Dear Parents/Carers

It is hard to believe this is the final newsletter for the term. Where has the term gone! I hope everyone enjoyed the recent Easter break. Sometimes breaks such as these can get students out of the routines and ‘rhythm’ of school, so it is important for parents, carers and teachers to re-establish productive habits and behaviours with our young people.  Sometimes these little ‘one-percenters’ might not seem to be that important but, rest assured, they all contribute to helping students be successful at school.

The Inter-High Swimming Carnival occurs tomorrow (Thursday 11 April) at Launceston Aquatic Centre. Congratulations to all students who were selected for the team. We had some fantastic success last year in winning one of the shields on offer, so I am hopeful all students will do a great job in representing our school. I am hoping there may even be some personal bests achieved. Thank you to Dylan Warren and Emma Attard for supporting our team at the event and to parents, carers and other family members who attended to cheer on our swimmers.

As ANZAC Day occurs on 25 April, which is in the school holidays, we are holding our annual ANZAC Assembly this Friday to ensure students are aware of the importance of this day and to ensure we pay our respects to all Australian service personnel who have represented our country in conflicts and peace keeping operations around the world. Thank you also to our prefects who will represent our school at various local ANZAC services in Launceston and surrounding towns. Lest we forget.

As summer is now over and we head towards winter, it is important that students do not deviate from wearing school uniform. Full school uniform is expected from students at all times. We have made plenty of options available for students over the last couple of years so there should be no significant reason why students are not wearing uniform.  Uniform provides a cost-effective option for schoolwear, prepares students for the world of work where a uniform or standard of dress is required, enhances safety, promotes equity and contributes to a sense of belonging and pride in our school.  As we enter Term 2, I would expect all students to be in uniform every day. Just a reminder also that non-school hats are not part of our uniform and should not be worn at school. If families are struggling with the cost of living, please do not hesitate to reach out if you require assistance in purchasing uniform. We are happy to help where we can. Thank you in anticipation of your support.

We are stilling experiencing the odd case of COVID. While the outbreaks of recent years appear to be passed, it is still worthwhile for us all to consider practices that assist in reducing the spread of COVID, influenza and other such diseases.  Basic hand hygiene, cough/sneeze etiquette and being aware of not exposing others if we are ill, can all assist in keeping everyone healthy and therefore attending school regularly. Every school day matters!

At the end of this term, we farewell teacher Isaac Pinnington who has been with us since the beginning of 2022. We thank Isaac for his excellent contribution and wish him and his partner all the very best for their future travels.  We also welcome back Richard Goss after a period of leave and thank Dale Freeman for assisting us in covering Richard’s classes.

Looking ahead to Term 2, it is worth noting that our Cross Country Carnival will be held on 9 May, which is in week 2. For those students who enjoy their sport generally and particularly running, the holidays present an ideal opportunity to start training for this event and to generally build fitness and overall health going into the winter months.  The Cross Country Carnival is one where all students can participate to some level, not just capable distance runners, so I hope to see as many students as possible engaging with this opportunity.

I wish all staff and students a restful and enjoyable break. To those parents and carers also having holidays, I hope you are able to spend some time with your family and friends doing things that you enjoy and find relaxing. I look forward to welcoming students back to Term 2 on Monday 29 April.

Regards

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:

Sophia Edwards - For her diligent and committed approach to learning in all subjects. 

Wesley Kremmer - For his outstanding work ethic and willingness to help others in MDT subjects.

Year 8:

Rahni Clayton – For her positive attitude towards others and for showing a continued commitment towards her learning tasks.

Amalie Hodgetts - For her caring and supportive attitude towards her peers and for being a helpful class member.

Luke Brophy - For consistently displaying a strong and engaging commitment to his learning.

Year 9:

Abi Johnson – For always abiding by the school R.O.C.K.S. and consistently doing well across all of her classroom subjects. 

Asher Hazell – For always being a polite and respectful student and continuing to improve across all areas of his schooling.

Year 10:

Arthur Bishop – For continued hard work and diligence and shaving his head to support the Leukaemia Foundation.

Ash Clarke – For being committed to all aspects of learning and striving for improvement.

