Filter Content
Dear Families
Welcome to Term 4 and as we know, a term that always seems to be the busiest. It is wonderful though to be able to be having planning conversations around end of year events that we will still be able to undertake, albeit with modifications, as we (as a State) have been doing so well with our COVID19 rules and regulations. The strong message for schools from our regular COVID19 catch up meetings within the DoE is to keep enforcing our strong procedures and practices such as good hand hygiene, meticulous cleaning regimes, socially distancing adults on sites and ensuring all school community members remain at home and away from others if they are unwell. This includes having any signs and symptoms like coughs, sneezes (which we may understand to be potentially hayfever symptoms) and we thank families for their ongoing support with keeping your children at home if they are unwell or have any symptoms. The advice is to get tested and remain in isolation until results are returned.
With the weather warming up and as per our Sun Smart Policy we are encouraging students to be sun smart and safe. Our policy was reviewed at the School Association meeting last term and updated to include the wearing of KMHS School Hats (please see policy below).
Over last weekend we had 4 teams participate in the Northern Basketball Championships. Two Junior Girls Teams and a Junior and Senior Boys Team. Congratulations to the Senior Boys Team for winning their division and to all teams for an outstanding weekend representing our school. Thank you to Miss Williams and Mrs Pel for coaching a team and thank you to the wonderful parental support from Mr Talbot, Mr Nason and Mrs Groves for also coaching teams.
Whilst on sport, we have teams competing in the T20 Blast Girls Cricket competition on Wednesday and Thursday of this week and we wish them all the best for their days.
On Monday our Grade 10 students attended the annual RYDA (Rotary Youth Driver Awareness) Excursion. This is a Rotary sponsored and produced event and is a valuable experience for our students in gaining further insight into driving and the necessary safety considerations for them as they embark on their future driving careers. Thank you to the Grade 10 team for co-ordinating and supporting the event.
Monday this week saw over 40 Grade 9 students present their leadership speeches to the students in Grade 7-9 in a whole school assembly. This is an important part of the selection process for our future leaders of 2021. Students have been through a rigorous process already of completing an application then an interview with a panel and then through to election speeches. Congratulations to all students who have shown courage, determination and aspiration by putting themselves forward for selection. I was very impressed by all the speeches and the maturity and professionalism displayed by all. Thank you to Mr Hartley and Mrs Elliott and the Grade 9 team for co-ordinating this rigorous process and best of luck to all candidates in the elections this week.
We have already had groups of students undertake excursions this term which is fabulous to see and be able to do. Mr Chamberlain has taken a group to Timbrelink Forestry Industry facility at Bell Bay, Mr Richardson has taken his STEM extension group to Toyota to look and discuss their inquiry around “Future Transport Options” and Mrs Poslon will go to Heritage Forest with the Girls Flexible Option group.
I would like to wish the band “House of Leaves “with band members (Chilli Kettle, Sam Brophy, Sebastian Clarke and Jaxon Bassett) all the very best for the Rock Challenge competition this coming Friday at the Door of Hope. The Rock Challenge is a fantastic opportunity for musicians to perform and compete with their peers in a formal and authentic way and we know that the band will continue to do themselves and our school proud. Thanks to Mr Parker for all his support and guidance.
Our Performing Arts students will also be undertaking their assessment performances this Friday on campus but in front of a formal adjudicating panel - Daniel Story and Tansy Gorman (Fawkes Theatre Company) and Dr Jane Woollard, Head of Theatre in the School of Creative Arts and Media, UTAS. This is a fabulous opportunity for our students to be assessed with a prestigious panel and perform under pressure to an audience which they have had limited opportunity to do this year. Thankyou to Mrs Breen for co-ordinating and all the best to the students with their performances.
Reminders:
- KMHS Athletics Carnival next Wednesday (School) and Thursday (St Leonards).
- Student Free Day next Friday 30 October.
- Long weekend Monday 2 November.
- A reminder that students should not be on site at KMHS before 8.15am. We do not have a duty of care responsibility until then and students should not be dropped off or arrive before this time.
- A reminder that we have a clear uniform policy endorsed by the School Association and fully supported by the DoE. If your child is out of uniform for any reason, please send a note or contact their grade team to explain. Our unfirm shop is coordinated via the front admin team so please contact them if you have any uniform needs.
- Attendance is also vital for our students to succeed. It is also a requirement and courtesy that the school is informed when students are away. This can be done through phone, email or the School Zine app.
Thank you for your ongoing support and co-operation with these matters.
