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- PRINCIPAL'S REPORT:
- ROCKS STARS:
- GRADE 7 REPORT:
- GRADE 8 REPORT:
- GRADE 9 REPORT:
- GRADE 10 REPORT:
- GRADE 7 2022 ENROLMENTS:
- AGFEST EXCURSION:
- KMHS PLAYGROUP:
- LAUNCESTON COMPETITIONS - DANCE:
- LITERACY LEGEND:
- GRADE 8 SCIENCE:
- ARCHITECTURE & CONSTRUCTION (PACKAGES OF LEARNING) EXCURSION:
- UPCOMING EVENTS:
- COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD:
What an amazing event for our school and how lovely to be able to have it back on our calendar and run a “live” event on campus. This year was no less impressive with students and staff participating for this good cause. The Prefects did an amazing job in organising this event and what a wonderful outcome to raise over $9000.00 for the Leukaemia Foundation and Cancer research. Congratulations to all involved.
Launceston Competitions
Last week we had many of our students participate in the annual Launceston Drama and Dance Competitions. These are a wonderful opportunity for our students to showcase their exceptional work to an audience, perform on a big stage and receive critical feedback from an adjudicator. All are important skills and experiences in the work of Performing Arts. I know that Mrs Selby was very proud of the students' performances and we thank her for her continued support of dance in our school. Congratulations to all involved.
Attendance
At KMHS we have a real commitment to supporting and ensuring students attend school. The information below highlights some important elements around attendance. Currently our school attendance sits at around 87%. We would really like this to increase to ensure all students are here learning to guarantee the very best outcomes in life for them.
Higher student attendance at school is associated, on average, with higher student achievement.
Why is regular attendance at school important?
Regular school attendance will mean that your child has a better chance in life.
- they learn better
- they make friends
- they are happier
- they have a brighter future.
Why must I send my child to school?
Under Tasmanian law, you must make sure your child of school age is enrolled and attends school all day, every school day unless they have an acceptable reason. Illness, doing work experience or competing in a school sporting event are acceptable reasons for being absent from school.
The DoE Attendance Policy states.
“Consistent attendance at school is critical to achieving positive educational outcomes and keeping students engaged in their learning. Parents/guardians have a legal obligation to ensure a child is enrolled in and attending school or is registered for home education. “
Avoid keeping your child away from school for:
- birthdays, shopping, visiting family and friends, if they sleep in, looking after other children, haircuts, etc
Routine medical or other health appointments should be made either before or after school or during the school holidays.
What should I do if our family is going on a holiday in school time?
You are encouraged not to schedule holidays during school time. If your family holiday is during school time, let the school know in advance and talk about what arrangements can be made for your child.
Do I need to let the school know if my child has been away from school?
Yes, you must let the school know the reason why your child has been absent. If possible, advise the school beforehand.
Are you having problems getting your child to school for some of these reasons?
- won’t get out of bed in the morning
- won’t go to bed at night
- can’t find their uniform, books, school bag …
- haven’t done their homework or have a test or presentation to do, have an assignment to hand in
- watching TV
- it’s their birthday
If so, a set routine can help
- have a set time to go to bed
- have a set time to get out of bed
- have uniform and school bag ready the night before
- set a time for daily homework activities
- speak about school positively
- be firm, send your child to school every school day including their birthday and the last day of term!
What should I do if my child won’t go to school?
You should contact the school as soon as possible for advice and support. Every day counts – is your child at school today?
Days Absent | Total Days | Number of Terms | Number of years missed |
1 day per week | 451 | 9 | 2 years 1 term |
1.5 days per week | 676.5 | 13.5 | 3 years 1.5 terms |
2 days per week | 902 | 18 | 4 years 2 terms |
3 days per week | 1353 | 27 | 6 years 3 terms |
5 weeks per term | 1127.5 | 22 | 5 years 2 terms |
Average 5 days per term | 220 | 5.5 | 1 year 1.5 terms |
Average 10 days per term | 440 | 11 | 2 years 3 terms |
AGFEST Excursion
Another event that was great to have back on the calendar and be able to attend was AGFEST. Senior students from the Technologies classes had a great day exploring the many varied stalls and events at AGFEST. It certainly assists in deepening their understandings around other possible future pathways.
