receive over $150 of bonus Early

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[email protected]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Gerald Westbrook – I want to help those with learning difficulties and reduce subsequent bullying that it sometimes attracts.

Misa Hirahara (student) - I’m lucky enough to be chosen for SRC president this year and joined Governing Council to report events and ongoing SRC activities and to be the representative of all students at Blackwood High school to give suggestions and ideas to the adult decisions and concerns.

Lindy Taeuber - I am an Elected Member on the Mitcham Council who, as a former secondary school teacher and Eden Hills resident, wanted to act as a conduit between the school and council.

Sam Duluk - As the Local Member for Waite, I am involved with the Governing Council because I believe it is important to keep in touch with the issues facing my local schools and our education system.

If you are interested in being part of our Governing Council, we still have a few vacancies available and invite you to attend a general meeting on 19 June at 7pm in the Conference Room. You will be able to meet and speak with the current members and you can nominate to become a member.

If you would like to attend the meeting on 19 June please RSVP by emailing [email protected] by Monday 18 June.Sharon Goldman, Principal

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Student Leadership and ParticipationStudent Leadership Induction DayThe 2018 Student Leadership Team participated in an induction day at Flinders University on Tuesday 10 April. The day was mainly led by the Student Year Level Leaders and two Blackwood High School graduates were the guest speakers, their presentations inspiring the group.

The main purpose of the day was for the students to get to know the leadership group better and for members to have the opportunity to bond further in a range of activities. Another focus was to develop the vision and main goals for this year and to discuss how we would make this happen.Four subgroups were formed:Fundraising and EventsStudent ParticipationSchool PrideStudent Support

SRC members chose whichever group they wanted to be part of for further discussion and planning. Each group has created a list of priorities and will be actioning their first activity or event during Term 2.The University treated the group to a morning tea, and Subway lunch was enjoyed in the new Student Hub on the campus

Overall, the day went smoothly and we were all highly engaged. I personally think that our bond as the 2018 Student Leadership Group has become stronger following on from the Induction day.

Misa Hirahara, Year 12 Student Leader

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The 2018 Blackwood High School Dance Star Teams competed at the Preliminary Finals at Seymour College Performing Arts Centre with all seven entries of teams and soloists making it through to the State Finals. 70 dance performers were represented in the Blackwood High School teams.

This year’s results have been consistent with outstanding results of the previous years with the Mega Troupe Contemporary, Theatrical Teams and soloist Kasey Bruer placing first at the Preliminary State Final. The Senior Hip Hop team and Jazz large team finished in second place as did soloist Sophie Edwards. The Junior Hip Hop team had some fierce competition and they placed fourth.

The State Finals will be at held at Brighton Performing Arts Centre on 23 June where all teams will be competing for medals and selection to the National Dance Star Competition at the Convention Centre on the Gold Coast in August.

Congratulations to all of the dancers and coaches for their outstanding commitment and representation of Blackwood High Performing Arts in the wider community at this event.

I would like to acknowledge the coaches, graduate Blackwood High School Dance Students, Torehn Lobow, Jess Vidau and Katie Harris and input from Natalie MacArthur for the work and effort they have demonstrated with their teams. Thank you also to SSO Katheryn Langmaid for her coaching and support of Contemporary Soloist Sophie Edwards. This year we have had support in costume design and construction from dance parents/caregivers Tanya Blucher, Stephanie Banko and Drama Teacher Brigitte Esvelt as well as assistance with hair from Natasha Cooper on the day of the competition. The students were incredibly supported by the Blackwood High School parent/caregiver community and teachers Shauna Thompson, Tash Thornton and Kate Young, with their attendance and cheering during the competition.

The collaborative efforts of the Blackwood High School Arts community have contributed to the success and excellence of this program.

Katrina Constantopoulos, Dance Star Manager

Student commentsHad a great day competing against our fellow schools and clubs who brought some amazing competition - Jayme MansellDance Star was a wonderful experience that really helped me improve my dance technique and performance skills - Holly YoungA great experience with a group of really awesome people, and some amazing results to top off the day! - Kasey Bruer

Dance Stars

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Year 8 and 9 updateThe Year 8 and 9 cohort have had a very busy start to Term 2.

In Week 3 the Year 9 students were involved in NAPLAN across 3 days where students participated in the Literacy and Numeracy testing.

In both Year 8 and 9 the Pastoral Care Program has focused on respectful relationships and having empathy and understanding of others. Students have participated in small group tasks and then shared ideas and thoughts around continuing to improve inclusivity.

