Kariong Mountains High School Newsletter - Term 4 - Week 8 - 2020 1

N E W S L E T T E RAddress: 10 Festival Drive, Mt Penang Parklands Kariong NSW 2250 Email: kariongmtn-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au Website: kariongmountains-high.com.au Portal: web1.kariongmtns-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/portal/login

4340 0246

I N T H I S I S S U E :

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY C A L E N D A R

Term 4 | Week 8 December 4, 2020

Year 12 Advanced & Standard

December 11

December 18

December 10Whitecard TrainingGirls Engineering Workshop: P-TECHYear 12 Advanced & Standard

December 17

Staff Development

Day

December 9VET PlacementYear Assemblies

December 16Primary Schools Music Tour

Last day of Term 4 for students

December 8

December 15Primary Schools Music TourCyber Security Work Placement

December 7Cyber Security

December 14Presentation Day & Evening CeremoniesCyber Security

R.O.S.E, Calendar and Highlights Page 1

Principal’s Report Pages 2-3

From our Deputy Page 3

Newsletter Quiz Page 3

CAPA Faculty - Featured Artists Page 4

Food Forest Article Page 5

Student Learning - Term 4 Page 6

P-TECH Mentoring Page 7

Community Notices Page 8

KMHS Library on Instagram KMHS on Facebook

To our Peer Support leaders, who worked with the staff to welcome our Year 6

students on Orientation Day.

P-TECH Mentoring: Page 7

Tree Planting - Page 5 Holidays

https://www.facebook.com/kariongmountainshigh/ https://www.instagram.com/kmhslibrary/

Kariong Mountains High School Newsletter - Term 4 - Week 8 - 2020 2

Plans in place for the Bushfire SeasonLast year, we were in the grips of a severe drought, leading to some of the most severe bushfire storms that we have ever seen, right here in our backyard. To all our families,

who were affected in some way by these devastating fires and then having to survive COVID, we hope that as we come into the Christmas season, there are better times ahead, for you.

Every experience provides us with a learning opportunity and we have looked at ways to be better prepared and respond to a bushfire emergency.

The drills that we undertake each year are to practise our processes and identify improvements that we can make.

Our school is on the Bushfire Register as a ‘Zone 2’ school. This means that we don’t automatically temporarily cease operations on catastrophic bushfire days, but are guided by advice from the RFS and local context. It is the Principal, in consultation with the Director, Educational Leadership, who ultimately makes this call. Given our location, it is extremely unlikely that we won’t have the time needed to make these decisions, in the event that bushfires are in our area. As principal, I am guided by the updates from the ‘Fires Near Me’ app, the DoE’s ‘Secured Communications’ app, speaking with the RFS and assessing our physical environment when making that call. This may include monitoring the extent of smoke in the area, but, of itself, a lot of smoke is not usually a reason to cease operations. Naturally, if your child is asthmatic, then you may determine that it is better for them to stay indoors on extreme ‘smoke’ days. All students with an asthma health care plan would fit into this group.

Communication is vital. We will use SMS, email, Facebook and the website to keep you informed. It is essential that you keep us up to date with your contact details. We, also, strongly recommend that you download the ‘Fires Near Me’ app and the DOE’s ‘School Updates’ app to keep yourselves informed.

Changes to School Organisation 2021This information will be sent out via email and Facebook, in addition to this article.

In 2021, we are modifying our school day to support the introduction of our future focus learning model, the learning hub and an increased shift to a ‘Bring Your Own Device’ model. The school day will be organised as follows:FORMAL SCHOOL HOURS - 8:50am - 3:05pm (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) LEARNING CONVERSATION / LOAN DEVICE RETURN - 3:05 - 3:15pm SCHOOL HOURS WEDNESDAY - 8:50am – 2:55pm

2020 – What a year we have had!While we will be emailing a short update on the last day of Term, this is the last formal newsletter for this extraordinary year. Our school’s vision statement includes the phrase ‘in an ever changing society’ and we certainly have lived through a significantly changed time during the pandemic. I am very proud of how our students and staff shifted in and out of online learning, a testament to the calibre of skills that are being delivered in our everyday learning. I am proud of the resilience of our students and staff in working through changing guidelines and restricted extra-curricular experiences and now coming to the end of the year, seeing staff starting to prepare for some of these to come back on board.

Moving forwardWe are very excited to see students once again have the opportunity to participate in excursions and incursions. We are aware, however, that it may have been a difficult year financially for some of our families. Please do not hesitate to contact the school (your child’s year advisor, the Principal or office manager) as we do not want your child to miss out when we may be able to subsidise the activity.

I am hoping that we can move into 2021 with a more normalised routine. We will send out an email to all parents towards the end of the holidays, with information on any updates that we have received from the DoE.

From Our Principal

Kariong Mountains High School Newsletter - Term 4 - Week 8 - 2020 3

Term 4 Week 8 Year 11 has been in the process of finalising their HSC subjects and the vast majority have settled on their pattern of study. There is still opportunity for change next year and the same procedures will need to be undertaken. ‘Confirmation

of Entry’ forms have been signed and filed and the parents of students, who are not eligible for an ATAR will have had a letter sent home. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

As the year draws to a close, we continue to have the same high expectations of behaviour, uniform compliance and application to studies. Maintaining regular routines and completing class work will contribute significantly to this so that we finish the year on a high.

