Term 2 Newsletter 1 2024

Principal Message

Welcome to the first Term 2 newsletter.
As the weather cools and we enter a term where students have found their way, we have fewer public holiday interruptions and staff and students get to know each other better, it really is the business term. A time for students to engage deeply in their learning and demonstrate growth across academic and social markers.

I want to thank families for their support as we work to drive higher academic and behavioural expectations. In particular, I know many families have taken action to support our young people to be in full uniform each day. We are making great progress in this area.

Staff have continued to work hard to provide students a great breadth of opportunities. As well as the opportunities in regular classrooms, there are often excursions and activities here on campus, which support student learning and engagement. Some of these recent activities include:

• Grade 10 RAAF visit including a flight simulator
• Inter-school cricket, AFL and basketball competitions
• Beacon excursions
• Outdoor Education excursions, which include mountain biking, bouldering, rock-climbing, coasteering, kayaking, bushwalking at Hartz Peak and snorkelling
• Science and Engineering Challenge

I hope your young person comes home and shares with you their experiences and learning from these activities.

Pedestrian safety near the school
I want to commend families for their safe driving along Kingston View Drive. Those of you who are regularly there in the morning and afternoon will see me out there too, more often than not. I see parents and carers driving safely and I appreciate that. I would ask families to consider where they park to wait for their young person in the afternoons. When you park on the side streets opposite the school, this encourages our young people to cross the busy road as they come out of the school at various locations. A much safer option is to park and meet your young person further up the hill (near the Sports Centre), so that they can cross at the pedestrian crossing in front of where the buses park.

Kingston High School Values
Kingston High has adopted our Department’s revised values, which are listed below and in Mr Purse's report.

Staff recently spent time together unpacking our new values and we will engage with students and families over the coming months to provide opportunities for input.

Our shared values are the foundation of our culture and the lens through which we, look when we are taking actions and making decisions. In time, they will also become guiding values for young people in terms of how they are at school.

When we completely unpack these, we will have a shared understanding of the values that underpin our daily work and motivations. They will guide ‘the way things are done’ and ‘how we are’ at Kingston High School. I look forward to opportunities to engage with parents, carers, families and others as we work though this process.

Courage – Accepting challenges and embracing opportunities.

Growth – Aspiring to learn, and improving even when it is tough.

Respect – Caring for Ourselves, each other, and our environment.

Responsibility – Stepping up and doing what is right.

Connection – Building positives relationships and a sense of belonging.

Celebrating student success
Once again, it was a pleasure to welcome families to a whole-school assembly early in the term. Congratulations to award recipients, as listed below:

Award Winners

Award Winners

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Congratulations to Campbell (pictured right) who competed in the Australian Gymnastics Championships held recently at the Gold Coast.  Campbell took out the bronze medal for Youth Synchronised Trampoline. Well done Campbell!

Parents and carers, please continue to inform us of your young person’s significant achievements out of school so that we can celebrate them at school.

Upcoming dates associated with reporting and family connection
Academic reports will be emailed to families by the end of Week 8  (June 21). Following that, there are opportunities for families and teachers to connect to discuss student progress and share evidence of learning.

I encourage all families to consider being involved with one or both of the activities below:

Thursday June 27 – Celebration of Learning afternoon from 4.00-6.00pm where families and students are welcome to tour spaces, view work samples and connect with teachers in an informal setting.

Tuesday July 2 – Parent-student-teacher conferences from 3.30-6.00pm where families book a time to sit down with teachers 1:1 to review learning so far and set goals for the remainder of the year.

Detrimental impact of social media on our young people
There has been very interesting commentary in the media and more broadly lately regarding proposals to restrict young people’s access to social media platforms until 16 years of age. Whether that eventuates or can be realistically enforced is yet to be seen, but there can be no doubt that excessive use of social media leads to negative outcomes for young people. Experts also attribute excessive social media usage to increasing instances of poor mental and physical health, school refusal, loneliness, sleep deprivation.

We see the impact at schools too, primarily through student conflicts that need to be resolved after the weekend, decreasing attention spans and increasing rates of poor mental health amongst our young people.