Winter Sport
Winter sport rosters have begun and once again we have a wide variety of teams competing in the NHSSA rosters on Wednesdays and Thursdays. We are hosting more games on site which is fabulous and if families are available to watch we ask that they ensure they sign into our site with the QR Codes around venues.
We have our annual Cross-Country Carnival next week and again if parents wish to spectate, they will be required to ensure they sign in and adhere to COVID-19 social distancing requirements. This will no doubt be another great day on our calendar of extra-curricular activities.
We now have the new KMHS tracksuit pants available for students to wear to sport and on carnival days which look smart, are very warm and are available from our uniform shop at a reasonable price. I remind families that these are only approved as part of our “Sport Uniform” and are not part of our “Everyday Uniform”. This is clear in our uniform policy which is established and ratified through the school Association.
Junior House Captains
In another fabulous initiative to provide opportunity for students to be leaders in our school, the Grade 8 team have introduced the role of Junior House Captains. The students undertook a rigorous application and selection process which involved interviews with a panel. The students were announced last week and will begin their roles shortly working with our Senior House Captains on a range of activities and tasks. One of the first tasks was to assist with the Youngtown Primary School Cross Country Carnival held on 18th May at KMHS and then next week with our school Cross Country Carnival on Monday 24th May. Congratulations to:
Esk |
Tamar |
Nevis |
Lomond |
Sharni Farrell |
Lucas Freestone |
Eliza Faulkner |
Casey Boyer |
Zeynab Nourouzi |
Georgie D'Alton |
Emily Hoskinson |
Grace Anderson |
Jonty Groves |
Zak Richardson |
Grace Weldon |
Jakob Anderson |
NAPLAN Testing
Over the past two weeks we have been conducting Naplan testing with our Grade 7 and 9 students. The tests have been on-line again this year and will provide students and the school with another data set to measure progress and growth for individual students and the school. We are very proud of the way our students approached these tests and showed commitment and focus to their learning. A huge thank you to Mrs Lovitt for all the planning and coordination of these tests over the two weeks. It is a massive undertaking and her meticulous planning ensured everything ran smoothly.
Winter Uniform
As we now embrace the colder months of the year, I would like to remind families of our clear Winter Uniform requirements. Students have a variety of items that are included in our Everyday Uniform to assist in keeping them warm. Grey pants are in our policy for both girls and boys and most girls who chose to wear the skirt also wear stockings to keep warm. We encourage students to layer up underneath as hoodies and non-school based jackets are not permitted. We now have school beanies which can be worn when students are outside at break times as well as before and after school.
The new addition of our school logo tracksuit pants are only for wear during HPE activities or competitions and form part of the Sports Uniform that students can elect to wear. They are NOT part of the Everyday Uniform and have not been ratified as such by the School Association.
School Association – AGM
Our next School Association meeting is Wednesday 26th May at 7.00pm. The Annual General Meeting will be conducted first followed by the general meeting.
The positions of Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, Treasurer and Fundraising Coordinator are open for nominations.
Please complete the nomination form below (by clicking on the link) or contact the main office to receive a form to complete.
The Australian Curriculum Review
Have a say in what your child learns.
All students from Prep to Grade 10 in Tasmanian schools are taught the Australian Curriculum.
The Curriculum is currently being reviewed and refined to ensure that it continues to be world class and best meet the needs of our students in our changing world.
Families and school community members are invited to contribute to the review. This is an important opportunity and we encourage you to visit the website and have your say in what your child learns.
