1 March 2017

Editor: Jenny LeSouef
Technology: Nola Regan

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

We had a smooth start to 2017. By 10am, we had 2298 students in classrooms after a full school welcome assembly. We are pleased that our Year 7s have settled in well. Many thanks to the Operations Team, especially Christine Petersen, Nigel Dutton and Nita Ravindran for their exemplary work. To timetable for over two thousand students and 239 teaching and education assistant staff is no mean feat.

Our 2016 results were outstanding, some of the best we have achieved. Congratulations are due to students, staff and parents. Details can be found at the link below. Twenty eight former 2016 students attended our Investiture Ceremony where we acknowledged their success. We are a school community proud to work with, support and celebrate students achieving their academic and social goals.

We celebrated the opening of our Stage 2 building on February 14, at a ceremony attended by the Minister of Education, the Hon Peter Collier and other dignitaries. The building and landscaping are superb and appreciated by staff and students alike especially after a year of working and learning on a building site. Part of the ceremony was two outstanding musical items from our students whose pleasure and proficiency at performing were a credit to all involved. Photographs of the ceremony appear further in the newsletter.

Our 2017 – 2019 Business Plan is nearing completion and will shortly be available to our school community. Many thanks to the working party lead by Colin Marshall and Maura Sorrell for their efforts.

It is with great sadness that I advise you of the passing of one of our valued staff members, Alexandra Mellor. Alex had been with us for eight years and succumbed after a long battle with cancer. Alex was courageous, gracious and respected by all staff.

Chris Booth

First Day 2017

BOARD CHAIR REPORT

The Board welcomes all students, teachers, parents and community members to Willetton Senior High School for the 2017 academic year. Our aspiration is that all of our students realise their own goals and celebrate their own personal academic, emotional and social success, both academic and personal growth.

The Willetton school community continues to grieve after Alex Mellor lost her ongoing battle with cancer. Alex first came to WSHS as an education assistant with the Resource Unit. In 2015 she began working with the Board and then in parent liaison. Alex was a living example of the values we all strive to uphold at Willetton. The school community will always remember Alex, and her special contribution to our school. Vale Alex.

The investiture ceremony held recently provided an opportunity to celebrate the success of some of the students from the class of 2016. This cohort of students were the most successful to date. The investiture of the school head boy and girl and council provided much reassurance that the senior school is well prepared to deliver further evidence of the learning and life outcomes Willetton students enjoy. We wish Hannah Page and Niklesh Warrier and the student council the very best as they lead the school throughout 2017.

On Tuesday February 14, we welcomed a number of guests to the official opening of the second stage of the building program at the school. This provided the opportunity to recognise the efforts of those that have made these new buildings possible. This includes, but is not limited to the school leadership team, noting the central role that Manager of Corporate Services, Jega Jegathesan played. As well, the past Board members played an essential role in the planning of these buildings and the architect and builder that made them a reality. It was also a pleasure to welcome both Western Australian and Federal members of parliament to help celebrate the opening. We recognise and appreciate the financial commitment of the WA State Government to the development of our school.

The School Board elections are underway for parent and teacher representatives for 2017. As we have received more nominations than vacant positions, an election will determine the selection of the candidates. Our sincere thanks goes out to all those who have nominated. It is comforting to know there are many people out there willing to volunteer their time to the school. The Board Annual General Meeting will be held on March 20, where new members will be welcomed, old members recognised and executive positions voted upon.

We wish all WSHS community members a safe and successful 2017. Personally, I would like to thank all those community members that will volunteer their time throughout 2017, to enhance the learning and life outcomes of our students.

Simon Lappin

HEAD BOY AND HEAD GIRL

Head Boy – Niklesh Warrier and Head Girl – Hannah Page

We look around now and see shiny new buildings and new facilities. We see students in leaver’s jackets with senior status badges, and realise that we have less than 30 weeks until we will be considered adults. This thought fills us with both dread and excitement, but we know that when we leave we will be ready to take on whatever the future holds.

But that’s still a while away. We still have highlights to look forward to. At the forefront of our minds is of course the ball. Girls in curls, guys in ties, for a night we are going to remember for the rest of our lives. Can’t forget the Year 12 Dress up earlier that day either, a humbling experience that not only reminds us how lucky we are, but is also a chance to finally participate in the long running Willetton tradition that we have watched in awe for the past four years. Of course, WACE is around the corner and ready to get us and no course or pathway is safe. We know the next three terms will be filled with late nights, stress and tears, but it will be worth it once we don the graduation sash.