Here we are at the end of Term 1! The last 10 weeks have been a rollercoaster full of new opportunities, learnings and friendships across Year 7. Students have experienced Year 7 Camp and their first KMHS Swimming Carnival, they have adjusted to high school and their new core classes, learned how to manage their lockers and find their classes, the list goes on!

There is a lot to be proud of in how our Year 7 students have settled in to the Kings Meadows High School community. An often commented on highlight, is the high level of engagement and excitement about learning shown by our students. This is a fantastic mindset and we want to congratulate our Year 7 cohort on the commitment to learning that this shows.

Recently, Kings Meadows High School held it'[s World's Greatest Shave event, with Rohan (7D) bravely having his head shaved for the cause. Not only did Rohan meet his goal of raising $560, but he in fact raised almost $900! Well done Rohan for your dedication and achievement!

As we approach the end of Term 1, students are reminded that while they are welcome to take their iPads home for the holidays, they are also welcome to leave them safely at school. Each classroom in Year 7 now has a secure charging station for any students who would rather not take their iPads home.

Term 2 brings with it the colder months. Students are encouraged to make sure that they have a school jumper or jacket to wear and may also choose to wear a KMHS beanie outside at break times. A reminder that other non-uniform jumpers and hats are not acceptable alternatives and are unable to be worn at school.

We wish all our students a safe and restful break. Take the opportunity to recharge your batteries, ready for learning again in Term 2!

Year 7 Contact Details

7A Class Teacher – Mrs Anu Grewal - anu.grewal@decyp.tas.gov.au

7B Class Teacher – Miss Isabella Darsaklis - isabella.darsakli@decyp.tas.gov.au

7C Class Teacher – Miss Eloise Hart - eloise.hart@decyp.tas.gov.au

7D Class Teacher – Mr Matt Battle - mathew.battle@decyp.tas.gov.au

7E Class Teacher – Mr Matt Chatwin - matthew.chatwin@decyp.tas.gov.au

Additional teachers working with Year 7:

Mrs Renee Lunson - renee.lunson@decyp.tas.gov.au

Mr George Edmondson - george.edmondson@decyp.tas.gov.au

Grade 7 Leader – Mr Scott Brewer - scott.brewer@decyp.tas.gov.au

Grade 7 AST – Mr Robert Johns - robert.p.johns@decyp.tas.gov.au

Grade 7 Assistant Principal - Mrs Kate Hume - kate.hume@decyp.tas.gov.au

We invite parents to contact us either by email or by phoning the school 6343 1000.

As the end of Term 1 approaches, I would like to congratulate our students for their efforts this term.  I would like to also thank all our Year 8 team who have worked tirelessly each day in ensuring that students have rich and engaging learning programs.  Thank you to our parents also for their efforts to work in partnership with us in supporting high levels of attendance and our high expectations around behaviour.

In staff meetings our staff are continuing their inquiry into better understanding and supporting attendance at KMHS.  The focus of this grade report is to share some of the important research around attendance highlighting the importance of students having high levels of attendance each day during 2024.

Attendance concerns need to be addressed before they becomes problematic. Research shows that missing 10% of school, or about 18 days, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month and is known as chronic absence. Chronic absenteeism (missing more than 10% of the school year), is an early indicator of disengagement.

Every day a student attends school counts.  If students attend school 4½ days a week their attendance at the end of the year will be around 90% attendance. This results in 4 weeks missed per year or 16 weeks missed during high school.  We would like our students to have a minimum attendance of at least 90% each year because any less than this impacts their social and academic successes.  If students attend 4 days a week their attendance at the end of the year will be around 80% attendance.  This results in more than half a term missed per year or one year of school missed at KMHS over the course of their schooling. If students attending 3½ days each week their attendance at the end of the year will be around 70% attendance and this results in more than a quarter of the school year missed each year. 

Every minute a student arrives at school counts. Arriving late or missing class leads to missed explicit instruction and the possibility of also missing the learning of new concepts that are being presented and explained. Looking at our attendance data we have noticed that several students are arriving at school late each day.  Arriving 5 minutes late every day adds up to over 3 days lost learning each year while arriving 15 minutes late every day adds up to 2 weeks absence a year.  If a student arrives 30 minutes late every day they miss around 19 days of learning. While on the surface a late arrival might not seem like much of a problem however, when this continues over time it results in a lot of missed learning.