This has led perfectly into the celebration of Reconciliation Week (Week 5) where we acknowledged the diversity of cultures at Blackwood High School in a whole school assembly.

Some Year 8 students had the opportunity to go back to their old primary school as part of our transition program to support the incoming 2019 Year 8 students ready for high school. This was a positive experience for all involved and our students did a wonderful job speaking to primary students about their experience of starting high school. The primary school students asked some fantastic questions about high school.

Over the next few weeks Supervised Assessment tasks or Common Tests will be scheduled for students. Most subject areas will be providing revision sheets for students to study prior to these.

With the cold weather now here it has been evident that not all students are wearing full school uniform. A reminder, there should be no visible undershirts when wearing the school hoodie and students are required to wear all black shoes.

Thank you for your support with this.

Shauna Thompson, Year 8/9 Leader

The Potted and Incomplete Tragedies Of Willy ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets in his lifetime and 10 of his most famous plays are the most famous tragedies to ever be written (other than the death of Han Solo). The ten plays include; Titus Andronicus, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello and Macbeth.

Our SACE Stage 1 and 2 Drama classes have been preparing all their lives, or at least for the past few weeks, for this performance and their updated take on these classic plays brings together the fun of improvisation, physical comedy and the serious carnage in Shakespearean tragedies. Be prepared to laugh at this (almost) family friendly performance.

Don’t miss seeing our Senior Drama students present five heart wrenching tragedies, as comedies, in under 90 minutes. We warmly welcome you to our shows, presented as matinees on Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 June and evening on Wednesday 13 June at 7pm and Thursday 14 June at 7:30pm.

Mikayla Davis, Year 11 student and Brigitte Esvelt, Drama Teacher

SACE Drama Production

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Champions for Change Youth Day - Embrace your differencesOn Wednesday 23 May 2018, six Year 8 Blackwood High School students, along with Student Wellbeing Leader, Argie Buesnel attended the Champions for Change Youth Day at the Cumberland Park Community Centre. Students from Mitcham Girls and Pasadena High Schools also attended the day to hear from Butterfly Education leaders. The theme was, ‘Promoting Body Confidence in the School Community’. The four-hour interactive workshop was occupied with stimulating activities. We explored the issues that impact on self-esteem and body confidence such as unhelpful language around weight and appearance and explored strategies and tools to support resilience to become positive body image role models. We also started creating an Action Plan that could be implemented at Blackwood High School in collaboration with other students.

There were many valuable and insightful take-away messages, such as:• Celebrate differences and respect individuality• It is what is inside that counts • Our bodies are not an ornament just to be looked at • What you see may not always be, stop comparing

yourself• Value all people for who they are• Love yourself

We extend our sincere thanks to the City of Mitcham and Variety Children’s Charity for sponsoring this worthwhile initiative by Butterfly Education.

Charlie Scutchings, Chloe Hodge, Year 8 students and Argie Buesnel, Student Wellbeing Leader

Year 10 updatePLPAs you will be aware the SACE Personal Learning Plan (PLP) is the backbone of the Year 10 Pastoral Care Program. The PLP, which is a prerequisite for SACE completion, is divided into 4 equally weighted tasks.Students are currently working towards completing PLP 2 which is a part of the MYP Project.The SACE PLP Program is continuing through Term 2 with the focus now shifting to PLP 2 My Personal Project Report. The PLP 2 task utilises the report from the MYP Project. The goal of this report is for students to reflect on setting/evaluating goals and on their interactions with others to complete them. The focus of pastoral care time this term will be on students completing the report having moved on from the independent Research/Planning/Process Journal and Product phase. All PLP tasks are compulsory for all Year 10 students regardless of their desire to complete work experience or not.

Work ExperienceYear 10 Work Experience is Week 8, Term 2 (18 – 22 June).The cutoff for the Workplace Learning Agreement form has now passed and Risk Assessments are currently being processed. We understand that arranging placements was not possible for everyone and while it is an outstanding opportunity, that we believe makes a large impact on a young person, participating in workplace learning is not compulsory.

For those unable to find a place or deciding not to take up the opportunity, regular classes do continue on site during Week 8 and attendance is required as usual.

If you have any queries, please contact me, Ben Dening, VET/Careers Leader through the school on 8278 0900.