The website is open from 29 April – 8 July.
www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/consultation
For more information:
- View this short video to learn more about the Review and how to give feedback: https://youtu.be/dgefBna6n9s
- Fact Sheet – About the Australian Curriculum Review
- Fact Sheet – About Public Consultation
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:
Chelsea Whitchurch - For always being respectful, polite and giving 100% to any task she is asked to do and then some.
Darcy McMahon - For always being respectful, polite and giving 100% with any task he is asked to do.
Grade 8:
Jazmine Brown - For being a positive role model to other students.
Julius Johnson - For displaying commitment to learning across subject areas.
Grade 9:
Emma Kusnezow - For her outstanding work ethic so far this year.
Lilian McCormack - For her quiet, conscientious approach to her studies.
Grade 10:
Deagan Madden, Ethan Stebbings, Campbell Stebbings, Mason Ackerly, Tom Murfett and Amelia Baker-Jenkins - For being brave and shaving their hair for the World's Greatest Shave and contributing to raising over $9000.00.
Celebrations
Over the past 2 weeks, our Grade 7 students have completed their NAPLAN tests. Students have remained extremely focused during these tests and are to be commended to the dedication they have shown throughout this time. The results from these tests will be used to inform teaching and learning in the future for literacy and numeracy.
On 31st May we will have our first My Education Day for Term 2. My Education is a whole-school approach to career and life planning. On this day we will continue to support students to identify their personal interests, values, strengths, opportunities and aspirations, and teach them how to use this knowledge to make decisions about their future learning, work and life opportunities.
Grade Focus
Organisation
Being organised is a transferable skill that can be used in most settings. For students, being organised is particularly important since it helps them learn how to prioritise activities, set and achieve goals and reduce stress. Having good organisational skills also makes it easier to collaborate with others and helps increase opportunity for teaching and learning.
Grade 7 have undergone an organisation blitz over the past 2 weeks. This has been maintained to ensure all students are ready for learning across all subject areas.
Grade 7 teachers are looking for students to:
Arrive to class on time.
Arrive with the correct equipment – pens, pencils, ruler, calculator, charged iPad.
Use recess and lunch time for toilet breaks.
Important Contacts
The Grade 7 teaching team this year consists of Mrs Katie Wightman (Junior School AP), Mr Tom Hartley (Grade 7 AST), Miss Nicole Williams (Grade Leader), Mr Stuart Withington (Grade Leader) and Class Teachers:
7A - Mr Leigh Richardson
7B - Mr Taylor Neilson
7C - Mrs Storm Pooley
7D - Mrs Rebecca Glasby
7E - Mr Sam Maddern
7F - Mr Sean Stevenson
7G - Mr Nicholas Parker
A reminder about the important contacts for Grade 8 in 2021.
Assistant Principal - Mrs Wightman katie.wightman@education.tas.gov.au
Grade 8 AST - Mrs Hume kate.hume@education.tas.gov.au
Grade Leaders - Mr Battle & Miss Males mathew.battle@education.tas.gov.au lillian.males@education.tas.gov.au
8A - Mr Chris Murray chris.murray1@education.tas.gov.au
8B - Mr Matthew Chatwin matthew.chatwin@education.tas.gov.au
8C - Mrs Kathleen Hodges kathleen.hodges@education.tas.gov.au
8D - Miss Grace Bannon grace.bannon@education.tas.gov.au
8E - Mrs Amy Jansen amy.jansen@education.tas.gov.au
8F - Mrs Jessica Crawford jessica.crawford@education.tas.gov.au
8G - Mrs Tracey MacFarlane tracey.macfarlane@education.tas.gov.au
Grade Support - Mr Pedersen thor.porsbro-pederse@education.tas.gov.au
Celebrations
A big congratulations to all students who participated in the Junior House Captain application process. All applicants should be proud of their efforts and courage in stepping out of their comfort zone. Well done to the following students who have been successful in their application:
ESK |
TAMAR |
NEVIS |
LOMOND |
Sharni |
Lucas |
Eliza |
Casey |
Zeynab |
Georgie |
Emily |
Grace |
Jonty |
Zac |
Grace |
Jakob |
Our Junior House Captains will undertake their first duties this week supporting Youngtown Primary in the Cross Country.
