Term 3 | Week 3 | 9 August 2019

From the PrincipalWelcome to Term 3. It is hard to believe that we are now six months into the school year and Spring is only three weeks away – and hopefully some warmer weather!

Staffing UpdateThis term we welcome the following new staff to Blackwood High School:• Keren Asser teaching Art, Humanities and Research

Project until the end of the year• Jennifer Gibson teaching Maths and Science.

Also, due to Glen Little leaving Blackwood High School at the end of last year, we have had a leadership vacancy in HPE. Janet Bradley is the leader for this year however, the position was recently advertised for a five year tenure starting in 2020. Erin McIntee is the successful applicant. Erin is currently the HPE Leader at Port Augusta Secondary School. We look forward to Erin visiting Blackwood High School later this year.

Congratulations to Karyn Jones who has won the position of Leader - Languages and International Student Programs for another five year tenure starting in 2020.

Student Free DayThe first day of Term 3 was our third Student Free day for 2019. The focus of the day was ‘making transfer explicit’. With a focus on Year 8 and 9 in Semester 2, staff identified opportunities/specific connections that exist between learning areas and then worked in collaborative teams to modify a planned unit, topic or assessment task to intentionally support transfer of learning beyond their curriculum area. Curriculum teams will implement, monitor and review to inform further curriculum developments in 2020.

Our final Student Free day for this year will be on Friday 30 August. The focus of this day will be on formative assessment, particularly, learning intentions, success criteria and checking for student understanding.

Year 9 Science Learning DesignThis year a key strategy in our School Improvement Plan is the Year 9 Science Learning Design pilot. Our

Year 9 Science teachers are working collaboratively to develop innovative inquiry-based STEM curriculum for the Year 9 cohort. Teachers are supported through professional learning and inquiry into their own practices to collaboratively plan and transform the Year 9 Science curriculum and deliver using a team-teaching approach. The focus on inquiry-based learning promotes challenge and intellectual stretch for students, and the use of strategic formative assessment strategies enables teachers to check student understanding informing next steps for teaching and student learning. Anecdotally teachers have noticed higher levels of student engagement, and the Semester 1 student achievement data indicates an overall improvement in student results compared to previous Semester 1 results. This is a very positive outcome and I congratulate the Year 9 students on their achievements in Science so far this year. Also, thank you to the Year 9 Science teachers for their willingness to try a different approach to improve student learning outcomes at Blackwood High School.

Student Life at Blackwood High SchoolEach newsletter provides an insight into the breadth of opportunities at Blackwood High School – those that are directly related to student learning in classrooms and learning spaces and co-curricular activities. The Student Life booklet has been developed to provide information to students about the many co-curricular opportunities available across the school year. The booklet is available on the school website at:

https://www.bhs.sa.edu.au/students/student-life/

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International Student visitsThis term Blackwood High School is hosting two study tours from Japan. Currently we have five students from Himeji visiting and staying with local students and their families for two weeks. During the October holidays we will have five Blackwood High School students and two teachers visiting Himeji in a reciprocal (Sister City relationship) visit.

15 students from Ushiku will arrive on 12 August for two weeks, also staying with local students and families.

The opportunity to have students from other countries visit our school and live in the local community is not only an enriching experience for our visitors but for our local students and community too. Thank you to our wonderful host families who welcome International students into their homes. If there are new families who would like to be involved in future hosting opportunities please contact the school.

Subject Course CounsellingA reminder that this term students will be involved in the selection of subjects for the 2020 school year. All students will be supported through this process through Pastoral Care with Year 10 and 11 students and their parents/caregivers invited to Subject Confirmation appointments on Monday 26 August. Information regarding this day has been sent home to families.

Finally, I wish everyone all the best for Term 3.

Sharon Goldman, Principal

Hi to everyone at Blackwood High School. My name is Jozef Kaftalli and I am a Master of Social Work Student from Flinders University. I will be undertaking a placement at Blackwood High School during Terms 3 and 4 of 2019. I will assist the Student Wellbeing Team in supporting students throughout their learning journey.

My main goal is to support students through individualised support, group activities and events, so that they are happy, their voices are heard and they have the opportunity to achieve their full potential. As a Social Work student, I see this as an amazing opportunity for learning and growth.

I enjoy working with people, I am passionate about advocacy and mental health, and my current studies in the field of Social Work combined with my background in Psychology have both played an important role in shaping this dual focus. Some of my hobbies are music, martial arts and spending time in nature.