A recent article in The Mercury references a comprehensive survey of 3000 young social media users and found that:

• 70 per cent of teens have had a negative experience on social media
• One in three teenagers have been exposed to disturbing or traumatic content (including graphic images of death or sexual violence)
• 45 per cent have been abused or harassed
• One in four have been cyberbullied or sexually harassed
• 59 per cent have been scammed
• One in 10 have been the victim of revenge porn

Professor Philip Morris AM from the National Association of Practising Psychiatrists has said that: Many children don’t have impulse control, they often don’t understand privacy and risk, they may not be competent to make relevant decisions, and they can be exposed to completely inappropriate and damaging material on social media. This points to our need, as adults, to support young people to engage with social media appropriately (if at all). Social media, smart devices and online games are often dangerous places for young people and they are most at risk when they are sitting in their bedrooms at home.

Data collected through the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) recently should be sobering for all of us invested in the development of young people. This study of 13,000 Australian students found that:

• One in five girls and one in five boys feel anxious without their devices
• Three quarters of 15 year olds are tied to their phones, event when they’re at home
• 40% of students don’t turn off their phone notifications during class or when they go to sleep

I encourage you to read this ABC article which provides guidance as to how families might approach their young people’s social media/phone usage. I acknowledge that this can be very difficult in families, particularly where students are already in the habit of using social media platforms regularly. The eSafety Commissioner is a good reference point for young people and families and provides webinars so that families can hear from experts. The next webinar is on Thursday June 6 and details can be found here.

I acknowledge that navigating this space is very difficult for families and although many of you will share my concerns, you might feel powerless or not know where to start with putting in place (or maintaining) some appropriate boundaries with relation to the excessive use of social media.

A good starting place would be to sit with your young person and talk about their goals for the future, what they may need to do to achieve those goals and then cross reference this with their current technology/social media use and have a discussion about whether this is hindering or helping their future goals. iPhones have a useful function called Screen Time, with a shot of that below. Other platforms have similar functions.

Reminder to families that next Friday (June 7) is a student-free day. Staff will work together for the day to moderate student work samples and engage in professional learning regarding reading instruction.

In partnership,
David Bryant
Principal

Road Closure Summerleas Rd

Starting next Friday (June 7), a section of Summerleas Road between the school and the town centre will be closed, with diversions in place.

Please see the attached map and letter from the council.

Please note that the bus stops on Summerleas Road near the school will be relocated.

The closure and diversion is expected to last for ten weeks.

Share Your Thoughts on School Attendance

Help us better understand any barriers that may be in the way, and what supports are needed to help with getting to school.

The Department for Education, Children and Young People is doing statewide consultation on school attendance. 3P Advisory is independently running the consultation. Your answers are confidential, and you won’t be identified.

We want to hear from you. You can take part in an online survey, share or vote for suggestions, or join an online drop-in session via the 3P website. The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.

You can also share your thoughts about what you like or don’t like about our Every school day matters campaign.

As a parent or carer, please have your say. Please encourage your child/ren, too.

Every piece of feedback counts. Thanks for helping shape future DECYP initiatives, school-based engagement strategies and public awareness campaigns.

DECYP Values and (SWPBS) School Wide Positive Behaviour Support

As we navigate through this term, I am excited to share some of the transformative initiatives that we have embarked upon at Kingston High School. Our journey is guided by the values outlined by the Department for Education, Children and Young People (DECYP): Growth, Courage, Respect, Responsibility and Connection. These values form the cornerstone of our educational philosophy and community ethos.

Defining Our Values Together
Understanding that values shape the culture and climate of our school, our teaching team has dedicated time to beginning the process of co-constructing what these values mean for us as staff, students and the broader KHS Community. This collaborative process has sparked insightful discussions and a shared vision of how we can embody these values in our daily interactions and practices.