Another celebration this week is that our Grade Leaders are now well underway in their duties! This week Stella, Zac and Nikki spoke during our weekly grade assembly about some important topics including: rubbish and hands-on behaviour in the corridors. A Grade Leader report will now be a weekly occurrence at our grade assemblies and we look forward to hearing from our Grade Leaders each week!
Grade Focus
This week we continue to focus on respectful communication as our grade focus. Respect is a key term in our ROCKS expectations and one that underpins our work, attitude and culture at KMHS.
So, what is respectful communication and what does it sound like? Respectful communication is how we interact with others daily. It means using terms and doing things like: saying excuse me, using polite greetings e.g. good morning/afternoon, using appropriate tone, knocking before entering staff office spaces, assuming good intentions, using an inside voice when in classrooms and corridors and speaking kindly to others.
Celebrations
What a busy couple of weeks it has been in Grade 9! We would like to congratulate students on their outstanding efforts during NAPLAN. Students gave their best effort, worked conscientiously and managed the testing schedule with maturity. The team would like to remind students that whilst NAPLAN tests their literacy and numeracy capabilities, there are lots of amazing things about them that cannot be measured in a test. There are lots of things that we love about our grade, but more than anything, we appreciate their positive attitudes, their sense of humour and the way they look out for one another. We hope that students feel proud of their efforts after their last ever NAPLAN tests!
We are busily planning our upcoming My Education days in Grade 9 and one of the themes for the term will be around how school prepares us for our careers and lives beyond the school gate. A number of students in our grade currently hold casual or part-time jobs and we would like to congratulate them on how well they balance their school and work commitments, and how well they represent themselves in their workplaces. As we participate in a range of activities and listen to some guest speakers on our My Education days, we hope that students will be able to identify all of the skills and habits they develop at school (not just in the classroom, but in the school yard as well!) that will assist them throughout their lives.
Lastly, we wish to celebrate the number of students in our grade who have excelled in extra-curricular activities so far this term – we have some very talented dancers, musicians, athletes and chefs! It is so fantastic to see students embracing opportunities provided to them.
Grade Focus
We would just like to remind our students that as the winter months creep upon us, uniform is just as important as ever. Our Kings Meadows High School tracksuit pants are only to be worn as part of the HPE uniform. They may be worn on carnival days, during HPE lessons and during Winter Sport. They must not be worn during the school day. If any students require assistance with their uniform they are urged to speak with their Class Teacher or Grade Leader/AST. It is also fantastic to see so many students wearing our school beanies! A reminder that we need to adhere to the school uniform policy around beanies; this means they should not be worn during class or indoors!
Celebrations
Term 2 is flying with our Grade 10’s entering week 5 already! Last week out student leaders conducted a very successful fundraiser for the Leukaemia Foundation – The World’s Greatest Shave. What a massive effort from our students and staff to brave the shave and raise over $9000. This money will go towards improving research into this disease and for supporting those suffering and their families. Congratulations to our Grade 10 students; Deagan Madden, Amelia Baker-Jenkins, Campbell Stebbings, Ethan Stebbings, Thomas Murfett and Mason Ackerly for being incredibly courageous to shave their hair for charity. We are immensely proud of you and think that your selflessness to raise money for others is wonderful. We cannot forget our legendary teachers Mr Mick Bent and Mr Solomon Walker-Bowd for also braving the shave for such a worthy cause. Mr Walker-Bowd also shaved his beard which had been in the making for over 8 years!! Congratulations to you all, your new hair cuts suit you and hopefully it wont take long for your hair to grow back.