Warm regards
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:
Kaylah Gordon & Harrison Boatwright - For being conscientious learners, choosing kindness and being relied upon to do the right thing.
Grade 8:
Bradley Dudman - For being a friendly and caring student and helping others.
Evan Pearce - For an excellent start to Term 4 and working diligently in class.
Grade 9:
Bree Lavelle - For her application to her studies and the ROCKS.
Bryce Stone - For his continued application to Packages of Learning.
Grade 10:
Alexandra Mulcaster - Alexander is a student of broad talent and achievement. She consistently models great leadership and confidence in offering opinions in class discussions and group work. Well done Alexandra.
Ryan Lowe - Ryan is commended on his consistent effort and application to his studies. He models a mature approach to learning and leads by example in ROCKS behaviour.
Celebrations
At the end of Term 3 our Class Leaders hosted their second ‘End of Term Assembly’ with the guidance of Mr Murray. During this assembly we recognised a number of students including our ROCKSTARS for Term 3 (see previous newsletters) and presented two students in each class with ‘Class Teacher Awards’ (our class teacher award recipients are listed below). The most exciting part of our assembly was our final weigh in of the generous non-perishable item donations from each class teacher group (images of these overflowing boxes were posted to our school Facebook page). We were proud that over the holidays the Benevolent Society received our Grade's donation which weighed in at over 200kgs.
A fantastic effort by all students and their families, thank you for your generous donations. We would like to further congratulate 7E who won our inter-class competition for the class with the largest weight in donations. They will be receiving a reward during the first few weeks of this term.
Class Teacher Award Recipients Term 3
7A - Kyah & Narges
7B - Eva & Ryan
7C - Isaac & Grace
7D - Summer & Gemma
7E - Stella J & Lily
7F - Isaac & Haile
7G - Caitlin & Krystal
We would also like to congratulate the Grade 7 students who represented our school at the Northern High Schools Basketball Championships played over the weekend. Thank you for representing our school with pride and your sportsmanship across all games for the weekend. It was pleasing to see so many of our students take advantage of this excellent opportunity.
Grade Focus
Our focus continues to be around our ROCKS expectations with particular attention to Keeping Safe, Sensible Behaviour and Organisation. Students are reminded every Monday in our grade assembly about their commitment to the ROCKS. Our students have now been with us for three terms and this term will be making their transition to Grade 8. Our staff have high expectations of behaviour and it is important that students rise to the occasion to grow and mature as they head towards the end of their first year of high school.
During this week’s grade assembly our theme of ‘Choosing Kindness’ was again highlighted with students encouraged to perform acts that contribute positively to our grade and make others feel welcome and a sense of belonging. The below video was shown to students which provides some food for thought about what they can do to contribute to our grade as a whole and grow as a positive community member.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTsvSAItPqA&t=67s
Grade 7 iPad Return
Towards the second half of Term 4 Grade 7 students will be required to hand back their school iPads so that over the summer holidays they can be serviced by our IT department. When handing back their iPad as per our iPad Standard Operating Procedure, students will be required to hand their iPad back to their class teacher with their Apple Charging Block and Apple USB Cable. Students who have lost or misplaced any of these items will be invoiced for replacements which will then be given to students to use next year 2021.
Celebrations
We would like to congratulate our Grade 8 students on a calm, focused and settled start to Term 4. The Grade 8 teaching team are certainly looking forward to all of the festivities and fun that Term 4 brings and we encourage students to make the most of all opportunities provided to them. Some of the upcoming events include: My Education Days, Careers on Wheels, a Beacon High Impact Program, the Athletics Carnival, College Taster Day, a Student Free Day and many more!
The Grade 8 team reflected in our grade meeting last week about the wonderful progress we have seen throughout the year amongst our students, even through Covid-19 and some very unprecedented times. We have seen students working together, showing resilience, being innovative and creative, and demonstrating great leadership. Students have achieved sporting success, they have achieved academically, and they have worked hard to demonstrate our school ROCKS. We have seen students working hard in extra-curricular activities and hobbies outside of school, showing great discipline to achieve their goals. We hope that students acknowledge their hard work and many ‘little wins’ along the way this year and we look forward to a term filled with fun, team-building, and lots of amazing opportunities.
Grade Focus
“Commitment means staying true to what you said you were going to do, long after the mood you said it in has left you”. This quote really sums up how important it is to be committed, even when we may not feel like it, and especially as the finish line draws nearer! The final term of the year is busy and we know that students can become exhausted and may lose motivation. We encourage students to remember the commitments they have made to themselves and others, and to honour these commitments even when they may be tired and running low on energy! Let’s make Term 4 one to remember.
