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Dear Parents/Guardians
Attendance
I would like to take this opportunity to remind families about the importance of regular attendance at school. I have mentioned previously many times that it is imperative for good learning outcomes to be achieved that students attend school every day. A goal for students to aim for is an attendance rate at or above 90% and that is what we aim for as a school. Currently we are sitting on 90% as a school and we work hard to ensure we know where our students are and why they are not at school. What may seem harmless can have a cumulative effect that significantly hampers learning. We acknowledge that students are not always well and able to attend school and thank families for communicating this to our administration team as soon as possible. This can be done via a phone call, message or through the Schoolzine App. Attendance at school is a legal requirement and we must follow this up accordingly following process and protocols as outlined in the Education Act. Mrs Debbie Rigby in the admin team has the responsibility of following up on non- attendance and will make calls home to ascertain why students are away. We thank families in advance for your polite co-operation. The chart below is a reminder of the impact time off from school can potentially have.
If your child misses ..... | That equals ..... | Which is ..... | & over 13 years of schooling that's ..... | Which means the best your child might perform is ..... |
1 day per fortnight | 20 days per year | 4 weeks per year | Nearly 1.5 years | Equal to finishing in Grade 11 |
1 day per week | 40 days per year | 8 weeks per year | Over 2.5 years | Equal to finishing in Grade 10 |
2 days per week | 80 days per year | 16 weeks per year | Over 5 years | Equal to finishing in Grade 7 |
3 days per week | 120 days per year | 24 weeks per year | Nearly 8 years | Equals to finishing at Grade 7 |
Red Sprites F1 Team
Currently our Red Sprites team are in Melbourne competing at the F1 in Schools National event. We are all watching the regular Facebook posts about their progress and how they have been going and we look forward to the remainder of the week and what it may bring for the team. We are incredibly proud of the team and their achievements and thank all their families, businesses and industries who have been in support of the team to enable them to be able to compete at a National level.
iPad Roll Out
As a school we continue to embrace 21st Century learning design and incorporate blended learning approaches into our pedagogy and we have recently had the successful roll out of the 1:1 iPad program to all our Grade 7 and 8 students. As you can imagine this is a big task to ensure that 300 students are hooked up, engaged and ready to go with their device. It has meant many hours of preparation and planning from the Grade Teams and the ICT staff and I thank them all for ensuring that our students are now utilising their devices for learning. Blended learning is where our teachers and students use ICT in conjunction with normal classroom instruction, usually utilising the Canvas platform as a tool to access units of work and learning. Using ICT does not replace the teacher or direct instruction, rather it is a way of enhancing student engagement and learning. By using these platforms students can access their learning anytime and anywhere and as they have permission to take their device home, they can share their units regularly with families. I encourage you to sit and have a look at what your child can show you on their device. The grade 7 & 8 students have been having some direct instruction around the tools and apps on their device in a “toolbox” lesson over the last few weeks. This has ensured that all students are developing their knowledge and skills in using their iPad. Thank you to Mrs Wightman and Mr Withington and the Grade Teams for constructing these learning sequences.
Year 11 and 12 at KMHS
I have previously shared KMHS is classed as an Extension School in the Year 11/12 space. As a school we can provide a program of work for students who may not wish to transition on to either of the city colleges. This program of work would be mainly through VLT (Virtual Learning – on-line learning). In 2020 we are still offering Agricultural Enterprise focussing specifically on Viticulture on our campus for any year 11/12 students from any of the colleges to undertake with us. Mr Tom Hartley is delivering this course again this year on a Monday. There are still vacancies if any families know of students who may be interested.
The Launceston area high schools have been working over the past 12 months to look at how best we can offer a variety of programs to cater for our young people, particularly those who struggle to stay engaged and retained. This year will see us collaboratively progress this work and I will share more as the year progresses.
Congratulations
- Phoebe Atkins for representing Tasmania in the State Girls Cricket Team.
- Our House Captains for supporting our local schools (Longford and Youngtown Primary) at their Athletics Carnivals recently.
- Nykahlia Down and Paige Gibson for making the NTJFA representative team.
Swimming Carnival this Friday
A reminder to all students and families about our annual Swimming Carnival which is coming up this Friday held at the Launceston Aquatic Centre. It is always a fabulous day and we welcome families to come and spectate if possible.
Maree Pinnington
Principal
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:
Grade 7:
Amy Quillerat - diligence to all ROCKS.
Corran Daly - for always being organised each morning and every lesson.
Grade 8:
Nicole Copolov - for excellent work ethic in class and demonstrating the ROCKS.