The first week of the placement has been memorable, this is mainly thanks to the warm welcome I have received at the school. Thank you to the students and to the staff members for the positivity and for making me feel welcome from day one. It is awesome being here and I look forward to getting to know the students and everyone else at Blackwood High School.

Social work student introduction

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Blackwood High School high achievers• Congratulations to Jamie Lunn, in Year 10, who

has been selected for the South Australia U15 Inline Hockey Team. The Nationals are being held at Starplex, Evanston SA from 28 September to 5 October 2019.

• Congratulations to Brie Medder and Tia Fox, in Year 11, who were a late selection to represent Eastern Open Womens Team in the South Australia Country Football Championships at Port Pirie on 13 and 14 July 2019.

• Congratulations to Brie Medder, in Year 11, who participated in the Interschools Snowsport Championships in Falls Creek, she came 2nd in Div 1 Womens and 9th overall, therefore she has secured a spot at the Nationals in September at Mt Buller representing the state and the school.

• Congratulations to Harry Johnson, in Year 9, who officiated the SAPSASA Basketball Championships on 24 and 25 July 2019.

• Congratulations to Mitchell Wyatt, in Year 9, who is participating in the School Sport SA Interstate 13 - 19 years Cross Country Championships which will be conducted in Kembla Grange, New South Wales from 23 - 26 August 2019.

• Congratulations to Harry Lemmey, in Year 10, who is part of the U15 Boys Football team playing at the National Championships in Launceston, Tasmania during Week 2 of Term 3.

• Congratulations to Lucas Milsom, in Year 12, who competed in the Junior National Table Tennis Championships in Woollongong, New South Wales from 5 to 14 July 2019.

• Congratulations to James Keating, in Year 8, who will be involved in an Instrumental Music Regional Tour to the state’s Mid-North from 6 to 9 August. James will be participating in music performances and workshops with our regional schools, showcasing their work and sharing music eductional experiences with country students.

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Year 8 and 9 updateWe have seen an increase in our Year 8 and 9 students Grade Point Average (GPA) with more students achieving a GPA of 90% or above at the end of Semester 1 compared to the end of Term 1. We are focusing on students’ excellence with their learning, and as part of this students are being provided with opportunities to analyse their own data; including report grades, Traffic Light, PAT and NAPLAN results to track and monitor their own progress. Students have been involved in setting goals around their learning and reviewing these goals as new data is made available. It is important students know their data and are able to articulate this to help them understand who they are as learners. Please have a talk with your child about what their learning goals are and why.

Congratulations to the following students who achieved a GPA of 90% or above for Semester 1.Year 8 Year 9Amber Barlass Juliette BrusicOlivia De Luca Aretha Byrne-OckerbySienna Duguid Nicole GreenekleeAmelia Haines Gabrielle MacConnellElla Smith Juliette PaiceJesse Harris Laila ScaparraLara Higgins Alexandra SmithEl Mon Htoo Charlotte WilliamsDaniel Kolesnyk Veniss YapJackson MoodyHolly ShoreyAnna TwiningClara WegnerAshlee Wyatt

At Blackwood High School we want our students to excel and become the best they can be. Attendance at school is key to promoting good habits and effective learning. Learning at school is not just sitting in a classroom; learning is in the school yard at recess and lunch times, on the playing field, in practical subjects and, yes, in the classroom. Missing any of this has detrimental effects on student’s learning, placing them behind their friends and peers and can make the student feel like he or she is unable to succeed. What we know is that students who are late or regularly absent, 5 or more days over a term, have reduced achievement results.

For Term 2 our attendance rate for Year 8 is at 90% and our Year 9 students is 86%; the Department of Education has a target of 96% attendance. It is important students are attending school as every day does count.

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This term the Year 8 and 9 year levels launch into Careers as a focus leading into subject selections in Week 6.

Working with the Blackwood High School Careers website, students will have the opportunity to establish an E-portfolio that will create their own digital record to follow them through to the end of their schooling. Year 9 students will focus also on creating a resume, setting them up to be able to take on the task of finding their first jobs. Each year level will be involved in Curriculum expos in Weeks 4 and 5 to prepare students for having to make selection choices for the following year. These pop-up stations, run by Curriculum Leaders are designed to give each student the opportunity to learn about the courses available to them and to be able to ask questions of specialised teachers in those areas.