Here's a glimpse into how we, as a teaching team, interpret these values:

• Growth: We commit to fostering a learning environment where continuous improvement and personal development are prioritised. This means encouraging both students and staff to strive for excellence and embrace challenges as opportunities for learning.
• Courage: We aim to create a safe space where everyone feels empowered to take risks, voice their opinions, and stand up for what is right. Courage at Kingston High is about being brave enough to try new things and support each other in our endeavours.
• Respect: Respect is fundamental to our interactions. We are dedicated to treating everyone with kindness, understanding, and dignity. This extends to our communication, behaviour, and appreciation of diverse perspectives.
• Responsibility: We uphold the importance of taking ownership of our actions and their impact on others. This includes being accountable for our learning, behaviour, and contributing positively to our school community.
• Connection: Building strong relationships within our school community is vital. We strive to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging and mutual support.

Extending the Conversation
Our next step is to extend this conversation to our students and the broader community. We believe that involving all stakeholders in defining these values will ensure they resonate deeply and are reflected in our everyday school life. We will be conducting workshops and meetings to gather insights and collaboratively articulate what Growth, Courage, Respect, Responsibility, and Connection mean for Kingston High School.

Promoting Positive Behaviour
In alignment with our values, we have been implementing the philosophy of School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS). This approach focuses on recognising and rewarding positive behaviour; creating a more supportive and engaging school environment. I am thrilled to report a dramatic increase in the number of 'Goldies' awarded to students for their positive acts of learning and engagement. These tokens of recognition are not just rewards; they are affirmations of the positive behaviours we wish to see in our school.

To celebrate and encourage these positive behaviours, we are organising a special rewards excursion for two students from each class who have demonstrated outstanding engagement and adherence to our values. This event will not only recognise their efforts but also inspire their peers to strive for similar achievements. Please monitor our social media over the coming weeks to see the exciting activites students will engage in.

Moving Forward Together
As we continue to integrate these values into our school culture, I am confident that we will see a profound impact on our students’ learning experiences and overall school environment. I encourage all members of our school community—students, parents, and staff—to actively participate in this journey. Your feedback and involvement are crucial as we work together to make Kingston High School a place where everyone can grow, feel connected, and succeed.

Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to making Kingston High School a nurturing and dynamic learning community.
Steven Purse
Assistant Principal

Hobart College Awards Presentations for 2023 Achievers

It’s wonderful to hear about the achievements of the former students of KHS at the Hobart College presentation evening. Achieving a Tertiary Entrance Score of 100 or above is no small feat, and it’s a testament to their hard work and dedication. Congratulations to all the recipients of the Principal’s Awards for Academic Excellence in Year 12. Keep up the great work! Jack Bowerman, Finlay Grant, Lucy Dalco, Noah Gladdish, Matilda Dalco.

Prizes and Scholarships 
Old Hobartian Association Prizes for Scholarhip, Sportsmanship & Character Hannah Eddleston
The Tall Foundation Tasmania University Scholarship Finlay Grant
Roger and Maxeme Tall Scholarship Nozomi Horie, Poppy Kennett 
GE Morris Prize for Music Otto Knuepfer
Performing Arts Prize Evan Eastman-Peck
Oliver Wilson English Prize Noah Gladdish
Rex Wilson Outstanding Academic Achievement Award Jack Bowerman
Minister for Education, Children and Yourth Respectful Student Award Finlay Grant 
TASC Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement
(Awarded to students who attained Tasmania's highest academic results with an ATAR of 99.5 or above) Jack Bowerman, Finlay Grant

ARC

Students in ARC have been immersed in agriculture this term! We have had guest speakers from the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, have taken part in a state-wide beetroot growing competition, making use of our beautiful 24 Carrot Garden, and have visited the Hagley Farm School in the north of the state. Students are now busy creating inquiry projects looking into an agricultural-related topic, to be exhibited later this term.