Ben Dening, VET/Careers Leader

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Year 10 Big History ExcursionOn Tuesday 22 May, as part of their course, the Year 10 Big History class visited the University of South Australia’s Mawson Lakes Campus, specifically the Planetarium. The excursion allowed students to revisit and review their understanding of key events in the syllabus, namely our universe’s origins, concepts around star formation, in addition to various other factors related to cosmology. The Big History course, pioneered by Australian academic David Christian, encourages the development of a holistic understanding of history, the embracing of a view that includes the formation of the universe, via the Big Bang, the development of the stars and our own Sun and Earth, as well the development of life on Earth. The course culminates in an examination of agrarian societies and the development of the modern world as we know it, before culminating in a projection of possible future scenarios.

Amanda Aulert, who accompanied the excursion, and I were impressed with the students’ focus and engagement with both the concepts and content presented by the UNISA staff.

Raphael Zadey, Humanities Teacher

Illuminate Nextgen ChallengeDuring Week 4, members of the Year 11 Business Studies class, along with a group of Year 10 students, attended the 2018 Illuminate Nextgen Challenge, by Illuminate Education, held at the Torrens University campus, 10 Adelaide Schools and over 60 students took part in the challenge.

For this 5 day long challenge students broke into teams and were tasked with coming up with a social enterprise/business concept which benefited the community. Those involved were given presentations and advice on how to develop a startup by industry leaders, all areas were covered from financial planning to promotion.

Program Reachout An accommodation/training based café. Team members: Isaac Haynes, Jackson Hughes, Oscar Hunter, Fletcher Lewis and Cameron Rowley.

Another Cup A pay it forward coffee cart offering care packages for the homeless. Team members: Tyron Blake, Austin Farrugia, Rhys Barlass, Scarlet Partridge-Powell and Sarah Carragher.

Lunchboxes for Learning A school lunch system for busy families that features a one for one donation to needy families. Giorgia Bravi, Isabella Deyoung, Kim Ngan Duong and Katie Turner.

After presenting our ideas to a panel of judges (think Shark Tank), our team ‘Lunchboxes for Learning’ was lucky enough to be awarded with two awards; the award for Student Choice: Best Idea, and the grand prize, Overall Best Business award.

The other Blackwood Teams receiving awards for; Best Pressure Cooker Submission: Program Reachout , and Student choice: Best Team: Another Cup.

Although the week was busy, it was thoroughly rewarding, and a great experience for all involved to work independently and apply the skills we have developed in our separate classes.Ben Dening, Year 11 and 12 Leader and Mary Hodson, Assistant Principal Senior School

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Year 11 and 12 updateYear 11 AquaticsOn Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 May Dan Smith and Janet Bradley’s Year 11 Physical Education classes did their two day SACE aquatics course at Port Noarlunga. The group endured cold, windy conditions on Monday but were rewarded with a calm, sunny day on Tuesday and hot chips for lunch.

Janet Bradley, Physical Education Teacher

Year 11 Exam WeekWeek 6 of Term 2 is Exam Week for Year 11 Students. The timetable and information for students is below and has also been emailed to all parents/caregivers. Exams are an important part of the learning and assessment for set subjects and attendance is expected. During exam week, there are no scheduled classes however, some subjects may have planned sessions which students are advised to attend. These will be communicated on a subject by subject basis.

Any Year 11 Students on site during Week 6 will be expected to be in Exams, in Study (when available) or in arranged sessions with subject teachers. To ensure duty of care regarding student identification, students will be expected to be in full school uniform or they may be asked to change or leave the site. If you have any concerns please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Information for students:• You MUST arrive at least 10 minutes before the scheduled start time for your exam. Students arriving late

to exams may not be allowed to enter the examination room.• There is no leaving the exams early. Once finished, students must sit quietly and wait for the end of the

exam.• All exams are 90 minutes (including 10 minutes reading time) unless stated otherwise.• You are required to bring along your own materials (pens, pencils, rulers, etc.) unless your teacher has

indicated otherwise.• NO mobile phones are allowed inside the examination room. These should be left at home or in a safe place

during the exam. Students found to be in possession of phones or other prohibited electronic devices may have their exam grades cancelled.

• Students must attend all exams in full school uniform. Failure to do so may mean you are not able to sit the exam.

• During the exam if you require anything, you must put up your hand and wait quietly for a teacher to attend to you. You are not permitted to call out or get out of your seat without permission.