The two of us are always here for you, and that doesn’t just include the Year 12s, but the rest of the school as well. This year, we want to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard, even if it is not the loudest. We want to continue holding the Councillor’s Forum so that the social hierarchy that exists in high school does not stop a brilliant mind or an idea. We also want to make sure the school stays involved with all the worthy charities it has generously supported in previous years. The torch has been passed to us, and together with the school community, especially the amazing Year 12 Council, we want to maintain the standard of excellence this school is so well known for.

We know this year is going to be tough, but we are going to be tougher- together!

Hannah Page and Niklesh Warrier

GENERAL

LOWER SCHOOL AWARDS DECEMBER 2016

Congratulations

The following students achieved outstanding results in semester 2, 2016

YEAR 11 COUNCILLORS

2017 Year 11 Student Councillors

Back Row L to R: Ashlee Cronin, Jordan Hoffman, Erin Strle, Matt Robson, Nikita Tcherkashnev, Avinash Rajandra, Himal Pandey

Front Row L to R: Marnie McKenna, Jasmin Ely, Josephine Santoso, Claudia Goh, Amber Saxton, Maheesha Dias Siriwardana Samaraweera, Leopold Ngu

YEAR 11 COUNCILLOR REPORT

The beginning of Year 11 has been an exciting experience for most Year 11 students. This journey into senior school has not only provided the students with some challenges but also the inspiration to succeed.

The Council meet together every Thursday fourteen councillors sit down with Mr Brand to discuss various things to make the senior school experience better for all students. In the past few weeks, the council has been active in decisions regarding the upcoming dinner dance, and designs for the Year 12 Leavers’ Jacket. They have been looking through various designs consulting with both the designer and students. While having the privilege of choosing various designs, the council has also chosen a supplier who donates a certain amount of money, for every jacket purchased, to the mental health forum, Zero to Hero. After three designs are chosen, there will be an online vote to decide the design the majority year group chooses.

The Student Council has also been working on the social event, trying to make it one of the best as it is the only social for the Year 11s being held this year. Taking study pressures and exam timing into account, the council has decided to run the social event in week 10. The social event is a dinner dance at South Fremantle Boating Club. There will be a mocktail served on arrival, unlimited soft drinks and six canapés for the students to enjoy. This type of social is a new experience for both the students and the council.

We have also been encouraging students to take part in Relay for Life which is a fun event where groups of students walk day and night to raise funds for cancer research, prevention and support services.

Himal Pandey Year 11 Councillor

2017 Year 12 Student Councillors

Back Row: Niklesh Warrier, Kody Smith, George whitebrook, Thomas McDonald, Hannah Page, Bodie Frost-Kelemete

Front Row: Chloe Tucek, Sinya Zheng, Andrew Tan, Aashka Bhavsar, Carmel Palan, Maryse Green

ACT-BELONG-COMMIT

As of February 2017 Willetton Senior High School has signed up to become a part of the Mentally Healthy Schools program to promote the Act-Belong-Commit ethos throughout our whole school community. At Willetton Senior High School we believe that student (and staff) mental health and wellbeing are one of our biggest priorities, and that to work to the best of our ability, we need to keep mentally healthy.

Act-Belong-Commit is a mental health promotion campaign that encourages everyone to take action to protect and promote their own mental wellbeing. Being active, having a sense of belonging and having a purpose in life all contribute to happiness and good mental health. At Willetton Senior High School, there are many opportunities for our students to act, belong and commit, and we hope to highlight these events and activities throughout the year. Look out for Mindful Attention Training, The Big Day Out, R U Ok Day, school clubs (on our webpage), assemblies and sports carnivals and get involved in some way to boost your own wellbeing.

We hope by promoting the Act-Belong-Commit message around the school, it not only educates young people about what they can do to prevent the onset of mental illness, but also encourages them to participate in all the activities that are on offer to be active, join in lunchtime and after school groups, and do good things for others. To find out more about Act-Belong-Commit, visit their website.