Dylan Jones - for consistent and determined approach to his learning, always doing his best.
Grade 9:
Dylan Kelb & Ben Turnbull – for their excellent commitment to learning in English.
Grade 10:
Jemma Walters - for always following the ROCKS and showing compassion and kindness to her peers.
Hayden Eady - for an excellent start in HaSS and English, striving to do his best.
Grade Correspondence
In the past week students have the received the following forms which may include notes and permission slips that need to be returned to school. Copies of all correspondence are available by contacting the school office.
- Grade 7 camp - permission, dietary requirements and medical consent forms (returned to school), camp mobile phone ‘off and away’ policy and procedures (iPads and devices to stay at home).
- My Education Day Punchbowl Excursion Information Letter - Thursday 12th March, students are to wear school sports uniform to school (white polo top, navy shorts or trackpants, sport shoes)
Medical Action Plans
If your child has any of the following conditions you must work with us to develop a Medical Action Plan.
- Asthma • Diabetes • Anaphylaxis • Epilepsy • Cystic Fibrosis • Bleeding disorders • Gastrostomy • HIV/AIDS • Meal management • Stoma • Toileting • Sun Protection
These plans must be updated and reviewed by the practicing medical specialist team every twelve months or at any given time when the specific health issues management changes due to recurrence, flare-up, etc. The Medical Management Plan – which must be signed by a medical practitioner or nurse.
Grade 7 Camp Information
Medication
Authorisation by the parent/s is required for the administration of all medication. This includes prescribed and non-prescribed medication. If your child requires medication while on camp please ensure you have filled out the medical consent form and contacted your child's class teacher in order to discuss this in detail. This form MUST be signed and given to the First Aid Officer, Mrs Jemima Cooper with the medication(s) in the original packaging with the pharmacy sticker prior to our departure on Wednesday 18th March.
You are welcome to contact your child’s class teacher, Miss Males, Mrs Hume or Mrs Wightman to organise a time to meet to discuss any specific medical needs we need to be aware of prior to camp.
What happens if my child is not attending camp?
For whatever reason there may be a small number of students that are not able to attend camp. Wednesday 18th, Thursday 19th and Friday 20th March will be normal school days for students not able to attend camp. Grade 7 students will be allocated a buddy from another Grade and will follow their buddies’ timetable across the three days. Grade 7 students will be given a timetable and work pack for the three days. Ms Blaubaum will meet Grade 7 students in the Administration block each morning for class teacher. She will mark attendance and ensure students have their timetable for each day.
Celebrations
This week our Grade 7 students have been thinking about leadership and putting themselves forward for the role of Class Leaders during the first half of the year. They have been through a process of nominations, speech writing coaching session, presenting their speech to their class teacher group and finally voting. We are so proud of the courage our young people have shown and their willingness to put their name forward for a position like this. It is fantastic to see so many of them wanting to positively contribute to our school community and represent the ideas of their peers. Congratulations to all students who were nominated. Our official list of successful class leaders will be published in our next newsletter grade report.
Grade Focus
For the remainder of the term our Grade focus will be on ‘Keeping Safe’ and ‘Sensible Behaviour’. Our Grade 7 students have been learning about our ‘hands off policy’ at school and its link with our ROCKS Expectations. It is important and a priority of ours that all students feel safe whilst at school. Positive student wellbeing physical, spiritual and emotional are core to teaching and learning. When our students feel safe and a sense of belonging their ability to learning in the classroom improves. As a Grade 7 cohort we are a team, we look after one another and treat others with kindness and respect. Students will be engaging in learning activities around these values throughout our My Education days this term, in addition to Grade 7 Camp. We would like to encourage Grade 7 families to discuss these values and ask about the activities completed on these with our students, this will help to reinforce and show the value in their learning through these team building experiences.
Importance of eating breakfast
We would also like to encourage our Grade 7 families to highlight the importance of eating breakfast every morning prior to arriving at school. Below is a link to an article explaining the significance and impact eating breakfast can have on student learning. At KMHS we provide a breakfast club available on Tuesdays and Thursday mornings from 8am which is free for students to access prior to class.
https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/nutrition-fitness/breakfast-lunches/breakfast
Celebrations
We are celebrating fantastic adherence to the ‘Off and Away’ mobile phone policy! As a teaching team, we have been very impressed with how well students have adopted this new policy and it has been very rare to see a student with a mobile phone, at any point throughout the day.
As a result, we are seeing students re-connecting at break times, socialising face-to-face and enjoying some time to ‘switch off’. In classes, students have been focused and settled. Well done to all of our Grade 8 students for their excellent attitude around this new department-wide policy.