Term 3 also sees the introduction of Service Learning to the Pastoral Care programs for both Year 8 and 9. Service Learning is about students taking an interest in the people and the world around them and working to make a small difference through their actions. Classes will undertake planning and preparation as a group before engaging in their own service to others in the community, focussing on an area of their choosing. Monday will see the students hear from ex-student Sam Upton who recently was able to raise $2367 for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.

We look forward to many stories of how our students have impacted the community and their reflections will be a feature of the Learning Conversation presentations that occur at the end of the year. If you have a Service need that you could see our students filling as part of this program, please feel free to contact Learning Community Leader Dan Smith at Daniel.smith@bhs.sa.edu.au

Dan Smith and Renee Daish, Leader, Year 8 and 9 Learning Communities

Year 10 updateYear 10 Work Experience took place in Week 8, Term 2 (17 – 21 June) with over 50 students taking part. Work Experience placements ranged from a variety of Trades, Retail, work in our local Primary schools and even the Attorney General’s Office. All students who took the opportunity to undertake this fantastic experience have described it as very positive and rewarding, it has given them a view into what their potential career might look like. Some students have even come away with part time jobs! There will be a second chance for students to take part in a Work Experience placement in Week 9 of Term 4. Students can however, negotiate further placements outside of this time by speaking with myself and Mr. Dening.

Throughout this year, the Year 10 students have been working through their PLP, which is a requirement of their SACE. Through this course, students look at their personal strengths and interests in order to develop a possible pathway to their future career and goals. As part of this development, on 2 August students visited the Tonsley TAFE Campus for the Inner South Curriculum Alliance (ISCA) Career Expo. This expo showcased industries, training colleges, employers, tertiary institutions and government agencies from around South Australia, giving students the opportunity to discover and discuss possible courses and pathway opportunities. Students spent a number of hours at Tonsley and came away with a range of knowledge and brochures to help them in their pathway planning.

Part of the pathway planning which takes place in Year 10 is the selection of subjects for SACE, Year 11 and 12. Last week students received a copy of the Year 11 Subject Selection form to start thinking about and planning. During Monday Week 4, students will take part in an in-school Curriculum Expo, where they will be able to find out more about the subjects available to them in Year 11 and 12 and gain recommendations from teachers. Following this, Subject Confirmation appointments will take place on Monday of Week 6. Students are expected to come to their meeting prepared and with their Subject Selection forms completed. If students wish to discuss their options further, prior to Week 6, they are encouraged to speak to their teachers, myself or Mr Dening.

Caitlin Holroyd, Leader, Year 10

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Year 11 and 12 updateThe Senior School students have settled in very well to the new term with Year 11 students now four weeks in to their Semester 2 subjects and the Year 12 students just finishing the Stage 2 Trial Exams.

The Year 11 students have a busy few weeks ahead as they start to decide what subjects they want to do in Year 12. As part of this process, we are providing a range of activities through Pastoral Care program that will help guide them in making these important decisions. Care Group teachers will be supporting students through this process and we also encourage students to talk to their current subject teachers to get even more information. As always, Mr Dening and I are also available to meet with students and parents/caregivers to explore options and help with the Course Selection process.

Year 12 students are now starting to focus on the end of the year and what lies beyond secondary schooling for them. A majority of the final school assessed coursework will be due this term so students need to be vigilant that they are meeting all course requirements and that they are well poised to get the best SACE results they can. This term a lot of our Pastoral Care program will focus on post-school options. We have visits organised by Universities and TAFE and we will also focus on stress management as we head towards what is a very stressful time for our students.

University Open Days will be occurring soon. Open Days give students the opportunity to visit University Campuses to see the facilities as well as what each University has to offer. Most South Australian Universities have their Open Days on the 16th-18th of August. You can find information on all Australian Uni Open Days at the following link: https://www.blackwoodhighcareers.com/?page=open-days#E

E-sports update

The Meta High School e-Sports league has wrapped up for Blackwood High School Teams for 2019.

While our Open team narrowly missed out on the Playoff rounds our Beginner Team made it through. Over several weeks (including a logistically challenging “away” match due to students being on the Canberra Trip) our Beginner Team played through Regional Semi Finals and then onto National Playoffs. Regional Semi Finals had the Blackwood High School Barons up against Yarra Valley Grammar. The format for Regional finals had the teams play a best of three which unfortunately Blackwood High School lost. Despite going down in Regional Semi Finals, the Blackwood High School Barons still qualified for the National Playoffs which took place 27 July and 3 August with 7 matches played across the 2 days. Blackwood High School ultimately finished 9th overall with only the top four progressing to the National Finals at the Melbourne e-Sports Open at the end of August.