Celebrations
So we begin the last term of Grade 9. This year has both flown and been very long due to the extra pressures placed upon us with our extraordinary world as it is at the moment. COVID19 certainly threw us into a spin but thankfully we have come out the other side far more resilient than before. The focus for Grade 9 this term continues to be around developing leadership in every student. In few short months we will be finishing our Grade 9 year and moving on to be the seniors of the school. With this comes the extra responsibility of all students to lead by example, help the younger students learn the Kings Meadows High way and achieve the goals we have set for ourselves. We have asked our students to strive to achieve their best, to lead by example and be exemplary students of Kings Meadows High School. To the most part they have done this well and will continue to do this for the remainder of Term 4.
In our Learning Areas the Grade 9’s have been focussing a variety of concepts and modules. In English some students are studying a Shakespeare module, whilst others are participating in a unit centred on the theme of Survival. In Maths the focus is on algebra skills and investigating linear relationships. Science are completing a unit on chemical reactions, including combustion and the reactions of acids with bases, metals and carbonates. The next unit they will be exploring the theory of plate tectonics and how this helps to explain global patterns of geological activity and continental movement. In HaSS students are finishing assignments on Federation and will soon be moving on to a unit focussing on World War I. HPE is completing a unit on athletics in the practical component and in theory we are looking at Harm Minimisation and a Party Safe unit.
Our leadership journey for our Grade 9 students is well underway. This week students have conducted leadership speeches to our Grade 7, 8 and 9 student body. All applicants did an exceptional job and should be congratulated on their organisation and preparation for their speech. It certainly takes a great deal of courage to speak publically in front of your peers. The student body have now completed their ballot online and the process of collating tallies has been started. The 2021 Leadership Board will be announced in the coming weeks. We wish all of our Grade 9 candidates the best of luck in this process.
Grade Focus
Our focus for Grade 9 this term continues to be developing formal and informal leadership in all of our students as we head into our final term for Grade 9. We will be continuing to apply good learning behaviours and academic rigour, ensuring that deadlines are being met and that we have caught up on anything we are behind in.
Celebrations
Congratulations to all students who have participated in finals series in their respective sports.
Grade 10 is commended on their application to excellence with a successful exam period at the end of Term 3.
We are proud of the Grade 10 cohort modelling consistent uniform including our school hat.
Grade Focus
Moving towards the end of high dchool, students are reminded to ensure their effort continues and maximise their learning opportunities in the classroom.
A reminder that personal devices are, and always have been, this year to be left 'off and away' in student locker bays.
Grade 10 student families can expect a letter very soon that will outline key dates of celebrations and the most up to date impacts of COVID19 restrictions.
This is a reminder that Kings Meadows High School will be offering select Year 11/12 subjects in 2021 for students who have an interest in or are pursuing a career pathway in Building and Construction or Agriculture or who feel that KMHS is the school at which they would feel most comfortable in 2021.
Our 2021 offering are, CPC20211 - Certificate II in Construction Pathways (with a focus on bricklaying, and tiling) as well as Level 2 English, Mathematics, ICT and Agricultural Enterprise (with a focus on viticulture).
If a student has put in an Expression of Interest for the CPC20211 - Certificate II in Construction Pathways at Newstead or Launceston Colleges, they should also strongly consider expressing an interest in this course at KMHS even if one of the other colleges is their first choice of destination. This gives them a second opportunity in case they do not get accepted into the VET course at one of the colleges.
Though KMHS have a bricklaying and tiling focus in the elective component of this VET course, all core units are the same across colleges and extension schools and students will leave with the same certification. This means that they not narrowing their scope/skills to only include bricklaying and tiling and the course is still appropriate for any student who has a broader construction interest or pathway.
Shared enrolment:
Students are able to come to KMHS just to do our VET course or Agricultural Enterprises (with a focus on Viticulture). Please see sample timetables below showing a student attending KMHS on Tuesdays and Fridays to complete Certificate II in Construction Pathways or Mondays to complete our Agricultural Enterprise subject whilst attending their chosen college over the remainder of the week. Students are also able to study full time at Kings Meadows High School for year 11 or 12.
Where in the school will Year 11 & 12 students study from?
We will have a newly built Year 11/12 campus up the back of the school which will include a general learning area, breakout spaces, outdoor learning spaces, a kitchenette, toilet facilities as well as outdoor construction areas for our VET students. Students will have access to parking if they have their own transport or there are regular buses into our school and the surrounding Kings Meadows area.