Donna Gardiner Program Coordinator Student Services

Hyperactivity Disorders Service (CAHDS)

Government of Western Australia
Department of Health
Child and Adolescent Health Service
Complex Attention & Hyperactivity Disorders Service

The Complex Attention Hyperactivity Disorders Service (CAHDS) will be offering a series of parent information sessions during 2017. These sessions will run for 2 hours each and will be held at the CAHDS office in Murdoch. The information sessions are intended for parents with children/adolescents who have a diagnosis of ADHD. However, parents whose children/adolescents do not have a diagnosis of ADHD, but have significant attention difficulties and are interested in the sessions, are welcome to attend. A series of three parent sessions will be run over the course of the year with each session being run during a morning time slot to accommodate parents’ availability. The timetable of the sessions is attached.

The current information session topics we will be presenting are:

1. Family self-care/stress management for parents (including the impact of ADHD/ challenging behaviours on the family)
   Presented by Psychology / Speech Pathology/Occupational Therapy
2. Helping children manage and regulate their emotions/encouraging social and emotional skills in children
   Presented by Psychiatry
3. Understanding your child’s behaviour (including reasons for behaviour and impact of other factors on children’s behaviour)
   Presented by Clinical Nurse Specialist / Social Work

Additional topics may be presented in the future and you will be advised when this occurs.

If parents are interested in attending any of these sessions they will need to register their attendance as places are limited. Parents need to contact CAHDS on 9360 1650 to register for the session/s they would like to attend. All sessions are stand-alone sessions and parents can attend any or all of the sessions.

Unfortunately we are unable to offer a crèche or child minding facilities during these sessions. Tea, Coffee and relevant handouts will be provided. There is no cost to attend these sessions.

Yours sincerely

The CAHDS Team

Complex Attention & Hyperactivity Disorders Service (CAHDS)
4th Floor, West Entrance, IIID Building, 390 Discovery Way, Murdoch University, Murdoch
PO Box 74, Bull Creek WA 6149
Telephone (08) 9360 1650 Fax (08) 9360 1682

CAHDS - PARENT INFORMATION SESSION TIMETABLE 2017

Please note:

1. The staff presenting these sessions may vary
2. All sessions will be held at CAHDS
3. All enquiries to 9360 1650

NEW TEACHING STAFF TO WILLETTON SHS

INTRODUCING………………
DEANNE SMITH

Deanna is currently the head coach of the Perry Lakes Hawks WSBL team, with whom she won the WSBL championship in the past. Before her current position, she was the playing head coach of WSBL team the Cockburn Cougars.

Deanna has a wealth of basketball experience having played professionally in Europe and Australia. Her experience includes playing in top European leagues in Portugal, Italy and Russia, a long standing and successful career in the WNBL along with being a member of the Australian National team.

She is a two time WNBL Championship winner, previous captain of a WNBL club and a player who received a number of accolades including WNBL All Star 5, Leading Scorer of the league and Leading Free throw Percentage.

Deanna began her WNBL career at the age of 15 with the Melbourne Tigers, recently retiring after playing 260+ games. She has played over 60 games with the Australian Opals and is now looking forward to the next chapter of her life, coaching and inspiring the basketball students at Willetton SHS.

PHILIP O'HARA

I am a mature aged teaching graduate having completed by Graduate Diploma of Education at Notre Dame University Fremantle in 2015.

I have a long and extensive career as an accountant having qualified as a CPA in 1999. I completed my Bachelor of Business at Curtin University in 1997. This was six years after having arrived in Perth in 1991 from Northern Ireland.

I have worked as a Financial Investigator/Auditor with both the Australian Taxation Office and Western Australian Police, dealing mostly with proceeds of crime matters. For many years I have been considering a career as a teacher but owing to financial commitments was unable to take the time off to complete the Graduate Diploma. In 2015 I bit the bullet and completed my teacher graduate requirements.

Willetton is my second maths teaching position, having spent Semester 2, 2016 at Newman College in Churchlands. I am delighted to be appointed to a full time position here for 2017. Such a big maths department presents both a challenge and an opportunity. It is pleasing to be a part of the maths department team and the teaching staff overall and I look forward to assisting the many young people with whom I am engaged on a daily basis in addition to providing guidance and advice to my Year 10 tutorial group.

CHRIS FIELD

I am one of two Chaplains here to support the student community. I have been engaging with young people since I was one. Coupling this experience with my counselling qualification, I am passionate about empowering young people to navigate through their teen years and thrive doing it. Chaplaincy seeks to achieve this through individual pastoral conversations, group programs and break time interactions. I look forward to meeting all of you!