Year 10: ‘All My Own Work’Next week all of Year 10 will be completing ‘All My Own Work’ modules which are mandatory for enrolment in Year 11 courses. The program deals with issues such as plagiarism, cheating and ethics.

Period 1 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, plus period 3 on Wednesday, have been set aside for the completion.

E-CigarettesA large number of young people across society are experimenting with the use of e-cigarettes, also known as ‘vapes.’ They are obviously banned from our school and will be confiscated on sight and not returned. Continual possession and/or use will result in

consequences due to repeated disobedience, suspension being one possible consequence. There is currently a lot of research being conducted on the effects of using these devices and nothing positive has been reported. A condition known as ‘popcorn lung’ worries me tremendously, especially as I have a background in respiratory medicine research prior to becoming a teacher. Following is a link that I ask all students and parents to look at:https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/E-cigarettes_and_teens/

2021 Equipment ListsEquipment lists for Years 8, 9 and 10 for 2021 are now on our website. To access them, please visit Parent Resources. Senior students will be informed of their requirements early next year.

As this is my last newsletter item of the year, I would like to wish all students and their families a happy and safe vacation. Thank you to the students for a positive 2020, despite the difficulties, and I am looking forward to a better 2021 with more ‘normality’.

Mr Scott WhiteDeputy Principal

From Our Deputy Principal

CONGRATULATIONS to our Canteen Voucher WINNER:

Patrick - Year 8 Levi - Year 10

KMHS Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) Award

CORRECT ANSWERS for PREVIOUS QUIZ:1. Who has hit the ground running?

C) Our new school captains

2. This issue’s CAPA highlight features? A) Dance

3. What does Lleyton’s NAIDOC artwork feature? C) Two hands holding a boomerang

4. What did the TAS Department cook up for NAIDOC Week? D) Emu, crocodile and kangaroo sausages

5. What is One Giant Leap Australia Foundation sending to space? C) Native Golden Wattle seeds

6. What has KMHS canteen just launched? A) Flexischools

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE QUIZ

All answers can be found in the current issue. https://kariongmountains-high.com.au/kmhs-quiz/Correct answers go in the draw to win a PRIZE!

End of Year PresentationsIt is absolutely vital that we recognise and celebrate the achievements of students throughout the year. Again, these events have been affected by COVID guidelines and we have had to adapt. What has not changed is our validation of all the hard work and achievements of the students who have achieved awards.

We apologise that the organisation limits the capacity of families to join in the presentations, but appreciate your understanding in working with us to implement the adjustments we have had to make, to allow these events to go ahead, at least in this modified form.

Ms Anne Vine Principal

Kariong Mountains High School Newsletter - Term 4 - Week 8 - 2020 4

CAPA FACULTY ARTIST HIGHLIGHTS

ASIA is a Year 12 student, who has really excelled in Visual Arts. Her favourite kind of art is abstract painting and her current favourite artist is the Postmodern artist Grayson Perry.

When asked what she liked the most about her art, her answer was, “The idea that good and bad is subjective to the audience. A physical expression of feelings that some words can not communicate.”

Pictured are works from Asia’s Preliminary course focusing on the Human Form and Places and Spaces.

Ryan is a Year 12 Music and Music Industry student. He has been playing guitar since Year 9 and has since demonstrated his versatility as a musician by playing a range of styles, individually and collaboratively.

He has stated that his biggest inspirations are glam/ heavy rock enthusiasts; Black Sabbath, Nirvana and Silverchair.

Ryan loves playing guitar and always has a smile on his face. He is an excellent contributor to all music ensembles.

Here is Ryan playing an excerpt from ‘Under The Bridge’ by Red Hot Chili Peppers.

ASIA

RYAN

VISUAL ARTS

MUSIC

Kariong Mountains High School Newsletter - Term 4 - Week 8 - 2020 5

KMHS FOOD FOREST

Special Tree PlantingLast week, the Food Forest crew planted the first of the citrus trees given to the school as a farewell gift by the Year 12 class of 2020.

Ms Vine, Mr Gibbs and Richard Hughes were on board for this important occasion. This area will expand over time and subsequent

trees will be planted to create our very own citrus garden!

Well done, boys on your hard

work and preparation and thank you Mrs Peters and Year 12.

Kariong Mountains High School Newsletter - Term 4 - Week 8 - 2020 6

STUDENT LEARNING IN TERM 4

Year 10 Outdoor Recreation enjoying a successful fishing lesson. The students are becoming experts in ensuring all fish survive on their release.

Year 10 Marine Studies students had a lesson on seafood preparation, where Mr Blyth shared his expertise on cooking king fish and squid.

Ms Sayal is so proud of how these dancers have stepped up to the plate over the last month in creating a dynamic hip hop piece for the upcoming World Supremacy Battlegrounds competition.We wish the girls luck for December.

Introducing ‘Blackbird’

KMHS Hip Hop crew.

Kariong Mountains High School Newsletter - Term 4 - Week 8 - 2020 7

P-TECH MENTORING

Careers Update - Week 8, Term 4Explore the latest update and, contact Mrs Cutting via the school email if you need further assistance or clarification.

Our P-TECH students successfully completed their mentoring sessions for 2020. Thank you to industry professionals and IBM for facilitating this opportunity. KMHS is looking forward to building on our P-TECH Partnership in 2021.

Mrs CuttingP-TECH Coordinator

Kariong Mountains High School Newsletter - Term 4 - Week 8 - 2020 8

COMMUNITY NOTICES

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