Work-based learning has been continuing with students able to explore their interests in a wide of variety of sites. Well done to all those stepping up to adult work places. It was especially lovely to see one of our old Kingston High School students mentoring Anthony in grade 9 at his work experience at Co-Op Toyota  in Kingston.
Nadia Colquhoun
Teacher

ARC

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Reclink Cricket

Triumph on the Pitch:
Victory in the Reclink  Super 8 Cricket Competition

Blundstone Arena (the home of Tasmanian cricket) was the venue for the Kingston High Boys and Girls to attend the Reclink Super 8 Cricket finals. Both teams  showed off their skills with bat and ball. The boys cricket team celebrated a resounding victory in the annual School Cricket Competition, winning the shield for the fourth year in a row. The girls were also superb in their efforts throughout the day.

The boys' victory in the Reclink Super 8 Cricket Competition is a testament to their good  skills and teamwork. Each player contributed their unique abilities to create a cohesive and formidable unit. The victory was a collective effort, with every player contributing their best to achieve a common goal. The boys were undefeated throughout the day, taking on Sorell in the finals with a decisive win.  Harry Thomson won the Most Valuable Player for the day with a flurry of 4’s and 6’s off the bat.

The girls' team were new to cricket,  with only a practise session the week before, however they developed the skills quickly throughout the day. The girls sportsperson-ship was exemplary throughout the day as they demonstrated the importance of unity, and the spirit of fair play. The girls were competitive in all games and hopefully some of them with take up a bat and ball and play in the future. Cassie I won most improved for a classic catch behind the stumps with cat like reflexes. All players should be congratulated on their efforts and representing the school in a positive manner.

Girls team: Maddy N Emily M Ava B Jemima C Cassie I Jasmine N Josie B Indy W

Boys Team: Lachie C Harry T Henry S Aiden B Mitchel C Max L Flynn D-R Austin B
Phil Samanek
Head of HPE 

Extreme Cross Country and Inter High Cross Country

The annual Extreme School Cross Country Event occurred this year with the threat of rain all day. The Colour Run was postponed due to the dire forecast the day before. Students lined up on the start line with a very brisk cold wind in their faces.

Cross country running is a unique sport that challenges participants to conquer long distances, varied terrains, and their own physical and mental limits. It requires endurance, perseverance, and a strong will to overcome obstacles along the way. Unlike other track and field events, cross country highlights the importance of strategy, pacing, and mental fortitude. It is a true test of character, pushing athletes to dig deep within themselves to unleash their full potential. 

The top ten students from each grade were invited to attend the Inter High Cross Country held on Friday May 24.  A bus load of Kingston High students, took the journey to Rosny Park Golf course. It was a great day out with many students testing their physical skills but also many students encouraged and cheered for their teammates, motivating them to push beyond their limits.  Some Top 10 finishes that occurred at the Inter High Carnival

Yr 10 Girls:  Maddie N 2^nd
Yr 10 Boys: Ethan H 5^th
Yr 9 Girls: Luca M 9^th
Yr 8 Girls: Libby C 1^st
Yr 7 Girls: Eliza B 2^nd Asha M 5^th
Yr 7 Boys: Aidan C 1^st Thomas D 2^nd

These 7 students were invited to the All Schools Cross Country and will attend Thursday ^July 13 at Symmons Plains. They will be accompanied by other students who want to challenge themselves.

Cross Country

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Inter High Cross Country

Outdoor Leadership Term 2 2024

Our Gr 11/12 Outdoor Leadership Program has seen the enrolment of sixteen students who have not only conducted activities with Grade 7s, but also braved challenging conditions to venture into Lake Rhona. Despite encountering difficult situations, they continue to amaze us with their resilience and adaptability. We eagerly anticipate the unique excursions they will plan and lead in the upcoming Term 3!
Simon McKenzie
Outdoor Education Teacher

Outdoor Leadership

HUB & Garden Update

HUB update – this last week has seen the installation of the two vegetable wash stations in the HUB garden.

These benches have been made by students in the HUB Construction Groups for students in the HUB Gardening Groups to use as they harvest produce ready to be used in the school kitchens.

A big thank you to the following suppliers -
McKay Timber for providing the Tasmanian Oak these benches are made from.
ARC The Australian Reinforcing Company for the mesh on the top and bottom shelves of these benches
and Saunders & Ward Engineers for the custom made stainless steel sinks, that will outlast us all.