Chris Field: Chaplain

Willetton SHS - Mon/Tues
Attadale PS - Wed/Thurs
Winterfold PS - Fri

SARA BURROWS

Sarah Burrows will be replacing Nathan Harvey for Term 1 teaching Japanese. Ms Burrows has several years' experience teaching Japanese from Year 7-12 in both public and private schools across the Perth metropolitan area. She is particularly adept in integrating ICT in the classroom, and has shared her knowledge and experiences at numerous teacher professional development workshops.

As part of her tertiary studies, Ms Burrows spent a year on exchange in Japan studying at Himeji Dokkyo University in Hyogo Prefecture. She is looking forward to her tenth visit to Japan later this year.

Assistenti linguistici - Benvenuti Lucia e Lorenza!

LUCIA MASETTI

Hello,

I’m Lucia Masetti and I come from Milan (Italy). I’m studying Italian literature and will graduate with a Master’s degree in April this year. I’m staying in Perth for two months as an Italian assistant teacher. I’ve always loved reading and I also like art, drama and opera music. I’m eager to learn, and to communicate my passions. This is why I would like to work as a researcher or a school teacher in the future.

LORENZA ROVATI

My name is Lorenza Rovati. I am 21 and I come from Roccafranca, province of Brescia in Italy. Since I was a child I have always dreamed about becoming a teacher and that's why I decided to apply for the WAATI (Western Australian Association Teachers of Italian) program. This allows me to not only get some experience in teaching but also extend my current studies in the areas of international relations, as well as English and Chinese languages.

My experience with WAATI will give me the opportunity to understand the requirements to become a teacher as we are asked to work 20 hours per week in schools such as Willetton Senior High School.

Furthermore, we are hosted by a family who have offered to take care of us during these three months and I think that's the best way to get in touch with another culture. My hope for this experience is to be appreciated for the work that will be done. I am sure this will be an amazing experience and I am looking forward to it.

SONIA HAIDRI – PROFESSEUR DE FRANÇAIS!

I was born, grew up and did most of my studies in the centre of Paris. I completed a double degree in Arts and teaching French as a foreign language in Lyon and later added a Master of Arts Degree in La Sorbonne Paris. I then lived two years in Belgium and six months in London before returning to live in Paris.

Since 2007 I call Australia home while regularly visiting France a couple of times each year. In 2013 I completed a teaching degree in Perth after working as a French teacher in tertiary education and as an assistant French teacher in various schools for five years.

Besides my teaching degree I also studied engineering. I love travelling, music, dancing and acting. I am currently working on a play with a French theatre company. Growing up in a multi-cultural and multi-lingual environment, I believe that the benefits of learning languages cognitively and socially are an essential skill in our modern society.

JOHN SOBKOWIAK

I have had a pleasing start to 2017, teaching Year 11 Human Biology and lower school Science. Some students may already be familiar with me as I was here for terms 3 and 4 in 2016 in the Science department.

I worked for many years as a Pharmacist prior to becoming a teacher, and I still maintain my Pharmacy registration. I have found a new passion in teaching after completing my Diploma of Education in 2015. I thoroughly enjoy interacting with students while observing their progress.

Recently, I joined the Beatty Park Masters swimming club where I train for fitness and to prepare for the Masters State Swimming Championships in April (my favourite events are the 50m and 100m Freestyle). I am also kept busy by two very active sons who are in Years 1 and 4.

JOSH KAIN - Class of 2013

Former Willetton student, Josh Kain is in his fourth year of a combined Law and International Business degree at Murdoch University.

Josh was a member of Murdoch Law School team which reached the semi-finals of the Australian Regional Rounds of Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition held in Canberra.

The Jessup Moot is the world’s largest and most prestigious moot court competition, with participants from over 500 law schools in more than 80 countries. Each year the Jessup moot problem concerns an aspect of international law. In any given year it may deal with matters as diverse as environmental damage on the high seas, terrorist activities, militaristic actions, or human rights issues. The competition is a tertiary extension of the mock trials in which Willetton students participate

Joshua also received an individual award as a top ten best speaker in the General Rounds of the Competition.

Josh Kain

INTERACT CLUB NEWS

The Interact Club at Willetton SHS, comes under the umbrella of Rotary International and is a community based club, strongly supported by the Rotary Club of Willetton. Interact has had a wonderful start this year, with over 40 students joining us in our venture of helping those in need. Being part of Interact encourages students to be global citizens, develop strong leadership skills, and feel rewarded for the difference that they can make in the world. Students also get the opportunity to participate in a number of valuable programs offered by Rotary.