Ben Dening, Year 11/12 Leader

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Sports newsOpen Boys Knock Out FootballOn Wednesday 14 June the Open Boys Football Team played Reynella East College and Heathfield High School in the Statewide Knockout Competition. Game one against Heathfield High School was an even contest throughout the entire match. The wet conditions limited scoring opportunities for both sides. The game was a battle of winning the ‘contested ball’ in congested conditions. The game literally went right to the final siren when a Blackwood shot on goal after the final siren was touched on the goal line. The second match against Cornerstone College was again a close contest. Both teams battled it out with Concordia College winning the game by 3 points. Congratulations to all students who represented Blackwood High School on the day.

Game 1 Results – Blackwood High School 4 - 7 - 31 lost to Heathfield High School 4 - 10 - 34 Goal kickers – Troy Hocking 2, Reece Milsom 1, Jordan Spells 1

Game 2 Results – Blackwood High School 6 - 9 - 45 lost to Concordia College 7 - 4 - 46 Goal kickers – Troy Hocking 2, Mitch Robertson 1, Zane Millington 1, Eduard Van den Berg 1, Luke Bull 1

Best players for the day were Reece Milsom, Troy Hocking and Kye Dean.

Glen Little, Leader, Health and Physical Education

Year 8/9 Knock Out Football Round one of the Knock Out Competition was successful for the Year 8/9 team. The team played an attacking style of football right from the first bounce. All players played their role with a ‘team first’ approach. The teamwork allowed a fast flowing game enabling many scoring opportunities. Congratulations to all members of the squad.

Results: Game 1: Blackwood High 13-4-82 defeated Reynella East College 1-0-6Goal Kickers: Nathan Houston 6, Bailey Pedro 2, Rhys Galliford 1, Aiden Grayson 1, Charlie Duncan 1, Bailey O’Donnell 1, Ben Burbridge 1

Game 2: Blackwood High defeated Aberfoyle Park High 19-5-119 to 0-1-1Goal Kickers: Nathan Houston 4, Cody Padroth 3, Nathan Stephens 3, Riley Jones 2, Bailey Pedro 1, Toby Russell 1, Trent Denning 1, Kobe Vanzetta 1, Milan Spring 1, Max Cope 1, Harry Lemmey 1

Best Players for the day: Nathan Houston, Ben Burbridge, Kobe Vanzetta, Bailey Pedro, Bailey O’Donnell, James Hackett, Rhys Galliford.

The team now progresses to round 2 of the competition to be played by the end of Week 8.

Glen Little, Leader, Health and Physical Education

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Open Girls Knock Out FootballOn Monday 21 May, Blackwood High School Open Girls Football team defeated Brighton High School on home turf. The highly regarded opposition were no match to our improving group of female football players at Blackwood High School. Many of the girls have improved through their involvement in the Special Interest Girl’s Football class as well as developing their skills at club level. All year levels were represented in the team, with Year 8 student, Lily Whitcombe playing well and kicking a goal, along with Tyler Attiwill, who was thrown into ruck in the second quarter and was outstanding. Football class captains, Willow Homersham and Keira Mueller performed strongly all game all over the ground. Other strong contributors were Brie Medder, who kicked three goals, Olivia Smith in the middle and Charlie Scutchings (1 goal). The team will now progress to the next round, which will be played in the next 3 weeks.Score:Blackwood 5 – 7 Brighton 4 - 4

Goal scorers:Brie Medder 3Lily Whitcombe 1Charlie Scutchings 1

Best players:Kiera MuellerWillow HomershamTyler AttiwillOlivia SmithBrie MedderLily Whitcombe

Janet Bradley, Leader, Special Interest Girls Football

This year sees Blackwood High School re-enter the highly competitive field of schools debating, via Debating SA’s 2018 Schools’ Competition. This year we are fielding a Year 9 team, comprising the skills and experience of both Year 8 and Year 9 students. This year’s debaters include Ella Goulding (8C), Jessica Jenkins (8C), Laura (9F), Kaung Hein (9E), Zach Brown (8A) and Adeline Stoten (8F).

In Round 1 we debated the question of whether or not JK Rowling’s fictional school was an ideal educational institution. Our Year 9 team, comprising Laura, Ella and Adeline, argued in favour of the proposition, providing a detailed and quite ingenious analysis of the myriad of ways in which students of Hogwarts benefitted from their exposure to a diverse curriculum and a multicultural/multi-species environment. Our team commented upon the free tuition and camaraderie, even going so far as to observe the school’s provision of vocational/VET opportunities, via its links to the Ministry of Magic.

