Dear Parents/Carers

As part of our Positive Behaviour Support Program at Kings Meadows we will be acknowledging students who have been contributing positively to our learning environment.  This means that they have been supporting our school wide expectations.

Respect for others, self and environment

Organisation

Commitment to learning

Keeping safe

Sensible behaviour

We would like to acknowledge the following students:

Year 7:

Elaina Hendriksen, Joseph Norman and Rory Lindsay - For outstanding participation in the Athletics Carnival.

Year 8:

8A Alice Patten - For reaching and exceeding her attendance goal of 95%.

8B Taylor Foster - For showing improvement in her attendance during Term 4.

8C Nate Johnston - For showing demonstrated improvement in his attendance during Term 4.

8D Heath Hastings - For showing demonstrated improvement in his attendance during Term 4.

8E Lyra Murray - For showing demonstrated improvement in her attendance during Term 4

8F Noah Templeton - For showing demonstrated improvement in his attendance during Term 4.

Year 9:

Lauren Anstey - For outstanding attendance and commitment to learning.

Tyler Praciak - For his dedication in pursuit of career opportunities through school work placement.

Year 10:

The House Captains for their organisation,  participation and assistance with the Athletics Carnival.

And here we are, already in Week 4 of Term 4! So far students have completed PAT Testing, their first Kings Meadows High Athletics Carnival and still managed to quickly get back into the rhythm of their regular learning programs.

Across Week 2, students sat their annual PAT Testing. These assessments gauge and give feedback on our students’ learning needs in reading and numeracy. The data from these tests will support teachers in identifying and planning for areas where students need support. It was fantastic to see our students tackle these tests to the best of their ability and with a positive mindset.

Last week was our Athletics Carnival, with the first day held at KMHS and the second at St Leonards. We were highly impressed with the level of participation, camaraderie and overall conduct of our students across these two days. There were multiple students across Year 7 who participated in almost every single event across the carnival! There was such a pleasant atmosphere with the level of encouragement and support students were showing each other, for which they should be commended. From our female Year 7 students, Tamar was the highest scoring house, with Lomond being the highest from our Year 7 Boys. Well done to all students who participated over the two days.

Looking ahead to the rest of Term 4, there are a number of upcoming events our students have to look forward to. In Week 5, we have a S.W.A.T. Day, which is being planned around areas of need identified by our recent Student Wellbeing and Engagement Survey. This day will also be combined with our annual Kings Meadows High School Careers on Wheels Expo. The following week will include our Year 7 picnic to Punchbowl Reserve. Information around this will be sent home via Schoolzine. Earlier this term, students were provided with a letter and permission form for our end of year picnic to Bridport. It is most important that these are returned to Class Teachers as soon as possible.

Since our last Year 8 newsletter we have continued to acknowledge students across our cohort who have consistently demonstrated our Kings Meadows High School R.O.C.K.S. and DECYP Values by rewarding them with bowling at Launceston Lanes or a movie afternoon on Friday 25 October.  Our work in this space is continuing during the term with our current focus on the DECEP Value of Growth and our KMHS R.O.C.K.S. Respect.  We look forward to updating you on further progress with this work in our next newsletter.

I would like to thank Miss Attard, Mr Richardson, Mrs Hume and Mr Stocks for helping to conduct Beacon interviews on Monday 28 October with 20 students across Year 8 being selected for interviews.  It was pleasing to see so many students having the courage to prepare and present during their interview times and Miss Attard and I are exceptionally proud of all of them.  Hopefully we will be able to congratulate students across Year 8 who were selected as Beacon leaders in our next newsletter as we still have one student who is yet to have their interview due to illness.

Our Year 8 students presented themselves well during our Athletic Carnival on Wednesday and Thursday last week with excellent numbers of students present on the day and excellent participation and behaviour across the board amongst all of our students. Thank you to all our parents who supported attendance during our Athletic Carnival days or who took the time out of their day to come and watch their children participate.

Term 4 has started in an extremely busy fashion, setting a lively pace for the remainder of the school year. We kicked off with the Athletics Carnival, which was a fantastic day filled with energy and enthusiasm. Our students showed great sportsmanship and team spirit, making the event a memorable one for everyone involved. 

In addition to the carnival, 30 of our Year 9 students participated in the recent Touch Football Championships at Harley Parade in Prospect. A special mention goes to Mr Carlsson, our Prac Teacher, who was a standout coach, guiding our students with dedication and expertise. His efforts were instrumental in the team's commendable performance. 

Looking ahead, we have the Punchbowl Excursion scheduled for the 14 November, which will take place during a S.W.A.T. day. This excursion promises to be an exciting and educational experience for our students, offering them a chance to explore new environments and learn outside the classroom. 

We encourage all students to continue their active participation in school activities and maintain their focus on academic responsibilities as we progress through the term. It's important for students to balance their commitments and make the most of the opportunities available to them. 

We would like to acknowledge the hard work and achievements of our students so far this term. Their dedication and enthusiasm are truly commendable and we are proud of their accomplishments. 

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in your child's education. We look forward to a successful and enjoyable term ahead.