Our second meeting for the year saw students give speeches on why they should be voted to be a part of the executive team to lead the group. Each individual’s speech was heartfelt and inspiring, and we can look forward to an amazing year for Interact in 2017. Please watch this space for updates on our projects and fundraising ventures.

New students are most welcome to come along and be part of Interact. We meet in F13 every Thursday during recess.

Helen Wong Interact Club Co-Facilitator

The Interact Club meets

GIFTED AND TALENTED

MEDICINE 2017

The University of WA offers a very limited number of assured pathway medicine positions each year. Our 2016 Year 12 graduates from both the mainstream classes and Gifted and Talented classes managed to win five of those places which is an amazing achievement.

This year, Curtin University started a medical school and two of our students Nikola Golijanin and Devonny Sherwood are part of the inaugural group.

To gain assured pathway entry into medicine, students must achieve an ATAR of approximately 99.0, a high score in the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT) and excel in their interview.

We wish these outstanding students all the best with their studies over the next seven to ten years.

Darren Hamley Gifted and Talented Education Coordinator

Our future medicos

ASTRONOMY CLUB

The Parkes Radio Telescope, affectionately known as the dish, is one of the largest and most expensive pieces of scientific equipment in Australia.

Students from our astronomy club had a once in a lifetime opportunity to use the Parkes Radio Telescope. We spent a day at the Pawsey Supercomputing Centre in Technology Park where we had two hours of remote control of the telescope which is situated in country NSW.

We pointed the 64m diameter dish at pulsar on the edge of our galaxy. The pulsar emits regular bursts of radio waves as is spins. Students measured the time delay in the pulses at eight different emission frequencies and because different frequencies are able to travel at slightly different speeds, we were able to calculate the distance to this star to be 990 light years.

I would like to thank the CSIRO and the Pawsey Supercomputing centre for allowing us to use their amazing equipment free of charge.

Darren Hamley Gifted and Talented Education Coordinator

L to R: Chris Chivers, Andrew Lee, Jack Killoh, Leo Ng, Jordan Hoffmann, Himal Pandey, Jonathon Chivers, Kee-An Seet and Roshan Prashant with the Cray Magnus Super Computer, the most powerful computer in the southern hemisphere

THE ARTS

Welcome to a department where The Arts learning environment is often noisy, messy, time consuming, resource intensive, and sometimes, daunting. But the Willetton team of teachers who are involved in The Arts indicate that the outcomes and changes in their students are so important that the positives significantly outweigh these challenges. Throughout the varied arts programs, students develop their social, communication, team work and self-expression skills. The experienced staff delivers sustained quality engagement in the arts to enhance all students’ literacy and numeracy skills.

There are strong values placed on respect, accepting and appreciation of our multi-cultural environment to sustain a safe environment for our students and staff.

Congratulations to our 2016 Year 12 students who obtained high results in their Arts subject. 56% of our students used their Arts subject to achieve their ATAR score into university. The Certificate II and III in music and dance achieved an outstanding 100 % graduation rate.

Congratulations to two of our music students who were given places at WAAPA and to one of our music students who was given a full music scholarship to a Melbourne university to undertake a degree in writing and performing. Well done to media students for ranking in the top 10 film productions submitted to SCSA in 2016.

We started the year with the opening of the new school building. It was attended by many educational dignitaries and members of local government, who witnessed the exciting flutist duet and percussion ensemble led by Iain Robbie.

Thank you to staff and parents who attended the Year 7 music evening. We appreciate your support.

Dates to remember

• Drama is preparing for their first production by Year 12’s Rhinoceros – week 10
• Drama camp in week 4 at Point Walter.
• Dance, students already started rehearsing for the Octagon, South of the Swan performance in June – week 9 of term 2.
• Cinderella Musical camp June 9 to 11 at Point Walter, Bicton.
• Cinderella Enchanted Production July 19 -21 at 7.00pm and Saturday July 22 at 2pm

Tickets will soon be on sale, and you will be informed of the process shortly.

Cheryl Venter HOLA The Arts

DRAMA UPDATE

It is going to be a busy year in the Drama department this year.

226 students are enrolled in drama courses this Semester,
40 keen Drama club students have commenced
50 Front of House students that have been trained
36 students rehearsing for the school musical
12 performance nights for audiences to enjoy

Our first performance is Rhinoceros. The Year 12 ATAR students are directing, acting and designing this production. Please come along and support what is going to be a fantastic production.