Further Information and Questions
If you would like to find out more, you can access our Year 11/12 student handbook as well as booklets relating to our course offerings through our school web page: https://kingsmeadowshs.education.tas.edu.au/enrolments
You can also call the school on 03 63 431 000 or email:
Kate Blaubaum (Assistant Principal) – kate.blaubaum@education.tas.gov.au
James Guy (AST) – james.guy@education.tas.gov.au
Tom Hartley (Agricultural Enterprise Teacher) – tom.hartley@education.tas.gov.au
Glenn Wood (Cert II in Construction Pathways Teacher) – glenn.wood@education.tas.gov.au
We have begun the process of organising grade structures for 2021. There are many considerations required to form equitable and cohesive classes.
At Kings Meadows High School, we work collaboratively with our Connect 6 primary schools and within our grade teams to make decisions regarding class placement for Grade 7. In Grades 8, 9 and 10 we make decisions within and across the grade teams to determine class placements. The procedure ensures decisions regarding class placements is informed by students, teachers, parents and guardians. Classes are formed to provide the best possible learning environment for all students catering for a range of academic abilities, to increase social connections, to improve work habits and to foster diversity.
Policy Statement
Student Engagement Procedures.
Application
- Individual class placements will be informed by:
- Enrolment trends;
- Educational needs of the student;
- Classes are to be homogenous with respect to academic performance, social development, emotional needs and classroom behaviour
- Gender balance;
- Class room observations;
- Friendships – classes will be determined to both enable the integration of new students and provide opportunity for students to broaden their friendship group; and
- Constraints of resources and facilities including teacher assistant allocations.
- Parents and carers may provide specific information about their student's learning and/or social needs. Such information would not include a request for students to be in a particular class or with specific students or teachers. The information should be provided in writing (letter or email) to your child's Grade Leader or AST by no later than Friday 23rd October 2020. This information will be referenced, along with other available information, during the class placement process.
- In the Junior School, Grade 7/8, we will invite students to:
- Nominate three (3) friends that they would like in their class. A letter will be sent home with students inviting parent/guardians to provide this information and return signed to the school office by no later than Friday 23rd October 2020.
- In the Senior School, Grade 9/10, we anticipate the majority of students will remain in their current class teacher groups for their final two years of high school.
Kings Meadows High School will place all these considerations into a piece of software called Class Creator that will help us generate classes before final formation is done by our teaching teams.
Parent input/friendship requests need to be submitted to the school office by no later than Friday 23rd October 2020.
Please note, every effort will be made to consider any requests you may have, however it is not possible to guarantee that all requests can be met.
Katie Wightman
Assistant Principal
E: katie.wightman@education.tas.gov.au
PACKAGES OF LEARNING IN ARCHITECTURE & CONSTRUCTION:
In 2021, Kings Meadows High School (KMHS) will be again be delivering the program, Packages of Learning in Architecture and Construction. This program is for Grade 9 & 10 students interested in Architecture or Construction pathways including: plumbing, carpentry and joinery, construction management, plastering, project managing, civil engineering, urban planning, architecture, electrical, painting, cabinet making, interior design or conservation.
Students who are accepted into this program will be assessed against the Australian Curriculum, like their peers. However, they will complete all, or the majority of their core classes, in an integrated fashion through the Packages of Learning in Architecture and Construction, rather than in separate subjects. These packages of learning have been mapped against the Australian Curriculum to ensure they are compliant and meet all assessment requirements for each core subject. For those students who later decide they do not want to enter the Architecture or Construction field, there will be no disadvantage, as they will still have all their Australian Curriculum assessments.
Whilst this course will deepen understanding of these pathways and may result in a School Based Apprenticeship in Years 10-12, this program is not designed as a direct path or guarantee into apprenticeships or work. It is an exposure and prevocational education course and will also prepare students for future study.
Students who are accepted into this program will spend 50-60% of their time working through the packages of learning and for the rest of their timetable they will be in Health & Physical Education, Options and Enrichment courses.
Grade 9/10 students who are interested in finding out more about this program have had their names recorded and will have the opportunity to be involved in a taster session during Term 4. If still interested, they will need to fill in an expression of interest/application form and have this signed by their parent/guardian. We will hold a parent information session this term where you can gain further information.
Only approximately 15 students will be accepted into this course and those already studying in POL are not automatically guaranteed entry into the course for 2021, as there are high levels of student interest for this program.
