Kulin District High School
NEWSLETTER
1st April 2015
PO Box 19 KULIN WA 6365
Phone: 9880 1264
Fax: 9880 1013
Email: [email protected] Website: www.kulindhs.wa.edu.au
From the Principal
Dear Parents and Community Members
Welcome to our final newsletter for Term One. We find ourselves at the end of what has certainly been a very quick and hectic
term. With only nine weeks, two of them of four days and one only three days, it seems like we have only in the past couple of
weeks settled into the solid routine of classroom life. We now look forward to taking a breath to enjoy the Easter break and two
week holiday. Inside today’s newsletter you will be able to read about the fantastic activities recently held in Ms Hegarty’s
secondary and Pre-Primary Science classes, Mrs Argent’s Music, the Year 5/6 study of Emergency Services this term as well as
a recap of the Interschool Swimming Carnival held in Bruce Rock two Fridays ago.
Year 3/4 Assembly
It was fantastic to see a large group of parents, family and community members at this afternoon’s Year 3/4 assembly. This was
an excellent chance for Miss Ettridge’s class, and the entire school, to share and celebrate all of the learning we have squeezed
into this very short term. I really enjoyed the class’s Under the Sea themed items and give my congratulations to each of our
latest merit certificate winners.
I now look forward to our very special Anzac Assembly to be held at the end of Week One next term.
Animation Incursion
Last Tuesday and Wednesday students from Pre Primary to Year 10 had the opportunity to take part in sessions to learn how to
use new apps on our iPads facilitated by Mark and Dianne Sadler from MediaArk. Our iPads are a vital part of the teaching and
learning resources used in each classroom across the school and we jumped at the chance to spend some time using them for a
specific purpose. Students in Pre Primary to Year 2 used the Book Creator app to take photographs and begin compiling pages
of their own book while students from Years 3 to 10 used Stop Motion to animate their own 1 minute films. These films were very
entertaining and it was good to see the older students better understand how films are created. I was blown away to think that
something like 112 320 still shots were used by a team of around 300 to create a Wallace and Gromit film over a number of
years. I’m looking forward to seeing the iPads used more and more in literacy in the time ahead.
2014 Annual Report
Coming home to all families with today’s newsletter is a copy of our school’s 2014 Annual Report. This report has been compiled
throughout this term and aims to give people an overview of what the 2014 school year looked like at Kulin DHS. Your School
Board has had input into this report and I thank them for their feedback. Inside the report you will find many highlights of the year,
student enrolments, attendance and achievement, Taryn Scadding’s P&C President Report, information gained from the student,
parent and staff surveys completed last year, a summary of our financial position at the end of the year and our plans for this
year.
This report is completed by all schools every year and often gets uploaded to our Schools Online webpage and virtually forgotten.
I think that this report is well worth sharing with parents and our community as it gives an honest picture of our progress and
plans for the future. I hope that it can become a more central part of our annual review process. I hope you take the time to read
the report and please feel free to contact me if you wish to discuss any of its contents.
Easter and Term Two
I would like to wish everybody an enjoyable and relaxing Easter break. I am looking forward to catching up with family and
chasing a few salmon on the south coast. If you are on the roads during the next few days please consider the Ease up at Easter
message and enjoy the drive. It only takes a moment to change a life and a family forever.
Please note that the first day back for Term Two for students and staff is Monday 20 April. A short Term One, means a longer
Term Two and so we have 11 weeks to look forward to, with NAPLAN, playground and garden developments taking centre stage
here at school.
Best wishes and thank you for a fantastic start to the year!
Damian Lloyd
Principal
From The Deputies Desk
As Term One comes to the end, I would like to congratulate the students for a super
smooth start to the 2015 school year. It is amazing how much productivity and progress
individuals have made in the last six weeks. The Kindy children and other new students to
our school have settled down into their new Kulin DHS routines and there is nothing better
than seeing happy faces greeting me each morning. Parent/teacher interviews have
been happening over the last two weeks and I appreciate the after school time each
class teacher has given to meet with parents and carers. Having these meetings early in
the year is an excellent way to ensure all stakeholders are ‘on the same page’ with the
progress of their child. Clear concise communication between all parties is one of the keys
to a child’s successful learning. Parents are always welcome to phone the front office or
email teachers throughout the year to make a time to meet with them to discuss progress
of their child.