Date: Wednesday 5 April
Time: 6:30pm

Tickets on sale soon.

RHINOCEROS

On the April 5, the Year 12 ATAR Drama class will be performing Eugène lonesco’s Rhinoceros. When people in the streets of New York mysteriously begin the transform into rhinoceroses, civilians are left in a panic as they begin to ask the question, what does it mean to be human? More information will be available soon, so save the date!

Alana Munkelt Year 12

COMING EVENTS…….

Year 11 production: Blood Brothers
Year 10 production: Charlotte’s Web
Lower School Showcases
School musical: Cinderella Enchanted
Year 12 Original Solo Performance showcase

CINDERELLA ENCHANTED CAST

LANGUAGES

We hope you have enjoyed a wonderful summer and you are relaxed, recharged for this new school year. We are also delighted that you are part of our amazing languages community and we look forward to working with you and your children.

This term, we welcome three additional staff to our learning area. Mrs Erina Araki (who has worked as a Japanese educational assistant at Willetton SHS during the last 5 years) and Ms Sarah Burrows are teaching Japanese this year; Mrs Sonia Haidri joins us as a French teacher.

Parents often ask us, what is the best way for students to practise their language outside of school? We have provided some suggestions in this edition of the newsletter.

The best thing you can do is to be positive about language learning and encourage your student to always aim for personal excellence.

Marilyn Onishi Acting HOLA Languages

Why French?

Kathy Stein-Smith explains why demand is growing for French the world over.

There is one skill that is being learned around the world, with enrolments growing by 50% in Asia and Africa, while in the U.S. programs are being reduced and even eliminated. This highly sought-after global skill is not social media, data analytics, or coding; it is learning French. French is a language that reflects both the rich cultural and historical heritage of France and also that of the worldwide Francophonie. It is a language of international diplomacy, a global business language, and a top internet language, which points to the growing importance of French.

With deep historical roots in the U.S. and throughout North America and the Caribbean, it is also a local language. The ideas of the Enlightenment inspired the American Revolution, several of the Founding Fathers visited Paris to elicit French support of the revolutionary cause, and France has been considered America’s oldest ally. In the 19th century, Americans flocked to Paris to visit the Louvre and to enjoy French fashion, and later, into the 20th century, writers and artists spent time in Paris, termed by Hemingway, a moveable feast and Julia Child introduced the American home cook to French cuisine. Traditionally studied as a means to appreciate French literature and the langue de Molire, French is now also studied as a heritage language, in immersion programs, and as a business language. Building on this traditional foundation, the modern imperatives for learning French are numerous, including culture, career, and global citizenship, with experiential learning a key component for millennials.

France, renowned for its culture, cuisine, and lifestyle, has influence that extends beyond its borders and impact that exceeds that which would be expected based on its population. France is home to 41 of the 492 Unesco World Heritage sites in Europe and North America. Leading in international arrivals, France is the most visited country in the world, and is among the world’s most innovative countries. Paris is home to the Louvre—widely considered the world’s best-known museum—is a global fashion capital, and the best student city in the world. France is a top destination for U.S. students studying abroad and for international students, with the largest number of international students after only the U.S. and the UK. French is one of six official languages of the United Nations, one of three working languages of the European Union, and one of two official languages of the Olympics. It is an official language of countless other international organizations, including NATO, and is spoken on every continent, with 220 million speakers, one of the ten most widely spoken languages in the world. According to the OIF report, La Langue française dans le monde – 2014, French is spoken on five continents, and the population of its member nations approaches one billion. It is the second most widely studied language in the world, after only English. French is the third most important language for business, after only English and Chinese. OIF members comprise 16% of the world population and earn 14% of the global gross income, and partake in 20% of world trade. It is predicted that the number of French speakers will rise to 767 million by 2060. The OIF has observer status at the UN, where French is not only one of the six official languages, but is one of the two working languages, mastery of one of which is necessary to be employed at the Secretariat. In addition, the Group of Francophone Ambassadors promotes multilingualism and the role of French at the UN.