Before I conclude this grade report I’d like to share some further messages. 

Students who miss school don’t attain essential literacy, numeracy and social skills and will require intervention to catch up. Poor attendance can affect a student’s ability to make and keep friendships; a vital part of growing up. Attending school every day helps children to build social and emotional skills such as communication, teamwork and resilience.

Less than 65% of children achieve good results in literacy and numeracy with an average of 15 days absence a year compared to almost 90% where the average is less than 8 days. Chronic absence can be a leading indicator that a student might not complete high school impacting future employment opportunities. 

When students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances of future success.  This is the work we are engaging in together. 

If you feel that your child has missed too much school already this term, we encourage you to contact their class teacher, Grade Leader or Grade AST so we can work in partnership with you in building a plan that removes any barriers to attendance and improves their feeling of engagement and satisfaction with learning. 

I hope that all parents and students enjoy a restful break during the school holidays and we look forward to working in partnership with you again during Term 2 this year.

Year 8 contact details:

8A Class Teacher – Mr Todd Nankervis - todd.nankervis@decyp.tas.gov.au

8B Class Teacher – Mr Leigh Richardson - leigh.richardson@decyp.tas.gov.au

8C Class Teacher – Ms Sherron Casey - sherron.casey@decyp.tas.gov.au

8D Class Teacher – Mrs Emma Dobson - emma.l.dobson@decyp.tas.gov.au

8E Class Teacher – Mr Dylan Warren - dylan.warren@decyp.tas.gov.au

8F Class Teacher – Mr Nick Stokes - nick.stokes@decyp.tas.gov.au

Additional teachers working with Year 8:

Mrs Jade Howard - jade.howard@decyp.tas.gov.au

Mrs Jo Bent - joanna.bent@decyp.tas.gov.au

Grade 8 Leader – Miss Emma Attard - emma.attard@decyp.tas.gov.au

Grade 8 Leader – Mr Daniel Richardson - daniel.richardson@decyp.tas.gov.au

Grade 8 AST – Mr Nathan Karas - nathan.karas@decyp.tas.gov.au

Year 8 Assistant Principal – Mrs Kate Hume  kate.hume@decyp.tas.gov.au

We are incredibly pleased with the start our Year 9 students have put together. With a busy term happening, our students have hit the ground running with their organisation and getting themselves ready as they consolidate their position in the senior school.

The whole school has started undertaking Cross Country training as a part of HPE lessons, with the Year 9’s setting a great standard with their participation and endeavour. Winter sport is approaching quickly in Term 2, with our students receiving their enrichment course options this week in their Class Teacher groups. As our students are now in the senior school, we expect that their organisation and initiative in having the required equipment and paperwork completed if they are wanting a change.

Our Class Teachers should be the first point of contact for your child here at Kings Meadows High School, with Grade Leaders and Grade AST being there for more urgent or important matters. Please find the contact information for each teacher on the Grade Team below:

Year 9 contact details:

9A Class Teacher – Mrs Jessica Crawford - jessica.crawford@decyp.tas.gov.au 

9B Class Teacher – Mr Solomon Walker-Bowd – solomon.walker-bowd@decyp.tas.gov.au

9C Class Teacher – Mrs Joh Breen - joh.breen@decyp.tas.gov.au

9D Class Teacher – Mr Nathan Meurant – nathan.meurant@decyp.tas.gov.au

9E Class Teacher – Mr Lachlan Bryan – lachlan.bryan@decyp.tas.gov.au

9EL Class Teacher - Miss Emily Lovegrove - emily.lovegrove@decyp.tas.gov.au

9F Class Teacher – Mr Mick Bent -  mick.bent@decyp.tas.gov.au

Additional teachers working with Year 9:

AST - Mr Jake Chamberlain - jake.chamberlain@decyp.tas.gov.au

Mr Isaac Pinnington – isaac.pinnington@decyp.tas.gov.au

Grade Leader - Mr Sean Stevenson – sean.stevenson@decyp.tas.gov.au

Grade Leader - Mr Sam Maddern – sam.maddern@decyp.tas.gov.au 

Grade AST - Mr Brendan Poke – brendan.poke@decyp.tas.gov.au

Year 9 Assistant Principal - Ms Kate Blaubaum - kate.blaubaum@decyp.tas.gov.au

Celebrations

Beacon Work Readiness
Congratulations to our Year 10s who have undertaken the Beacon Work Readiness Program as their Term 1 enrichment. This week is the last formal session of the program before students use the skills and knowledge they have gained to undertake some work experience in their chosen fields. Well done and good luck for the next stage of this journey.