This term will again bring a lot of preparation and planning for life beyond Grade 10 for our students. We have our two College open days this term. Our Grade 10s will be visiting Launceston College on 21st June and Newstead College on 24th June. As well as guest speakers from both Colleges coming on our My Education day on Monday 31st May.
Whilst recognising some leadership efforts of our students, congratulations must go to our Grade 10 students who recently represented our school at the Launceston Competitions for Dance. Scores were close for all groups and our Grade 10’s represented our school very well. Results for the competitions were as follows:
9/10
2nd (86 ½ points) – Taylah Weldon, Ella Fullbrook, Chaise Jordan, Sienna Rundle
3rd - April Stebbings, Courtney Burnie, Bonnie Talbot, Kiara Rigby, Amy Barden, Evie Guy
Students competed in the ‘Dance, Drama and Expressive Movement section’ They had to provide the adjudicator with a 50 word brief/statement about the theme and intention of their dance.
Points were awarded out of 100.
Grade 10’s are continuing with their academic rigour this term. In English students are studying personal response unit on current events and news articles and learning how to articulate their own point of view. In Science our students are completing a module on evolution and will then move onto Physics centred around motor vehicles. HaSS students are studying and focussing on the Great Depression. In HPE practical lessons students are completing a fitness module leading up to our Cross Country Carnival and in Health lessons they are undertaking work based around mental health. Mathematics classes have out students working on expanding and factorising algebraic expressions.
Grade Focus
Our Grade focus this term will be preparing for the transition from Grade 10 to further education.
We will be setting ourselves goals that challenge us and establish good learning behaviours and academic rigour in all classes.
WELCOME:
Welcome to Kings Meadows High School. Grade 7 enrolments are open for 2022. Here is the link to the enrolment form.
http://bit.ly/IntentionToEnrolGrade7_2022
If you have questions about the transition program please contact Katie Wightman at the school on 6343 1000.
As iconic as the sound of rain on a tin roof, the humming sound of cars and buses, along with the thunder of machinery and the whooping of a helicopter overhead signified Agfest is back, let’s not mention last year…
On the 5th May students from the senior Metal and Packages of Learning classes hit Agfest, along with their teachers and volunteers. An unusual phenomenon occurred, the weather was a brilliant clear sky and “no rain”. No need to put on the gumboots and raincoat, most were happy in shorts and short sleeve shirts. So, we headed off to buy boots, coats and hats for another winter’s day, maybe even pick up a free pen or truckers cap. After an hour or so we all met in the central arena and inspected each other’s bargains. This coincided with the Mayor of Northern Midlands Council officially opening Agfest for 2021.
James Rigby
LAUNCESTON COMPETITIONS - DANCE:
On Tuesday 11th May and Wednesday 12th May Kings Meadows High School Dance students travelled to the Princess Theatre to compete in the Launceston Competitions. There were fabulous results on both days. Congratulations to each and every student. Whether they placed or not, every group performed courageously on stage and conducted themselves in a professional manner.
9/10
1st – Annika Webb, Jaslyn Freestone, Tanisha Slaninka, Kaili Powe, Chiquita Eastley, Mckenzie Grant, Isabella Keating
2nd – Taylah Weldon, Ella Fulbrook, Chaise Jordan, Sienna Rundle
3rd – April Stebbings, Courtney Burnie, Bonnie Talbot, Kiara Rigby, Amy Barden, Evie Guy
8’s
2nd – Eliza Fawkner, Cobi Griffith, Charli Merritt, Nikki Wegman
3rd – Addison Keegan, Mia Stone
Highly Commended – Alissa Cox McKinnon, Lucy Smith, Georgie D’Alton, Emma-Jane Harlow-Charlton
Student name: Abbigale Midson
Student class: 8G
What can you tell us about this piece of work?
We learned about discussion essays in class. I chose the topic because there is lots of debate at the moment around single use plastic and I know it is something that gets discussed a lot. I had to do lots of research and I had some discussions with my parents about how much we used plastic bags. I even did some maths and worked out some numbers around plastic bag use!