The support from these local Hobart companies is greatly appreciated and makes these sorts of student project possible.
Michael James
AST 

Thanks to our suppliers

Assitant Principal Update: Teaching and Learning

Mid-Year Reports and Celebration of Learning Article
It’s almost that time of the year again! As we approach the mid-way point of the 2024 school year, our students are working away on their assignments to show evidence of their learning. Our teachers also continue to check-in, monitor and give feedback to ensure that all students are making solid progress in their classes as we prepare for Mid-Year Reports. We have a few adjustments this year in the ways in which we will communicate and celebrate our young people’s learning with you: our families.

Mid-Year Reports
Mid-year reports mark an important juncture for communicating student progress to their homes as students have had time and opportunity to demonstrate both their progress in and their application to learning. Similarly to the learning behaviours progress reports in Term 1, Mid-Year Reports will be sent via email to all families and students at the end of Week 8 (June 21).  

Community Celebration of Learning Evening (Thursday June 27) and
Parent-Teacher Evening (Tuesday July 2)
This year, there will be two different opportunities for families to connect in-person with teaching staff regarding their young person’s wellbeing, learning, and connection to school. You may elect to come to either or both evenings, depending on the preferences of your family and child. Please note that these two evenings have very distinct purposes and structures in place, and you may find one suits your needs better than the other.

Community Celebration of Learning Evening: Thursday June 27 (Week 9)
On Thursday June 27, from 4.00-6.00pm, students and their families/carers are invited to connect with their young person's Community Teacher in their home classroom to discuss overall progress in and connection to school. This is a more informal evening, where students can lead some guided conversations with their families about the work they have been doing in classes, and how they feel they are connecting to their peers, teachers, subjects, and extra programs.

At this event, evidence of students’ learning from their core subjects will be available in pods for parents to view and discuss with their child. This may include tests, assessments, writing samples, or other in-class tasks. Some specialist areas will also be open where you may view your young person's project or artwork.

There will also be several scheduled talks pertaining to important events such as Grade 11/12 options and transition, program updates, and presentations from our health and support staff. The final program will be shared with you in the coming weeks.

Please note: only Community Teachers and some specialist staff will be available for families on this evening. For an in-depth discussion regarding progress in a specific subject, please book in a formal parent/teacher conference.

Parent-Teacher Evening
Our formal Parent-Teacher Evening will be held on Tuesday 2 of July (Week 10). Teachers will be available from 3:30pm – 6:00pm for 10 minute appointments to discuss your child’s progress, goals, and application to the specific subject (or subjects) a given teacher has your child for.

Students are encouraged to attend these meetings with you, and may centre on the report, the evidence of learning, or the learning behaviours being observed in class. It is also a great opportunity for staff and parents/carers to build a shared understanding of the goals for your child in their subject and the most effective supports to get them there.

Information regarding online booking processes will be available will be shared closer to the date. If you are unable to attend this night but would like to have a learning conversation with your child’s teacher, you will be able to contact them via email to schedule another time by phone.

We look forward to partnering with you as we celebrate our successes so far and plan for an even better second semester.
Freya Edwards-Fitzsimons
Acting Assistant Principal 

Senior Leader Profile

Student Leader Profile: Huon W

Our Senior Leaders play a pivotal role in supporting and shaping the school's culture and commitment to our community. Huon is one of our eight Senior Leaders this year, balancing his academic responsibilities with extra-curricular commitments whilst also being a highly active and engaged Grade 10 student.

Huon applied to be a Senior Leader to open up more opportunites for him to develops his leadership skills and act as a voice for other students. His favourite thing about Kingston High School is the extensive and varied opportunities that extend learning in a positive and safe environment. During his role as a Senior Leader, Huon would love to see a greater connection between all members of the school community – young and old, students and teachers – through collaboration and shared activities within our community.

Outside of school, Huon is a sailing instructor and has a real passion and joy for any activity outdoors. Currently, Huon is unsure about which pathway he may choose for his future and remains calm and collected about the possibilities for where he may find himself.
Rachel Kumar
Grade 10 Co-Ordinator