Grade Focus
Full participation in our upcoming swimming carnival and getting points for our houses!
Celebrations
This week has been a week of celebrating leadership. Our Grade 9 class leaders were celebrated in our Grade 9 Assembly this week. Congratulations to the following students for being elected by your peers into the role of class leader.
9A: Sienna McSwan, Ethan Stebbings
9B: Dylan Thallin, Jacob Maher-Maynard
9C: Ella Fullbrook, Chaise Jordan
9D: Phoebe Fahey, Ashtyn Peters
9E: Jessica Homan, Anthony Dennis
These students should all be very proud of their positive step in their leadership journey at KMHS. We look forward to seeing them evolve in this role.
Still under the Leadership banner, the following students have been chosen as Literacy Leaders in 2020.
Ella Fullbrook, Chaise Jordan, Kiara Eamens, Ashtyn Peters and Jasmine Jones.
The role of the literacy leader is to work with Grade 7 students in their literacy toolbox lesson to help enhance their literacy skills. Congratulations to these students and thank you for giving up your time to help others in their learning.
Grade Focus
The upcoming week sees a busy week for Grade 9. We have our first My Education Day for the term on Thursday where we will be working around personal management focussing on attitude, diversity, and managing health. Friday will be our annual swimming carnival held at Launceston Aquatic. Students will have the opportunity to swimming in traditional races along with plenty of fun to be had in the novelty events. A reminder that both these days are normal school days and attendance is compulsory. As our focus for the year is leadership development we will be asking students to step up and start to show what they are capable of on both of these days.
Achievements
Mitchell Bingham is representing Tasmania at the Clay Target shooting championships in Melbourne and Albury during May.
Abbie Butler is representing Tasmania at the National Junior Championships in Sydney competing in the Under 17 Steeplechase and 1500m.
Nykahlia Down, Hunter Nuss, Joshua Harris, Ryan Lowe and Paige Gibson are members of the NTJFA AFL team representing Northern Tasmania.
Lianna Freestone has made the Tasmania Devils maiden NAB to play a curtain raiser before the AFLW women’s match North Melbourne vs Adelaide.
F1 Red Sprite Racers
After having come away from our last F1 in schools competition as State Champions, the Red Sprites Racing Team is preparing for the National Finals in March of 2020. Their current focus is on publicity in the aim of making our name a known one. This will help as we continue to contact businesses around Tasmania and even around the world in hope of receiving material, mentorship or financial support. We would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has supported the team over the past few years and also mention our sponsors which made our journey to winning the State final possible, Island Block and Paving, Definium Technologies, Reece Plumbing, Think Big, Tamar River Cruises, Wyllie Tiles, YMCA and Chilli FM. If you would like to hear more about the competition, follow us on Instagram @redspritesracing or send us an email at redspritescbce@gmail.com.
Celebrations
World’s Greatest Shave will be on 27th March. Floyd Lock and Mae Gilligan will be totally shaving their hair to donate to this worthy cause please leave money with our lovely office ladies.
Grade Focus
In Grade 10 students are focusing on taking responsibility for their learning. A strong year of teamwork and maturity will set the tone for our culture of positive learning outcomes. We are excited to welcome our new students into our culture and continue to build strong relationships with staff and students preparing us for post Grade 10 studies and work. Thursday 12th March will be our first My Education Day. We will be investigating interests and potential future pathways by being exposed to different guest speakers from a variety of educational establishments in Launceston. These will include speakers from Launceston College, Newstead College, Tas TAFE, UTAS and AMC. Students will work with various guest speakers that will help to generate an understanding of what pathways you might like to consider after Grade 10. Students will gain knowledge from the 11/12 Student Guide, this will give students’ more insight into life after Grade 10 including some goal setting.
TERM 1
- Thursday 12 March - Grade 7/Peer Support Punchbowl Picnic
- Friday 13 March - KMHS Swimming Carnival (Launceston Aquatic Centre)
- Tuesday 17 March - Whole School Photos
- Wednesday 18 March - Friday 20 March - Grade 7 Camp - Camp Clayton, Ulverstone
- Thursday 26 March - Photo catch up day
- Tuesday 31 March - Grade 7 & 10 immunisations
- Friday 3 April – NHSSA Division 1 Swimming Carnival (Launceston Aquatic Centre)
- Wednesday 8 April - Last day for students Term 1
- Thursday 9 April - Student Free Day
- Friday 10 April - Good Friday holiday
- Monday 13 April - Friday 24 April (School Holidays)
- Monday 27 April - First day of Term 2 for students
Hi all,
It’s hard to believe that the first term is halfway through! The weeks have absolutely flown by. For those of you who are new to the school let me introduce myself and give you an idea of what my role here is and what I’m involved in here at Kings Meadows High School. My name is Paul Burton and I’m married with 4 daughters, 3 teens and one ‘wanna’ be. I have a background of 30 years in the building industry and 20 years pastoral ministry experience, both voluntary and paid.