I would like to congratulate all of our players in both divisions for an amazing foundation year for our program, we are very excited to look at some exhibition matches for this second half of the year leading into our second season in 2020. Many thanks to Adelle Matthews, Josh Deakin and Sue Richards for their support of the program.

Ben Dening, Leader, Student Pathways and Career Development

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Lastly, congratulations to the recipients of our Term 2 AAA Awards. The award winners are listed below:

Culture of Respect Awards11A William Emina 12A Jasmin Jepps11B Olivia Smith 12B Jenna Zeman11C Henry Beenham 12C Lachlan Gillespie11D Chayse Jamieson 12D Nick Matthews11E Allie Stocco 12E Salma Alex11F Willow Homersham 12F Siyu Huang11G Kelsey Murrin 12G Benjamin Hughes11H Dakota Costello

Academic Excellence AwardsYear 11 Year 12Lucy Boehm Lily ConlonTrevor Bruce Emma PotterSarah Carragher Katie TurnerWilliam Emina Kirralee WestEmily Fisher Jenna ZemanChloe McCluskey Kelsey Murrin Matthew ParkerOlivia SmithAllie StoccoTimothy Zhuang

Academic Achievement AwardsYear 11 Year 12Ciara Bes Xinyu ChangOlivia Burgess Harriet CoolingDaisy Edwards Ben CurryReegan Frick Isabella DeYoungTaylah Jayne Leiane DoyleAlysha Johnson Scarlett GreenDamiyn Proctor Braydon GreenSamara Sam Ashlee HillsAddy Song Maddison McDonald Lionel Mends Melanie Rudd Elijah Tlauka Natalia Xu Wintry Yu

Ashley Robinson, Leader, Year 11 and 12

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Late last term, a group of Year 9 and 10 students, supported by Mrs Reiter and Dr Johnson, took part in the Science and Engineering Challenge. The challenge is a nation-wide event, promoted annually by the University of Newcastle, which involves schools competing against each other in a variety of STEM activities that require team-work, problem-solving, critical-thinking, testing and evaluating. Some of these activities included constructing a bionic hand, communicating codes via fiber optic cables, designing tables and chairs to withstand cats and dogs (statues of course), and the ever popular bridge-build (the goal is to build a bridge out of pop-sticks and cardboard to withstand a 9kg mass).

Blackwood High School students competed in one of the regional events, and were exceptional ambassadors for STEM and our school. Tallying of all of our teams’ scores saw that Blackwood High School was victorious on the day; their efforts, frustrations, team-work and successes had paid off. At the conclusion of the state-wide competition, our students were thrilled to learn that they had also won a position in the State Finals as one of the top scoring schools in the regional challenge. The teams will be attending the finals on August 29 (Week 6), and are working hard in the lead up to hone their skills. We wish them the very best of luck!

Mrs Reiter, Science teacher and Dr Johnson, Laboratory Manager

Science and Engineering Challenge

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Arts updateDance Star State FinalsThe Blackwood High School 2019 Dance Star Teams competed at the State Finals at Norwood Town Hall on Saturday 29 June. Four teams made it through to the National competition to be held at the Gold Coast Convention Centre in August. All teams performed with tremendous professionalism and I would like to congratulate them for their efforts. As a school, we are so proud of the Dance students who represented Blackwood High School at this highly competitive competition and all the coaches for their outstanding work with the teams and choreography.

The Junior Hip Hop, Jazz and Senior Hip Hop all finished in first place with the Senior Hip Hop team finishing with the highest average in the nation going into the National competition. The Theatrical team finished in second place. All these teams will be heading to the Nationals.

The Contemporary team finished fourth and did a wonderful job, however did not receive an invite to Nationals.

We look forward to the rehearsal schedule ahead and preparing all our dancers for this competition.

Katrina Constantopoulos, Katheryn Langmaid and Georgia Colyer, Dance teachers

The Rotary Art ShowThe Rotary Club of Blackwood has run their Art Show at Blackwood High School for 35 Years. This exhibition raises funds for the many local and overseas projects which the Club supports, providing an opportunity for local artists and photographers to exhibit and sell their works.