With all the talk in the last few years around Year Seven’s moving into the secondary
setting, I have found it interesting how there has been a shift in the focus for Middle Years. I
read the following article below in the latest Generation Next newsletter. We as educators
are committed to engaging and supporting the Middle Years’ students in ways that inspire
them to be successful and to achieve their best learning outcomes. Middle Years’
students are in Years 5-9 and are generally aged between 9 and 14 years. Schools assist
them to be successful learners and to develop confidence, resilience, a love of learning
and a respect for others.
Angie Wilcock is a highly regarded Australian expert and speaker on transitions in
education. As well as appearing on television programs and numerous national and local
radio programs, Angie has also delivered presentations as part of the Generation Next
team to audiences across the country.
She has had several articles on transition, middle years teaching and learning, boys and
girls education, learning styles and coping strategies for secondary school published in
national and state educational journals and on educational websites.
TheMiddleYears…..Change&Challenge
What’s different about the Middle Years?
 Identify strongly with peers
 Seek greater independence – step away from parents!
 Are more impulsive; can be less attentive
 Seek challenge and relevance in learning
 More rights-orientated; more attention seeking
 Keen to develop relationships/rapport
Brain development-“What’s going on there?!”
What do we need to consider?
Recognise that our middle years learners are increasingly disengaged with schooling –
the gap between high and low achievers widens Years 5-9
Accept that they are not yet adults, but not children either – their needs are unique
Be willing to alter some of our: teaching/parenting/advisory styles and practices to
connect with this group – communication is key!
The 5R’s: to Engage, Inspire and Motivate!
(Dr David Smith, 2008- review of Middle Years literature for NSWDEC)
Whatever our connection with this age group, they need:
 Relationships
 Relevance
 Responsibility
 Rigour
 Resilience
Where do we go from here?
Well-developed understanding of the needs of this group.
Multi-layered, collaborative tasks: connected to ‘real world’; consider learning styles &
learning differences
High but achievable expectations – school, community
Strong modelling/scaffolding of knowledge/skills – to increase mastery, self-esteem,
self-efficacy, resilience
Male/female role models – within school & community
Strong emphasis on goal-setting and ‘chunking’
Further resources:
The Transition tightrope- Angie Wilcock, Routledge 2013
How to Motivate your Child for School and Beyond-Dr Andrew Martin, Bantam (Random
House) 2003
Wishing you a relaxed and safe break, enjoy the couple of school-free weeks. We look
forward to seeing the students back on Monday 20th April.
Kind regards
Donna Spurgeon
School News
DATES TO REMEMBER
APRIL
Thurs 2nd Last day of Term 1
Fri
3rd Good Friday
Mon 20th 1st Day of Term 2
For students
Fri
24th ANZAC Assembly
Mon 27th ANZAC Holiday
WINTER UNIFORM:
Students are looking to purchase second
hand Kulin jackets now the days are
getting cooler. f you have
any jackets that no longer fit your children
the school would like to add them to our
second hand uniform stock.
SCHOOL BREAKFAST CLUB Parents, Guardians, Students & Community members are welcome to volunteer next term. All enquires to Sharyn McAdam 0429 801 055. Kulin Kondinin Junior Football Club
It's that time of year again! Training will commence this Thursday 4pm in Kulin,
followed by a sausage sizzle afterwards.
All welcome! Look forward to seeing you there.
Any queries to Michael Bennier 0429890012.