The girls delivered an impressive performance, presenting a well-structured and coherent discussion, in the process earning praise from both adjudicator and audience members. Whilst we didn’t win on this first outing, this was undoubtedly a successful first foray for some of our speakers.

Raphael Zadey and Ben Phillips, Debating coaches

Debating update

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USHIKU STUDY TOUR 14 - 25 August

Planning is well underway for our next Japanese Study Tour visit. We are looking for families interested in hosting one of the group of nine boys and seven girls from Ushiku High School.

Ushiku is in a rural setting in Ibaraki Prefecture, about three hours by car from Tokyo. It will be the school’s sixth visit to us and the group will be with us from 14 - 25 August.

Please let me know if you are interested in hosting a student from this group or would like more information. A homestay payment of $440 will be made to families to help defray costs.

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There are still positions available for students to participate in the Blackwood High School - Himeji City Youth Ambassadors Exchange Program. From 28 July to 8 August this year a group of five Japanese students will travel from our sister city Himeji, Japan to Adelaide and spend 12 days at Blackwood High School. Five selected Blackwood High School students will make a return visit to Himeji in the October school holidays.

The exchange program is reciprocal in nature – participating Blackwood High School students will be expected to host the Japanese visitor in their home during their stay in Adelaide or arrange for another family to host the student. The group travelling to Japan will be accompanied by teachers from Blackwood High School and hosted by their Himeji exchange partner.

In Himeji, students will attend school for a few days with their host/buddy, join in club activities, enjoy an excursion to another city (e.g. Kyoto, Nara, Kobe or Hiroshima) and experience a range of Japanese cultural traditions such as Shodo (calligraphy) and tea ceremony. They will also have a tour of the World Heritage listed Himeji Castle.

This is a cultural exchange program and no prior knowledge of Japanese is required. Selected participants will pay for their airfare to Japan (approx. $1500), travel insurance, passport and some pocket money. In Japan all expenses are covered by the Himeji exchange foundation and the host family.

Check out the film clip of a previous trip to Himeji on the Blackwood High School homepage – click on the International tab and then 2017 Himeji Cultural Exchange.

Please consider being part of this amazing opportunity to experience the culture and heritage of Japan and come home with memories that will stay with you forever.

Contact Karyn Jones for more details.

Karyn Jones, Leader, International Student Programs

Himeji Cultural Exchange Trip

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CyberSmartHere are a few of the apps that quite a few students are using, that parents/caregivers may not know about.Along with these, Snapchat is also the app of choice for many of our young people.Here are some tips for parents:• Be aware of what your child is doing online and explore it with them.• Keep the lines of communication open so your child will be comfortable to talk to you and help them to

develop skills they need to interact safely and respectfully online.• Discuss the kinds of sites that are okay to explore and those that are not, and have clear rules about online

activities.For more information visit www.cybersmart.gov.au

Calendar DatesTerm 2 2018Monday 4 to Friday 8 JuneYear 11 Exam Week

Monday 11 JuneQUEEN’S BIRTHDAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY

Tuesday 12 JuneSTUDENT FREE DAY

Wednesday 13 JuneSenior Drama Performance Matinee 11amEvening 7pm

Monday 18 to Friday 22 JuneCanberra TripYear 10 Work Experience Week

Tuesday 19 JuneGoverning Council Meeting 7pm

Tuesday 26 JunePrincipal’s Tour 9am

Wednesday 27 JuneSACE Dance PerformanceMatinee 11:30amEvening 7pm

Monday 2 to Friday 6 JulyYear 12 ExamsSpecial Interest Netball Melbourne Trip

Friday 6 JulyLast day of Term 2

Term 3Monday 23 JulySTUDENT FREE DAY

Tuesday 24 July First day of Term 3

Monday 30 JulyYear 8 Wellbeing Survey

Thursday 2 AugustYear 12 Exam Reports Distributed

Monday 6 AugustYear 9 Wellbeing Survey

Tuesday 7 AugustGoverning Council Meeting 7pm

Tuesday 14 to 25 AugustUshiku High School Study Tour

Monday 20 to Friday 24 AugustYear 10 Snow Trip

Wednesday 22 AugustYear 12 SATAC Parent Information Evening

Monday 27 AugustYear 10 and 11 Subject Counselling Days by appointment

School ContactsStudent Absences: [email protected] Services: 8278 0900 or see website for staff email contacts