Congratulations to the following students on their 100% attendance so far this term:

• Francis Azarian
• Lauren Benas-Cericola
• Evangeline Carlos
• Mattea Wilson
• Ashton Napier
• Ruby Steel
• Rose Jones
• Oscar Selby
• Aidan Burnie
• April Algario
• Kaleb Hall
• Alex House
• Ben Meader
• Lauren Anstey
• Josh Gooding
• Jessica Hill
• Vincent Mottl-Saddler
• Tyler Praciak
• Scarlett Pyke
• Cody Rigby
• Amelia Styles
• Josh Leonard
• Mahdiyeh Nazari
• Giaan Plummer
• Tahli Rabac
• Billy Saunders
• Cooper Watson
• Liam Bailey
• Asher Hazell
• Sadie Marshall
• Charlie Hogarth
• Grace Webster
• Eveanna Delphine
• Zaria McQueen
• Ruby Dunn
• Peyton Knight
• Dechlan Leeder
• Billy Nicholson
• Chiara Stanley
• Oskar Wynne

Celebrations

Year 10 students
It seems impossible that we’re already approaching the halfway mark of Term 4. We keep telling the students that Term 4 will be busy and will pass very quickly and this is already turning out to be true. Experiences like Arts Night, College enrolments, Careers on Wheels, Big Day Out/Healthy Me Expo are coming up very quickly and before long we will be talking about celebration dinners and picnics. We encourage students to embrace these experiences and make the most of their limited time as Year 10s at Kings Meadows High School by ensuring they continue to make positive choices regarding their attendance, behaviour and class work expectations.

Athletics Carnival
Congratulations to all Year 10 students who participated positively in their final Athletics Carnival at Kings Meadows last week. It was great to see our students enjoying the two days and giving their best effort in all events. A big thank you to the students who also volunteered to set up and assist with the running of events for all grades.

Grade Focus
Our current focus is on being courageous in regard to transition for 2025. Students have been refining their Transition Plans since early in the year in preparation for what comes next. College enrolment sessions will be held during Week 5 and students should have already received a letter and “Course Planning Form” to support this process. Please encourage them to sign up to a suitable timeslot and have the form completed prior to their appointment.  It is important that our students are prepared to ask questions and look for opportunities that may help set them up for next year and beyond.

Important Dates

• Launceston College Enrolments – Thursday 14 November
• Newstead College Enrolments – Friday 15 November
• S.W.A.T. Days – Thursday 14 and Wednesday 20 November

During Terms 2 and 3, Mr Nankervis and the Garden Kitchen Group, including Alix Maynard, Alex Bartlett and Mathew Waters, have been actively involved in planting, weeding and harvesting seasonal produce from the greenhouse. 

With the arrival of warmer weather at the beginning of Term 4, seeds for pumpkin, zucchini and tomato were planted in the raised garden beds. The winter and spring produce from the greenhouse has also been harvested. The group has gathered silver beet, broccoli, flat-leaf parsley, mint, broad beans and peas, which will be utilised in the Food Technology area over the coming weeks.

Students will be sitting NAPLAN between 12 and 24 March 2025.

The National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses literacy and numeracy skills that students are already learning at school. On its own, NAPLAN is not a test that can be studied for, and students are not expected to do so.

NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process – it does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance; however, students and parents may use individual results to discuss progress with teachers.

NAPLAN has been held in March since 2023, having previously taken place in May. This change was made so school systems would have access to results earlier in the school year. These results can then be used to inform teaching and learning plans for the remainder of the year.

Why NAPLAN is conducted online

NAPLAN online provides a better assessment and more precise results.

One of the main benefits of NAPLAN online is that it uses tailored (or adaptive) testing. This means that students receive questions better suited to their abilities, so they can show what they know and can do.  Online testing also allows us to provide a wide range of accessibility options to support students with disability to access NAPLAN.

Feedback from students is that they find the online test more engaging.  Please note that students in Year 3 complete the Writing Test on paper.

Parent information brochures and other resources

Your questions answered on NAPLAN and what it means for your child:

NAPLAN information brochure for parents and carers

The link will take you to the official National Assessment Program (NAP) website.  Please contact the school if you have any further queries.

Throughout Term 3, our Year 8 students have been competing in a behaviour competition focussed on our Kings Meadows High School R.O.C.K.S. and DECYP Values. On Friday, our top 18 students from this competition attended Launceston Lanes in Kings Meadows for a game of ten pin bowling. It was great fun, with plenty of strikes, spares and celebratory dances on display. Thank you to Launceston Lanes for supporting us to reward our exemplary students. We look forward to continuing to encourage positive behaviours this term with a continuation in the competition.

The 2024 Kings Meadows High School Athletics Carnival was a resounding success, held over two exciting days on Wednesday 30 October and Thursday 31 October. The event showcased the athletic prowess and school spirit of students across various year levels.

The first day of the carnival took place on the school grounds, where students participated in a range of track and field events. The atmosphere was electric as students, teachers and families gathered to cheer on the competitors. The second day of the carnival moved to the St Leonards Athletics Track, providing a professional setting for the short distance track events. The weather was ideal, contributing to an enjoyable and successful day.

Across both days, there were some exceptional individual performances, commendable sportsmanship and participation. We hope to continue the success of the days in the NHSSA Interhigh Athletics Carnival on Friday 22 November, with our team selection taking place over the coming weeks.

The 2024 Kings Meadows High School Athletics Carnival was a memorable event that celebrated the talents and efforts of all students. It fostered a sense of community and school spirit, leaving everyone looking forward to next year’s carnival.

After a 2023 win for Nevis, the winning house for the 2024 carnival is TAMAR!! Congratulations to the crocs! Final scores below.

Leadership Staff

Support Staff