World’s Greatest Shave
A fantastic event which raised over $6000 for a very worthy cause. Well done to the Student Leaders involved for the planning and co-ordination of the event and thank you to Banjo’s and local supermarkets for their donations towards the BBQ. Check out the story and photos in the Examiner (Thursday 28 March) if you missed it.

Grade Focus

Our focus for this week is finishing the term off strongly in terms of being organised, committed to learning and being accountable for our actions. We will continue to encourage students to be proactive in making the most of opportunities that may arise, including work experience, work exposure and leadership opportunities.

Melbourne Trip
Last week students were asked to complete an expression of interest form if they wanted more information about a potential Melbourne Trip. This form will close at the end of this week. If a trip does proceed, the proposed dates would be mid-August with an associated cost of approximately $900. Students have been made aware of attendance, behaviour and work output expectations required to be invited if the trip is viable. Please contact James Guy if you would like more information.

Important Dates

• Inter-High Swimming – Thursday 11 April
• Last day of Term 1 – Friday 12 April
• School resumes – Monday 29 April
• Cross Country – Thursday 9 May

Year 10 Contact Details:

10A Class Teacher – Mr Chris Murray - chris.murray1@decyp.tas.gov.au

10B Class Teacher – Mrs Rebecca Glasby - rebecca.glasby@decyp.tas.gov.au

10C Class Teacher – Miss Mikhala Graham - mikhala.graham@decyp.tas.gov.au

10D Class Teacher – Mrs Belinda Selby - belinda.selby@decyp.tas.gov.au

10E Class Teacher – Mr Ben Killalea - ben.killalea@decyp.tas.gov.au

10EL Class Teacher - Miss Emily Lovegrove - emily.lovegrove@decyp.tas.gov.au

10F Class Teacher – Miss Steph Sheedy - steph.sheedy@decyp.tas.gov.au

Additional Teachers working with Year 10:

Mr Richard Goss - richard.goss@decyp.tas.gov.au

Grade 10 Leader – Mrs Nicole Lynch - nicole.lynch1@decyp.tas.gov.au

Grade 10 Leader – Mr Stuart Withington (stuart.withington@decyp.tas.gov.au)

Grade 10 AST – Mr James Guy (james.guy@decyp.tas.gov.au)

Year 10 Assistant Principal - Ms Kate Blaubaum - kate.blaubaum@decyp.tas.gov.au

Throughout Term 1, the senior athlete development class have travelled to the Launceston Institute of Fitness and Training (LIFT) to follow and adapt gym programs they designed for themselves earlier in the term. Each student follows a personalised program that covers a range of upper and lower body movements and exercises that encourage muscle development and overall wellbeing. They also get to develop positive training habits and see improvement in both their performance and confidence across the term. Thank you to LIFT for giving our students the opportunity to train in arguably the best commercial gym facility in the state and one of the best in the country. We’re looking forward to returning in Term 4 with a new group of budding athletes.

The City to Casino is the second oldest running event in Australia and Tasmania's oldest running event (51 years this year). The event co-ordinators would love to see as many schools involved as possible. The Jack Jumpers are involved this year and will be working to get the Jack Jumper Army marching this year too, so it will be a truly special year to be involved.

There is a 12km run (from MyState Arena), a 7km run or walk (from Cornelian Bay) and a 2.7km kids run (from Salamanca) all finishing at a new finish line on the lawns on the point at Wrest Point Casino. 

The event will be held on Sunday 26 May and all races start at 8.00am in HOBART. 

Students and their families can enter for FREE as part of the school team. Parents/carers are responsible for transport and supervision on the day, however, can register through the school to remove the registration fee usually associated with this event. Please pass your information along to Miss Attard if you are interested in registering for the event as part of the school team. School running tops can also be provided to those participating.

Leadership Staff

Support Staff