This year the exhibition ran from 11 to 21 July and a number of our Blackwood High School students entered artwork in the Schools Art Competition. Lucy Boehm, one of our Year 11 Visual Arts students won first prize with her entry “The RATeX journey”, congratulations Lucy.

Jennifer Remete, Art teacher

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On Monday 24 June ten Year 10 girls attended a Choose Maths Day at Adelaide University. The day included guest speakers from the University who had chosen careers in Mathematics. The girls attended four workshops including problem solving tasks on symmetry, statistics and geometry. They also had a tour of the University. Choose Maths is a project to empower girls to pursue careers in Mathematics. Overall, the girls enjoyed the experiences that they had throughout the day and it also gave them an insight into what university life would be like.

The following girls attended the Choose Maths Day:Shafira Az Zahra Isabella Davison-Bennett Mila DowlingTara Edwards-Johnson Chelsea Hardcastle Megan HaskinsAnnabell Kathiniotis Lara Keen Charlea-Rose LemkeSophie North

Amanda Aulert, Mathematics Leader

Choose Maths Day

As we enter Subject Selection and future Pathway Planning for our upcoming graduates, students and families are reminded that www.blackwoodhighcareers.com is an ideal first step to conduct research. The site has links to SACE, Post School Options, Workplace Learning as well as advice for parents/caregivers and students. The message board provides links to information that will be of use currently in the Curriculum Prospectus, SATAC Applications and VET offerings for 2020.

Student Pathways update

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2020 VET Courses and CounsellingThe Inner South Schools VET Courses Brochure is now available for 2019. The courses advertised are all run or supported by our local schools and have a long history of success. Please download a copy of the brochure from the school’s website here (https://www.bhs.sa.edu.au/curriculum/vocational-education-training/) or under the Curriculum Tab at www.bhs.sa.edu.au. For more information on courses of interest, please also visit the Inner South Website at https://isca.eschoolsolutions.com.au

Students interested in undertaking a VET Course in 2020 have been strongly encouraged to make a VET Course Counselling session to take place in Weeks 4 and 5. At these sessions, students can discover more about courses of interest, ask questions and collect forms. Families will also be able to book appointments in the weeks after Subject Confirmation to discuss 2020 options where needed. 2020 VET Applications, in most cases, need to be completed by end of Term 3. 2019 SATAC and Transition InformationAll Year 12 students will soon begin the process of choosing their post-school transition pathway. For some this will mean further study at either University or TAFE, while for others it may mean a Traineeship, Apprenticeship or work. Whatever the pathway, it is vitally important that all Year 12 students understand their options and are making decisions based on well considered research. SATAC Applications open on 5 August and an important website at this time is http://www.satac.edu.au/

We strongly encourage all Year 12 students to use the Blackwood High School Careers Website to begin their planning; this term it is also essential that all Extended Care Group sessions are attended, as it is during these times that we discuss SATAC Applications, University options, TAFE, training and work. Although it might not always feel like every session is essential, we often find students change their minds during these final weeks of school and therefore, understanding all of the options available can provide comfort and confidence as they transition out of school. Students are also encouraged to book Career Counselling sessions if they would like some 1:1 support as they prepare their post school transition pathway.

Inner South Curriculum Alliance (ISCA) Career ExpoOn Friday 2 August, the Year 10 cohort attended the Inner South Schools Careers Expo this year hosted at the Tonsley Precinct. This year the ISCA Expo expanded into 3 distinct areas, Flinders University conducted mentoring workshops, TafeSA had displays, activities, and tours running while in the ISCA area students had the opportunity to speak with representatives from over 40 local business groups, employers, trainers and industry bodies about their career goals and how they can go about making these aspirations a reality. As an experience designed specifically for students in the Inner South of Adelaide, this personalised Expo was the first in a range of career activities designed to help our Year 10 students prepare for Course Counselling and their PLP3 task which is running in Term 3, as well as their futures.

Ben Dening, Leader, Student Pathways and Career Development

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Health and Physical Education updateBlackwood High School Specialist Netball Program Waverley International Schools’ Netball ChampionshipsThe Blackwood High School Netball Program entered three teams in the Annual Waverley International Schools’ Netball Championships in Week 10 of Term 2. We battled strongly against a very competitive competition of 21 teams. The development in character, resilience and teamwork was outstanding.

This year’s International competition included schools from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Pakistan. Playing against these teams was a highlight. The girls experienced different styles of play and being surrounded by on court communication in different languages and cultural dress.