What is your favourite thing about English?
My favourite thing about English is when we get to do silent reading at the start of the lesson. It’s quiet and I can get lost in the book that I am reading. It’s a calm time and I love reading. I am really enjoying the advertising unit we are working on at the moment, and I already have my little sister and brother ready to help me with it! I can’t wait to do the assignment at the end of the unit.
What are you working on at the moment?
Advertising, which I am enjoying.
What are you reading at the moment?
I am reading ‘Midnight Sun’ by Stephanie Meyer – it’s really good.
What is your favourite book and why?
There are two that I really enjoyed. I liked the series ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’ by Jenny Han, and I also really enjoyed the ‘Animal Allies’ series by Ondine Sherman.
What are some books you would like to read?
There was a book at Petrarch’s book store called ‘Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy, and I am really keen to read it. My mum said that I have to read the book before I watch the movie.
Plastic shopping bags should be banned
For a long time there have been debates on whether we should ban plastic bags. It has been a topic that is regularly mentioned and discussed around the world. In this discussion essay we will talk about the Pro’s and Con’s of plastic bags. Pro’s will cover why plastic bags should be banned, how and why they are bad for our environment and cost effects on household budgets. Con’s will discuss why plastic bags are more convenient and preferable in our modern society, and how they are cheaper for companies to produce.
Firstly, I would like to discuss how plastic bags are negatively effecting our environment.
Animals mistake them for food, they are hard to recycle, often end up in land fill, in our oceans or slowly breaking up into the soil. The WWF (Plastic in our oceans is killing Marine Animals, 11 oct 2018) states ‘100,000 marine animals die each year due to plastic pollution. There are two ways marine creatures can die because of plastic, ingestion or being tangled in plastics.’ One of the main animals suffering from plastic bags are Sea Turtles. Turtles mistake the bags for jellyfish (their favourite snack) and eat them, the plastic gets caught in their digestive system and causes them to not be able to eat, therefore the turtles then starve.
Some animals are endangered due to plastic bags. These animals are sea birds, dolphins, whales, turtles, seals, sea lions and porpoises. It’s not just animals that are being effected its our communities. Plastic bags make our streets and cities look dirty, because people litter the bags and do not recycle them. The clean up Australia (Plastic bags- the problem, 2021) states ‘Only 3 percent of plastic bags are recycled in Australia. This means 97 percent of plastic bags are floating around making damage to the environment. We can take action by switching to reusable environmentally friendly bags. Environmental Minister Brian Whiteman (POLL:should plastic be banned?,the Examiner) said ‘ The time is right for this important reform.’ We need to take action and help our environment if we want to live on a happy planet. Mr Whiteman describes the cost change in the plastic bag ban to be ‘minimal with long-term environmental benefits.’ Like less pollution, litter and more marine life and other animals. A way we can stop this is switching to cotton or paper bags, or even biodegradable plastic bags. Normal plastic bags take around 500 years to break up in landfill. But if we use biodegradable bags they only take a few months to break up, or cotton bags which can be used over and over, we could really help save our planet.
Besides looking at the environmental side, why don’t we take a look at the financial side of plastic bags. It costs 10-15 cents to buy a plastic bag at just about every supermarket or department store. According to the Australian bureau of statistics, in 2016 the number of households in Australia was 9.2 million. If the average amount spent on plastic bags per week was approximately $1 (for my family of five I am told that the weeks we forget our reusable bags it can cost us around $1.50 for plastic bags) that would mean on average per year each household would spend $52. This is a lot of money! How much is the whole of Australia spending each year?
