Week 3 Camp to Port Arthur
We understand families have been waiting for an update on camp and photos.  We appreciate your patience while our office staff worked through returned validation forms and student photo permissions! We also appreciate the feedback surveys completed by our parents and students.  This feedback is extremely valuable and helps us improve camps from year to year.  In fact, last years’ camp surveys helped us make a few alterations and improvements for the camp this year.

The two camps held in Week 3 of this term were extremely successful and both staff and students enjoyed themselves.  Students were excited to be away from home and embraced the challenges of camp wholeheartedly.  Whether it was sleeping in a cabin with people they did not know, being rained on at Port Arthur, having to prepare their cabins for cleaning inspections, deciding which lollies to buy from the Richmond Lolly Shop or trying to win class challenges.  After the visit to Zoo Doo on the first day students had time to settle in, play games and get comfortable with their surroundings on the first afternoon. Both groups had a BBQ dinner the first night followed by after dinner beach activities before settling in for the first night. This was undoubtedly the most exciting night for students as they got to meet new people and navigate teachers ‘lights out’ expectations. 

Day two of the camp was keeping the toast pile high and the snap crackle and pop of breakfast, fuelling up for the day ahead. The walk to Port Arthur via Stewarts Bay was extremely scenic but ‘too long’ according to student feedback forms!  Once at Port Arthur students could tour the museum, have a walking tour of Port Arthur and the boat tour to the Isle of the Dead – which according to feedback surveys was a top highlight for many students.  Unfortunately strong winds prevented the boat from docking on Tuesday for  A,B and C but on Thursday D,E and F were able to get off the boat and onto the island.  The tour guides were extremely professional and imparted a lot of knowledge onto the students. Dinner on night two was lasagne and chips – this proved a popular choice with many students coming back for seconds.  Night two was also cabin inspections and talent show performances which were highly entertaining for staff and the variety and creativity was amazing – from songs, dances and drama skits, to displays of sporting prowess and complimentary snacks for staff!

The final day included the stop to Richmond and we would like to thank the Richmond Bakery and Sweets and Treats for accommodating our students buying treats on their way home. The Year 7 staff were very proud of our students over the whole week of the camp.  The feedback we received from Port Arthur staff, NRMA staff and the general public was all extremely heartwarming and made us proud to be looking after the students and glad that we had committed to giving them their camp opportunity. Emails and verbal feedback commented on students’ respectful manners, engagement in activities and positive attitudes and interactions. Most of all the comments were that they really looked like they were having fun.  We hope they were! Well done Year 7’s!  Some feedback from our Year 7’s:

What was your favourite activity on camp?

• The boat ride to the Isle of the Dead
• Having to clean our cabins and do a 30 second talent show
• The beach
• Hanging out with friends
• Lasagne
• Going to sleep after being at Port Arthur all day
• Cricket
• Making friends and being around people and having a good time

Year 7 Learning at KMHS
Year 7’s are well and truly into their learning now.  Families will have undoubtedly been enjoying students first cooking efforts (7D,7E and 7F) and soon everyone in 7A, 7B and 7C will bring home their first MDT projects – a camp toasting fork or a wooden chopping board!  Students are also studying Spanish in LOTE, learning new instruments in Music, completing projects in Art and presenting creative pieces in Drama. In addition to this the current focus of CORE subjects is:

Science: Lab Safety (including getting their Bunsen Burners licences!) States of Matter
HPE: Puberty and Summer Sports
Maths: Adding and Subtracting Integers
HaSS: Deep Time History – Evolution
English: Creative Writing, Character and Narrative

Interim Reports will go out later this term and you will be able to see how your child is progressing with our R.O.C.K.S. expectations – Respect, Organisation, Commitment to Learning, Keeping Safe and sensible Behaviour.

Please feel free to contact your child’s teachers for more information.