Blackwood High School Netball Program teams have enjoyed 15 years of accommodation at the Claremont Guest House in South Yarra. The Claremont’s hospitality has been awesome during this time, as has the inner Melbourne café and shopping atmosphere. It is with sadness that we will have to find alternative accommodation next year because the Claremont is being demolished in December for high-rise apartments.Peta Maher once again organised a seamless trip for the 36 girls with the help of Janet Bradley and parent/caregiver, John Heddle. Parents/Caregivers, Jane Johnson, Nikki Moore and pre-service teacher, Britt Smith, were also a big help during the week managing the teams. It was a special return for Britt who was a student in Blackwood High School’s team that finished best ever in 2014 – second place.

Blackwood Red (Finished 8) Blackwood Green (Finished 17)Coach: Peta Maher Coach: Janet BradleyManager: Jane Johnson Manager: Nikki MooreOlivia Burgess – Co-Captain Chloe McCluskey - CaptainAlysha Johnson – Co-Captain Dakota Costello - Vice CaptainLucy Boehm Steph BellTia Fox Kasey BruerJazmin Harmston Chloe CameronMikayla Heddle Kelsey ClareTaylah Jayne Ashlyn DaviesImogen Kruse Jaime-Lee DeanRubee La Londe Caitlin HarrisCharlotte Lewis Megan HaskinsAlex Smith Shakaya HemburyAubaney Smith Brianna Rosman

Blackwood White (Finished 21)Coach: John HeddleManager: Britt SmithBella Stephens – Co-CaptainJohanna Moore – Co-CaptainMaddison BurgessKiana CaddleTia CantAmy ClarkJade GreenwellCharlee HillsElla KnuckeyAlannah O’HoraRose SinclairKarlee Smith

Janet Bradley and Peta Maher, Netball coaches

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Year 8/9 Knock Out NetballOn Friday 2 August Blackwood High School’s Year 8/9 Knock Out Netball team played in a carnival at SUNA.The winner of this carnival progresses to the State Knock Out Championships.

We faced 6 other schools winning each game and have now progressed to the State Finals. The team produced some outstanding netball throughout the day in the rain, representing our school with amazing sporting conduct.

The girls played 6 games straight that consisted of two 10 minute halves and a 12 minute break between games. It was an extraordinary effort and I am so proud of how each of the girls contributed to the team’s success.

The winning scores were;Vs Woodcroft 20-16Vs Willunga 11-4Vs Aberfoyle 20-3Vs Reynella East 17-3Vs Cardijn 20-6Vs Tatachilla 16-9

Our Year 8/9 Knock Out team will now play at the State Finals with the other 5 best schools in the state on 27 August 2019, at Netball SA.

Peta Maher, Netball Coach

Sport update

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During Term 2, Blackwood High School received Education Perfect results for English Championships. Due to the dedicated efforts of students involved, Blackwood High School scored a total of 25,676 points, placing them 5th out of 56 schools in South Australia and 85th out of 1,001 schools nationwide. In total, our students have completed an estimated 95 hours online learning English, with the following students awarded for their learning:Daniel Hawkins – Emerald AwardCedric Mends – Gold AwardAiran Santiago – Gold AwardLucas Lim – Silver AwardRohan Soni – Silver Award Juliette Paice – Bronze AwardNicole Greeneklee – Credit AwardLola Griffin – Credit AwardSaskia Little – Credit AwardThisum Perera – Credit Award

Congratulations to these students in their brilliant efforts.

Tara Baron, Leader, English and Humanities

Education Perfect Awards

This year, I had the honour of being selected to be a Youth Parliamentarian at YMCA SA Youth Parliament 2019.

YMCA South Australia Youth Parliament is a non-partisan program which provides a platform for young people aged 15 - 25 to have their say on important issues, build skills and parliamentary understanding. It focuses on personal development, empowerment and connecting politicians and decision makers with youth voices and opinions.

This program is highly beneficial to youth and although it was only my first year participating, it was an exciting way to broaden my skills in a space, that not only gave me a taste of my future aspirations but was conducted in a formal setting that allowed my voice to be heard. I had a lot of fun and learnt a lot.

I am passionate about mental health, justice and assisting members of the community. For Youth Parliament this year, I was a part of the Health, Mental Health and Disability team. Over four months, our team learnt about the parliamentary process during a training weekend, decided on a topic and drafted a bill that was debated between 15 and 19 July at Parliament House. Our bill, a Drug Safety Management Act addresses the implementation of safe injection rooms, similar to those in Victoria and NSW and pill testing facilities around the state. The bills that are passed in Youth Parliament are then passed onto the Government. This was a unique opportunity, I am very grateful I had the chance to be a part of it.