As a result of the $52 per household per year, the whole of Australia could potentially spend $478,400,000 a year on plastic bags alone. This money could be contributed to more wind turbines , solar panels and many other environmentally friendly recourses. In 2019 ABC News posted a news article written by Manika Dadson, ( Tasmanian wind farm plans are not all hot air but how will they work?, 2019) which stated, ‘Cattle Hill Site and Granville Harbour were under construction building $300 million wind farms. These farms were estimated to produce 144 Megawatts of energy, this is enough to power 63,000 homes.’ It is so much better than having plastic bags produced when we can be helping the environment. Goldwind Australia’s Managing Director Mr Titchen (Tasmania wind farms plans are not hot air, but how will they work?, 2019) Stated, ‘Cattle Hill Wind Farm should produce approximately 5 per cent of Tasmania’s electricity’ looking at these statistics you can see why having more wind farms is more practical than producing masses of plastic bags. How many wind turbine farms could we make by using the money if we banned plastic bags? The answer is simple we could build 1.59 wind farms per year in Australia if, instead of buying plastic bags that money was donated. If we were able to install wind turbines with donated shopping bag money we would be helping the environment by using a renewable resource that has no negative effect on the environment and could also save households more money on their electricity bills.
Although most say that plastic bags are bad, they harm the environment and contribute to landfill, there are some positives that come with them. Did you ever think how other bags can effect the environment? Firstly, National Geographic suggests, ‘plastic bags make less carbon emission, waste, and byproducts than cotton or paper bags do.’ This means they produce less Greenhouse gasses, use fewer chemicals to produce and are less stress to our environment. According to Crystal Schwanke, ( Why we should not ban plastic bags, 2021) ‘paper bags last longer in landfill, take up nine times more the space than plastic bags and break down at the same rate. Switching to biodegradable plastic bags would be a better option than banning plastic bags altogether and bringing in tons of paper bags. This could just make the problem worse.’ With this in mind we can now see why we need plastic bags in our society. Besides paper bags there are also cotton or fabric shopping bags. What most people call reusable bags, these shopping bags are not sanitary! Crystal Schwanke ( Why we should not ban plastic bags, 2021) states ’97 per cent of people who use realisable bags are unaware that they should wash or sanitise their bags regularly.’ This can lead to mould, cross contamination and lots of bacteria!
Subsequently, plastic bags are cheaper for retail stores to buy, from a budgeting point of view. It costs 2-5 cents to buy a plastic bag for stores, to buy a paper or realisable bag it costs 5-23 cents. For a store that is trying to budget this is quiet a big difference in money value. It’s not just costs of the bags, its how well they will last, plastic bags are not only cheap, but durable, waterproof and a quick to open and pack. According to Joseph Coupal Advantages of (plastic Grocery bags for retailers and consumers, 2013 states) ‘plastic bags are a better option than paper bags, plastic bags are more durable, less prone to tearing and easier to carry.’ Joseph also said ‘From a retailers point of view plastic bags have always been preferred. They are cost effective, easy to use and store.’ With this in mind, you can see how plastic bags are much preferred over paper, or cotton. As well as plastic shopping bags being preferred by retailers, they are also preferred by buyers, as they are light, waterproof and can be reused. (My family had plastic bags that we have kept so we can reuse them until the can’t be reused anymore.) Most people use plastic bags when they go shopping. If they forget a bag, they will most likely buy a plastic shopping bag as retailers sell them cheaper than reusable bags. This shows that plastic bags are more preferred by most people.
In conclusion, plastic bags have both good and bad sides. They are preferred by retailers, and buyers alike. Some say they are the worst item contributing to landfill. Each side has its points and they both give valid arguments. On a whole I believe that we should keep plastic bags but switch them out with the Biodegradable ones, this way we help the environment by keeping something that we use in our day-day lives and we should also educate people about the correct way to safety use reusable cotton bags.
“Advantages of Plastic Grocery Bags for Retailers and Consumers.” Advantage of Plastic Bags over Paper Bags, atlanticpoly.com/Atlantic_Poly_Blog/advantages-of-plastic-grocery-bags-for-retailers-and-consumers.