SCDHSSA INTERSCHOOL SWIMMING CARNIVAL
CHAMPION RESULTS
2015
8 & U CHAMPION GIRL
8 & U RUNNER UP GIRL
8 & U CHAMPION BOY
8 & U RUNNER UP BOY
9 YRS CHAMPION GIRL
9 YRS RUNNER UP GIRL
9 YRS CHAMPION BOY
9 YRS RUNNER UP BOY
10 YRS CHAMPION GIRL
10 YRS RUNNER UP GIRL
10 YRS CHAMPION BOY
10 YRS RUNNER UP BOY
11 YRS CHAMPION GIRL
11 YRS RUNNER UP GIRL
11 YRS CHAMPION BOY
11 YRS RUNNER UP BOY
12 YRS CHAMPION GIRL
12 YRS RUNNER UP GIRL
12 YRS CHAMPION BOY
12 YRS RUNNER UP BOY
13 YRS CHAMPION GIRL
13 YRS RUNNER UP GIRL
13 YRS CHAMPION BOY
13 YRS RUNNER UP BOY
14 YRS CHAMPION GIRL
14 YRS RUNNER UP GIRL
14 YRS CHAMPION BOY
14 YRS RUNNER UP BOY
15 YRS CHAMPION GIRL
15 YRS RUNNER UP GIRL
15 YRS CHAMPION BOY
15 YRS RUNNER UP BOY
16 YRS CHAMPION GIRL
16 YRS RUNNER UP GIRL
16 YRS CHAMPION BOY
16 YRS RUNNER UP BOY
OPEN CHAMPION GIRL
OPEN RUNNER UP GIRL
OPEN CHAMPION BOY
OPEN RUNNER UP BOY
Indi Butler (Bruce Rock)
Madeline Bennett (Kulin)
Cameron Hills (Narembeen)
Ezekiel Jetta (Bruce Rock)
Amelia Currie (Narembeen) Chloe Argent (Kulin)
Tamzin Balfour (Bruce Rock) Cobie Stirrat (Narembeen)
Jake Heasman (Bruce Rock)
Chazzon Foss (Bruce Rock)
Alicia Hills (Narembeen)
Olivia Bennett (Kulin)
Hamish Dearlove (Kulin)
Daniel Lockyer (Kulin)
Abby Hooper (Narembeen)
Tillianna Foss (Bruce Rock)
Ethan Kilminsteuce Rock)
Alexander Foss (Bruce Rock)
Amber Coppen (Corrigin)
Sara Nation (Narembeen)
Nakau Brown (Narembeen)
Ashton Scadding (Kulin)
Sarah Latham (Narembeen)
Shanae Hewett (Corrigin)
Tyson DiFulvio (Corrigin)
Brady Garlick (Narembeen)
Casey Hooper (Narembeen)
Melissa Randall (Kulin)
James Thomas (Narembeen)
Lachlan Robinson (Corrigin)
Gypsy Treacy (Corrigin) Georgia Atkins (Narembeen)
Chloe Butler (Bruce Rock)
Jake Garlick (Narembeen)
Jethro Duffy (Narembeen)
Demi Garlick (Narembeen)
Kylie Garlick (Narembeen)
Tanner Swithenbank (Corrigin)
Rhys Cousins (Narembeen)
Demi Garlick (Narembeen)
Kylie Garlick (Narembeen)
Jake Garlick (Narembeen)
James Thomas (Narembeen)
HANDICAP
7 points
6 points
11 points
10 points
9 points
6 points
11 points
10 points
12 points
6 points
12 points
10 points
15 points
9 points
13 points
9 points
15 points
6 points
10 points
9 points
20 points
11 points
18 points
13 points
20 points
9 points
18 points
11 points
12 points
9 points
17 points
11 points
18 points
14 points
18 points
14 points
10 points
6 points
8 points
5 points
OUTRIGHT CHAMPION
1ST:
Narembeen
382 points
1ST:
Narembeen
382 points
2ND:
Bruce Rock
380 points
2ND:
Corrigin
211 points
3RD:
Corrigin
349 points
3RD:
Bruce Rock
180 points
4TH:
Kulin
322 points
4TH:
Kulin
33 points
Science Report
Ms Katelyn Hegarty
What a whirlwind of a term it has been in the Science department. The
Secondary students have been focusing on Human Biology this term with a
number of body systems being studied and dissected by the students.
Year 9 and 10 students have investigated the nervous system and conducted
the first dissection in the new science lab, a brain. Students had to not only
dissect the brain but also create a slide and view the tissue samples under a
light microscope.
We have also been looking at the nervous, endocrine and
immune systems.
The Year 7 and 8 students started the term examining the skeletal and
muscular systems and conducted a dissection of a chicken wing to examine
the different structures. On Friday of week 8 students completed the final
dissections of the term, it was a Friday double dissection of a kidney and
heart.