I am very grateful for the support the Blackwood Rotary Club and Ms Baron supplied. The participation fee for this program was $450. $350 of this was payed for by the Blackwood Rotary Club, the other provided by Ms Baron. I am so incredibly grateful for the support as it allowed me to make new friends, enhance my skills, and represent the Blackwood community in a forum that is very close to my heart.

I made many new friends from around the state whilst at Youth Parliament and greatly enjoyed the structured, intelligent debates I participated in. My new friends, came from many different places and were of all different ages, ethnicities, sexualities and genders. Hearing their stories and their passions made me strive to ensure everyone got a chance to speak, and as the program states, make their mark. This wouldn’t have been possible without community support and I will cherish this experience.

The week itself was high-energy, intense and rewarding. Whether it was re-writing speeches in dorm rooms at 10pm to get the best synonym for intent or engaging in debates about pineapple on pizza at dinner, this week was easily the most mentally difficult I’ve encountered this year.

YMCA Youth Parliament 2019

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On the first day in Parliament, I spoke twice. Once on the state-wide Free Data Bill, and then on our team’s Bill. Both times I was nervous, however thanks to the careful planning and support of my chamber, I successfully spoke on both topics. I am a debating student at heart, so I did stand up, bursting with ideas many times. But I discovered my worth in a team setting during the first day. By passing around my notes on what I would want to say, others got the chance to speak. By the end of the week, no matter which chamber you were in, whether you were Government or Opposition, everyone was family. And that sense of comradery is a feeling that will stay with me a long, long time.

On Tuesday afternoon, the entirety of Youth Parliament was invited to a reception at Government House. This was an amazing opportunity and really opened my eyes to the many different options for careers within public service. His Excellency was very kind and engaged with as many people as he could, encouraging them and discussing their passions. This recognition was very uplifting and empowering.

On Wednesday, we spent the day at our accommodation, the Nunyara Conference Centre for our recreation day. We all dressed in flannel and sneakers and participated in an exciting, funny and challenging day. There were board games and archery that we could engage in during one of our sessions, or we were able to write speeches. Many warm fuzzies to friends were written that day. These little notes of encouragement, love, respect or gratitude are memories and connections I treasure greatly. In the after-lunch session we completed a scavenger hunt in teams, finding items, completing Wii tennis battles and trying to make certain people laugh. This was fun, tested our problem-solving skills and solidified bonds. We also learnt about the democratic process, voting for the 2020 Youth Governor.

Thursday and Friday were right back into Parliament. With everyone recharged, debates were much stronger, faster and in depth. On Friday, the Youth Parliamentarians had an opportunity to speak on a topic they were personally attached to. These adjournment speeches were uplifting, heart breaking, strong and food for much thought. Although we ran out of time and many, including myself did not get the opportunity to speak, this was where everyone’s newfound skills were showcased. The shy, nervous members spoke, trembling with everyone hanging onto each word. I think this display of strength was the true highlight of the experience for me.

This experience was one I will cherish forever, and I look forward to seeing the progress of our Bill in parliament in the future. I can’t wait to participate again next year.

Laura, Year 10 student

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The SA Department for Education STEM Student Ambassadors project is part of the STEM Learning strategy 2017–2020. Students work as co-leaders of change, working shoulder to shoulder with educators to drive learning improvement in STEM across the state. A key group of students in every partnership helps drive this work. Each year, two new STEM Student Ambassadors are appointed by their partnership. These new Ambassadors work with existing STEM Student Ambassadors and a small STEM Student Action Team to promote STEM teaching and learning initiatives. This year, Year 8 Students Mia and Brian will be representing Blackwood High School as our third group of STEM Ambassadors. During the second week of the school holidays, South Australia hosted Australia’s third STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) camp as a part of the STEM Ambassadors Project. Mia and Brian both attended and represented Blackwood High School magnificently. The camp, held at Mylor, included hands on activities and excursions in order to promote problem-based learning. Mia kindly wrote a few words about her experiences and thoughts of the week.