We look forward to delivering this exciting program again in 2021. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the school on 63 43 1000 or email:
Kate Blaubaum (Assistant Principal) – kate.blaubaum@education.tas.gov.au
Glenn Wood (Cert II in Construction Pathways Teacher) – glenn.wood@education.tas.gov.au
SENIOR DANCE CLASSES TO PRIMARY SCHOOLS:
During the last 3 weeks of Term 3 both Senior Dance classes A and B travelled to 4 different primary dchools to conduct workshops with Grade 2, 3 and 4 students. These workshops were beneficial, not only to those students being taught but also the Kings Meadows High School ‘student teachers’. Students from Longford, Perth, Evandale and Punchbowl were treated to dynamic routines which they learnt and performed in a short amount of time. They were extremely grateful for our visits and even wrote the KMHS dance students some thank you’s! We look forward to doing this project again in the future! Here is some of the feedback from the students:
Dear Kings Meadows dance program,
Thank you for coming to our school to teach us some dance moves to the song Post Malone. We enjoyed meeting you and learning your dance routines that you made. Thank you for putting some room in your song for us to improvise. We hope you come again to teach us more!
From Bree and Spencer
Thank you for teaching us your dancing moves. We loved all your dance moves that you showed us. We loved the song that you chose that is Post Malone. We hoped you had a great time.
From Ellah and Adele
Thanks for coming to our school. We hope you come again we both loved the dances. We really enjoyed ourselves at the time. We hope your dances go internet viral if it ever gets filmed. We really liked the song. we calling you guys good lads.
Kind regards Harry and Victor
Thank all of you for coming out to teach our school you are the best hope you come back again
from Jake
Dear Kings Meadows High School dance program,
Thank you for making time in your school day to come and teach us dance moves to the song post Malone we enjoyed all of the learning experiences and we hope you come again maybe next time let some grade 5-6 do the dance as well we liked how you let us encopretic our own moves into the rue teen we would specially like to knoglege Mia, Sienna ,and Poppy from group number 7 and Catlin from group 1,
From Alana and Scarlet
To Kings Meadows High School ❤
Thanks for coming to Perth Primary to teach us some of your dances it was fun when we all got a chance to go on the stage and preform our dances to the other groups. The song was a great song to dance to it was fun for you guys to let us put our own little dance moves in the performance.
From Gemma and Mckenzie
Dear Kings Meadows High School students
Thank you so much.
For coming and teaching us your wonderful routines.
We had so much fun and we really didn’t want the time dancing with you to end. We hope you come back next time.
From Morgan and Laxan
Dear Kings Meadows High School
Thank you for coming to our school we really enjoyed dancing with you.
We hope you come again to teach us more
Thank you
From Masen and Bailey
Dear Kings Meadows Students
Thank you for coming to Perth Primary School
I Liked your dance moves they were fabulous
From Max
Wednesday 21 October | Grade 7/8 Girls T20 Blast Cricket |
Thursday 22 October | Grade 9/10 Girls T20 Blast Cricket |
Wednesday 28 October | KMHS Athletics Carnival - Day 1 at KMHS |
Thursday 29 October | KMHS Athletics Carnival - Day 2 at St Leonards |
Friday 30 October | STUDENT FREE DAY |
Wednesday 4 November | School Association Meeting |
Thursday 5 November | Boys Cricket Gala Day at KMHS |
Monday 9 November | Newstead College enrolments 9.30am |
9-13 November | NAIDOC Week |
Wednesday 11 November | Launceston College enrolments 9.00am |
Thursday 12 November | My Education Day - Careers on Wheels |
Friday 20 November | NHSSA Division 1 Athletics |
Wednesday 25 November | Grade 6 Orientation Day |
Wednesday 2 December | My Education Day - Healthy Me Expo |
Thursday 10 December | Grade 10 Leavers Dinner - Country Club Casino |
Monday 14 December | Presentation Assembly (invited guests only) |
Tuesday 15 December | Grade 10 Mystery Picnic |
Wednesday 16 December | Grade 10 Graduation Assembly - last day for Grade 10s |
Thursday 17 December | Last day for Grade 7, 8 and 9 students |
Metro are passionate about safety and in October are focussing on reducing the number of falls on our buses.
Students can play an important role in supporting everyone to be safe on board.
In addition to talking to our drivers and community groups about ways to stay safe, we are asking passengers to:
- Leave priority seats available for those in need
- Offer seats to priority passengers
- Move down the bus to leave spaces towards the front clear
- Place bags in luggage racks to maximise seated and standing capacity
For many of our customers, safe transport is critical to quality of life and a stumble or fall on board can seriously affect confidence and independence.
For more information you can go to our website:
metrotas.com.au/corporate/campaigns/reducing-passenger-falls/