Bolger, Rosemary. “POLL: Should Plastic Bags Be Banned? .” Tenterfield Star, 16 Apr. 2013, www.tenterfieldstar.com.au/story/1435571/poll-should-plastic-bags-be-banned/.
Champ, Manika. “Are Wind Farms the 'Formula One Cars' of Our Future Power Systems?” ABC News, ABC News, 17 June 2019, www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-16/not-all-hot-air-with-tasmanian-windfarm-plans/11209390.
Clean Up Australia, www.cleanup.org.au/more-information-on-plastic-bags.
Don. “Wind Energy vs. Solar Power – Which Is Right for You?” Energy Matters, www.energymatters.com.au/components/solar-vs-wind/.
Ketcham, Sandra. “Advantages of Plastic Grocery Bags.” LoveToKnow, LoveToKnow Corp, greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Advantages_of_Plastic_Grocery_Bags.
National Geographic Society. “Sustainable Shopping-Which Bag Is Best?” National Geographic Society, 11 June 2020, www.nationalgeographic.org/media/sustainable-shoppingwhich-bag-best/.
“Plastic in Our Oceans Is Killing Marine Mammals.” WWF, www.wwf.org.au/news/blogs/plastic-in-our-oceans-is-killing-marine-mammals#gs.wpssm1.
Schwanke, Crystal. “Why We Should Not Ban Plastic Bags.” LoveToKnow, LoveToKnow Corp, greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Why_Should_We_Not_Ban_Plastic_Bags.
Grade 8 are learning about cells. Everyone is making either a plant or animal cell out of cardboard, pipe cleaners, playdoh, polystyrene, string, straws and other art supplies. The organelles will be labeled with information about each.
Anneka McLaren, Kyah Allery, Breanna Farrell
ARCHITECTURE & CONSTRUCTION (PACKAGES OF LEARNING) EXCURSION:
Moving into the workforce may seem like a daunting process, but getting some inside knowledge gives you a sense of direction.
On 5th May we went to the Tram Shed Centre for a MBT Program. One of the activities that we really enjoyed was a team building challenge. We needed to dissemble and assemble a box as quick as possible. Our best time was 23 seconds and the record is 21 seconds!!
The event was broken up into 3 breakout sessions, presented by representatives from the Building & Construction Industry.
Job Application Skills: Where we looked at resumes and cover letters, the importance of providing them, what to include in them, how a cover letter should be addressed and how to stand out in an interview.
Employability Skills: We heard from an employer as to what they look for when recruiting, the expectations they have around employees and how they expect potential employees to present themselves at interview and at work.
Mock Interviews: We learnt how to prepare for an interview, how to answer interview questions and how to deal with interview anxiety. We also saw an example of a good and bad interview and discuss the outcomes of both interviewees and then conduct their own mock interviews.
Packages of Learning students would like to thank Master Builders Tasmania, Vos Construction & Joinery Pty Ltd, Mead Con and Keystone Tasmania for kindly funding the event.
Harrison Lamperd
Tues 11 May to Fri 21 May | NAPLAN testing |
Monday 24 May | KMHS Cross Country |
Tuesday 1 June | Inter-High Cross Country at KMHS |
Monday 31 May | My Education Day |
Friday 11 June | My Education Day |
Monday 14 June | PUBLIC HOLIDAY |
Monday 21 June | Grade 5/6 Challenge Day 1 |
Monday 21 June | Parent Information Evening 2a 5.30-6.30pm |
Monday 21 June | Launceston College Open Day |
Thursday 24 June | Grade 5/6 Challenge Day 2 |
Thursday 24 June | Parent Information Evening 2b 5.30-6.30pm |
Thursday 24 June | Newstead College Open Day |
Friday 2 July | Last day of Term 2 - School holidays begin |
Monday 19 July | Student Free Day |
Tuesday 20 July | First day of Term 3 for students |