SA STEM camp, 2019.The aim of this camp is to engage students in STEM based learning and teaching students how to find real life connections as well as being a good opportunity to meet with like-minded people and make friends.On the camp we did four different visits to Universities, labs and other places that involve a lot of STEM in their work. One of the places we visited was the Adelaide University Waite campus. At the Waite campus they conduct a lot of research and experiments based on agriculture, food, wine and plants. They have a wine factory and many green houses where they conduct experiments on plants and grow them in different conditions without actually harming or killing the plants. They even alter DNA in foods to make it taste different. I didn’t even know this was possible before this STEM excursion. One of the other groups on the camp visited a facility where they have holograms. This just shows how advanced the world is becoming. All of this research and technological advancements is possible because of STEM. It is already bringing so many things to the world and I truly believe STEM will be the future.Mia, Blackwood High School STEM Ambassador

Premiers D3 Digital ChallengeThe camp was the second part of the project this year, with Mia, Brian and the 2017 and 2018 Blackwood High School Ambassadors attending a connections day with all previous and current Ambassadors from around the state at Adelaide Oval. On this day the Blackwood High School team caught up with friends made from previous years and gave their thoughts on matters including the state of the environment due to human activity and how to promote digital trust and educate young people how to be safe online.

The digital trust session was run by the Commissioner for Young People; Helen Connolly. She wanted to know the thoughts of current students about the way they use and interact with various social medias and how they feel when they are online. She then used this information to develop the Premiers D3 Challenge ‘Digital Trust: Young Online and Safe’ where local digital companies, entrepreneurs and start ups were challenged to develop a digital solution to the problem. Because of their part in informing the challenge, the Commissioner then opened it up to STEM Ambassadors to be involved in the judging of it. Out of all that applied, Blackwood High School’s two inaugural Ambassadors, Laura and Ayanda were chosen to work alongside Mrs. Connolly and judge the ‘Young Peoples Award’ at the Pitch night on Monday 5th August at the Museum of Discovery (MOD). Their role was to listen to the pitches presented by five different digital technology companies and pose questions to the presenters before deciding on a winner. They presented themselves professionally throughout the evening and asked complex questions that caught many of the presenters off guard. Well done to both Laura and Ayanda for representing Blackwood so fantastically.

Oliver Garrett, STEM Ambassadors Mentor Teacher

STEM Ambassadors Program

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Inspiring Achievement and Respect18

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Just a friendly reminder if you walk your dog on the school grounds, can you please ensure that you clean

up after your dog.

Please pass onto any family or friends that may walk on the school grounds with their dog.

Thank you.

NETBALLERS WANTED

Woods Panthers Netball Club are your local Premier League Netball Club. We are seeking boys and girls to play in our Under 9, Under 11, Under 13, Under 15, Under 17 and Senior teams during the Summer Season (October 2019 - March 2020).

Trials will be held at our home courts on Adey Road, Blackwood on Sunday 11 and 18 August.

To register please go to www.woodspanthers.com.au or if you have any questions please email hello@woodspanthers.com.au

We hope to see you at the trials!

Calendar DatesTerm 3Monday 12 to Friday 23 AugustUshiku Study Tour

Saturday 17 to Saturday 24 AugustSnow Trip

Friday 16 to Monday 19 AugustDance Star Nationals Gold Coast

Tuesday 20 AugustVET Choreographic Matinee and Evening TBC

Monday 26 AugustSubject Confirmation by appointment Year 10 and 11

Friday 30 AugustSTUDENT FREE DAY

Monday 2 SeptemberSCHOOL CLOSURE DAY

Tuesday 3 SeptemberPrincipal’s Tour 9am

Tuesday 10 SeptemberGoverning Council Meeting

Friday 20 SeptemberWhole School Assembly

Wednesday 25 SeptemberYear 8 immunisations

Thursday 26 SeptemberParent/Student/Teacher Conversations TBC

Friday 27 SeptemberLast day of Term

Term 4Monday 14 OctoberFirst day of Term 4

Tuesday 22 OctoberYear 12 Graduation

Monday 21 October to Tuesday 22 OctoberWorld Outdoors Camp

Friday 25 OctoberLast day of classes for Year 12 students

Tuesday 29 OctoberPrincipal’s Tour 9amGoverning Council Meeting

Friday 1 NovemberVET Showcase TBC

Monday 4 November to Friday 15 NovemberStage 2 Exams

Monday 11 NovemberWhole School Assembly Remembrance DayYear 9 Aquatics

School ContactsStudent Absences: student.absence@bhs.sa.edu.auStudent Wellbeing Centre: 8278 0900 or see website for staff email contacts