Although at times the smell of these organs made a few students a
little queasy, all students found it beneficial to be able to see the differences
they had been learning about, particularly when observing the structures of
the heart.
Term 2 for the secondary students will have us finishing our studies of the
human body by investigating the respiratory, digestive, reproductive system
and inheritance. Before moving onto a study of the earth sciences.
Not only do I teach the Year 7—10 students science, but every Thursday
afternoon I head on down to the Pre-Primary and do scientific
investigations with them. This term with their focus of Under the Sea, we
have used water as our main focus but have done a wide range of activities.
From looking at which objects sink and which float, to building our own
boats, making music with water, ways of classifying objects, chromatography
by seeing which coloured dyes are used in our textas and trying to blow,
hold and use bubbles to make art. This week our final task will be to talk
about solids and liquids in relation to water before we make oobleck.
In the Music Room
The PP – 2 class have been learning all about the percussion
instruments we have in the music room. We have been using their
correct names, talking about the types of sounds they make and
discussing how to play them.
The children have been listening to Peter and the Wolf composed by
Sergei Prokofiev and looking at the musical instruments he uses to
represent the characters in the story the music tells.
Along with learning and practising lots of new songs the children
have been very busy.
The Year 3/4 Class have been spending a lot
of time and effort on their singing and
performing skills. Last week they were
invited to the Senior Games at Kulin Rec
Centre where they performed 3 songs to a
very delighted crowd. I think the highlight
was being spoilt with scones with jam and
cream afterwards.
In the Year 5/6 class the students have been exploring
different styles of music from Classical to Hip-Hop and
Pop. They have begun to research and explain definitions
for their selected style, find famous composers or
performers and a well-known piece of music to share with
the class.
The students have also been working on learning some
new songs which they will practise until they are ready to
perform later in the year.
Thank you to all of the families who completed and returned the questionnaires. We will be
doing more work on our results next term.
The Year 3/4 and 5/6 classes will be learning more about reading music next term and
beginning to play the descant recorder. The school has a supply of recorders but should you
wish your child to practise at home they can buy one and bring it in for their music lesson on
Tuesdays.
Newsletter Email Addresses
Would you like to receive your newsletter by email? Please email your details to
[email protected] and I will add you to the Distribution List.
EMERGENCY SERVICES
ROOM 4
This term in Room 4 we have been learning all about Emergency Services. We have also been very
fortunate to have local guest speakers visit our classroom. A big thank you to Simone Lockyer for talking
to us about being a lifeguard. Thank you also to Brendan Sloggett and Em Bastian who gave us an insight
into what it is like to volunteer for the Ambulance. We have discovered that a lot of our Emergency
Services in the country are run by volunteers. Without volunteers we wouldn’t have access to these life
saving services.
In Society and Environment we have been looking at Natural Disasters. We worked in groups of 2 or 3 to
research information about a variety of Natural Disasters from the Disaster Resilience Education
webpage (https://schools.aemi.edu.au).
Here are just some of the many facts we have learnt:
Carly & Chicky: The average life of a cyclone is one week and the wind speed can get to above 280km/
hour.
Sam & Blake: In the Ring of Fire there are 80% of the world’s volcanoes. The Ring of Fire circles the
Pacific Ocean.
Royce, Zac & Daniel: A tsunami can travel 950km per hour. A tsunami loses speed as it approaches land
but it does not lose much of its energy.
Alysha & Zali: H1N1 influenza in 2009 caused 18,036 deaths in the world and infected 214 countries. In
Australia, there were 191 related recorded deaths according to the World Health Organisation.
Josh & Khenan: Wildfires or bushfires are fires that burn uncontrollably and that are not managed.
Ashton & Hamish: Severe storms cause flooding, hail and rain. They are created by air that is moist and
atmosphere that is unstable and a weather event like a front, trough or an area of low pressure.
Savannah & Kate: Earthquakes are unpredictable and can occur at any time. At least one earthquake
occurs in the world each day. Some are slight tremors that can hardly be felt whilst others are much
stronger.
Charlotte & Maddi: Floods are not always caused by heavy rainfall they can also be caused by snow
melting and dam failure.
HAVE A SAFE & HAPPY EASTER!