I have been at Kings Meadows High School for 12 months in the role of Chaplain which I have found very rewarding. If you are unfamiliar with what a school Chaplain does you can find a fact sheet on the education website by following the link attached. Take the time to check it out.
https://www.education.tas.gov.au/parents-carers/parent-fact-sheets/school-chaplaincy/
In a nutshell, one thing you can be certain of is that a Chaplains role is not to convert people to a religion but, rather to offer pastoral care, help and support within the school community, and a listening ear in times of stress or difficulty. Our role is to ensure that you are not going through difficult times alone and to celebrate any ‘life’ victories with you, offering emotional, minor psychological and spiritual care (regardless of spiritual persuasion). I provide this in conjunction with the support team at the school which includes the school psychologist, social worker and nurse.
My days at KMHS are Tuesday and Thursday. I oversee the Breakfast Club both mornings, along with help of some wonderful volunteers from local churches getting involved. This has seen a number of regulars and steady growth over the term with many of the same students turning out for fruit, juice, toast and Milo to get them off to a good start.
Breakfast Club is not just for students who may miss breakfast, a regular occurrence in my household due to late rising children, but also for students who may enjoy a bit of comradery before school and the room is always warm in winter.
Recess and lunchtimes are usually pretty free range and I spend time in the staff room, out on the oval or chatting to students around the school grounds. Along with a volunteer horticulturalist, I oversee some groups of boys in our vast gardens where we have planned, prepared, planted and harvested a crop of veggies.
The staff at KMHS are fantastic and really supportive, allowing me to join in on lessons and assist with students who might need a little bit of extra help. This has given me an opportunity to see just how hard the teachers and staff at the school work and offer encouragement and support where it’s needed.
If you have any questions or would just like to touch base for a chat so you can get to know me, please contact me at the school during school hours on Tuesday or Thursday, I would love to meet you and I really enjoy a good coffee.
Chappy Paul
CANCER COUNCIL'S SUNSMART WORKSHOP:
On Wednesday 4th March we attended the Cancer Council’s Sunsmart Workshop accompanied by 8 students from Riverside, Exeter and Launceston Christian School. The day started with a guest speaker who told us her story with melanoma. Kate who is 24 had her skin checked twice by doctors but was told twice that it was completely normal. Her instincts were telling her otherwise. She then went to a skin specialist and got the freckle removed for testing. That came back positive for early stage melanoma above her left knee. Kate’s story really opened our eyes and made us think about the importance of regularly checking your skin and putting in good sun-smart habits. A year later she was then diagnosed with a second case of melanoma near her ankle. She stated that she was the girl to just go out and bake herself in the sun to get a good tan, but told us that it just isn’t worth it. She really wished that there was someone to educate her more on sun safety.
As a collective we worked together to come up with different barriers of not being sun-smart and some solutions to overcome them. We discovered that what you do now will benefit you in the future. We got interviewed by ABC Radio, WIN News and the Examiner which we stated the importance of sun safety education especially in adolescents and that we will be implementing some of the ideas into our school and wider community. This workshop has really made us think of how at risk we really are and have started to make changes in our own personal lives. We hope to continue spreading awareness about being Sun-smart at Kings Meadows.
Lucy Brooks and Kaitlyn Hodgetts
The 2020 Prefect Board would like to introduce to the school community ‘AIM’ - aspiration, inspiration and motivation. We wanted something simplistic so it’s easy to remember but with a great message. We derived aspiration from the Department of Education’s values and then started being creative with how we could bring it into the school. This year we want to foster success throughout Kings Meadows High School. Our vision is to inspire our student body and give them the ability and confidence to achieve their goals in all aspects of life. We plan to continue to amplify student’s motivation. AIM is a very important acronym within our school and throughout life; by aspiring and working towards goals we also have the effect of inspiring others. Furthermore learning to be a self-motivator and strive for success in school as well as the wider community. As a Prefect Board we will certainly embody AIM throughout the year and we hope fellow peers will do the same.
Head Prefects - Jemma Walters & Caleb Nason