French for Business and Careers

France is one of the world’s largest economies and one of most important trading partners of the U.S. Of the Fortune Global 500 2016, 31 are headquartered in France. France is one of the top five investors in the U.S., and over 4,600 French companies, providing over 650,000 American jobs, operate in the U.S. France and French-speaking countries are a major world economic factor, accounting for 19% of the global trade in goods. French is a global business language, and knowledge of French can lead to career opportunities. A 2011 Bloomberg study found French to be the third most useful language for international business, with only English and Mandarin Chinese more useful. According to 2013 British Council report, Languages for the Future, French is the third most useful language for British business. French language skills can also lead to careers in the language-services sector, valued at more than $25 billion per year and employing more than half a million in education and industry alone, and predicted to increase by 29% between 2014 and 2024. A 2014 global talent survey found that 11% of U.S. mid- and large-size companies are actively recruiting candidates with foreign language skills and 35% give an advantage to multilingual candidates.

Learning French

French is the second most studied language in the world, with 100 million students around the world—a huge market. Over a million students study French in the Alliance Française alone. A recent study by Duolingo, the mobile language-learning-tools provider, found that French is the second most frequently studied language, with only English having more learners. The English language has been profoundly influenced by French, with estimates of French loanwords in English ranging up to 45% of our vocabulary. French is one of ten languages ranked by the Foreign Service Institute as close to English and easy to learn for English speakers. In a globalized, interconnected world, foreign language skills are more important than ever before, and yet Americans do not tend to study foreign languages, with only 18.5% of K–12 public school students studying a foreign language and a mere 8.1% of college and university students enrolled in a foreign language course.

The Future of French

French may be not only the language of the past and the present but also our language of the future. A 2014 study by investment bank Natixis suggests that by 2050, French might be the most widely spoken language in the world, with a half billion speakers. The 2014 OIF report La Langue française dans le monde predicts that by 2060, there will be 767 million French speakers in the world.

French is considered an advantage in personal life, in culture, in travel, in education, in the workplace, and in terms of access to information around the world. With 900 million people learning French around the world, our relative lack of French language skills and knowledge of francophone culture may mean that we are falling behind and may put our futures at risk. So, for all of these reasons and many more, the question for most of us should no longer be Why French?, but rather Why not French?, and Why not now?

EXCHANGE TO ITALY 2016

Italy Exchange 2016

Over the two months of summer holidays, I had the wonderful opportunity to go to Italy on exchange. There, I learnt what it was like to live as an Italian teenager with my beautiful host family who took me in as if I were really their child. They took me too many wonderful places such as the Alps (Christmas markets) and the castle of Caserta (where Star Wars was filmed). We went to school as well and just experienced their day to day life which is very different to my life here in Australia. This exchange also helped me improve my Italian and after the one month mark, I was able to hold a conversation with my Italian friends and family with little to no trouble. If I have the opportunity, I would definitely go back to Italy and visit my host family and friends!

Claire Tho – Year 12

Over the school holidays, I had the amazing opportunity to experience two months as an Italian teenager. Thanks to a scholarship, I was able to go to an Italian school and live with a typical Italian family! This experience improved my knowledge of the language and the culture. My host family are now a part of my life and I will definitely visit them again soon! I went to school and made some great friends, whether they were Italian or on exchange from all over the world. Thanks to this great experience, I have the opportunity to communicate with Italians and with other students across the world. If I could go back, without a doubt I'd book my tickets in a flash and experience a full year. Questa vacanza è indimiticabile! Grazie Italia

Cherralee Clark – Former Student

During the summer holidays I spent two months in Italy with an amazing host family, taking part in an exchange. Whilst there, I got to visit places such as Pompeii, Amalfi, Naples, Rome and other little towns. I also attended an Italian school, which was very interesting and helped me to further understand the Italian culture, language and everyday life of people my age. It was a challenging experience but also one from which I learnt so much and would encourage anyone considering an exchange to do it. Grazie per tutto Italia!

Chloe Henderson – Year 12

TECHIE TIPS FOR PARENTS

There is no single correct way of learning a language; everyone is different and it’s just a matter of finding your style. A good idea when learning a new language is to link it to something you already like to do. For example, if you like listening to music you can surf the net for songs and lyrics in that particular language and learn pronunciation through music.

Using technology to learn a language can increase your child’s engagement, participation and excitement and enables anywhere, anytime learning! Here are some ideas to involve your child in their language studies:

• reading comics and newspapers
• downloading an application on your mobile phone.
• watching cartoons
• watching TV news/advertisements
• watching movies

If you are learning Japanese or Korean, you can add the language bar to be able to word process in that particular language.

Here are some websites your child can visit to improve their language studies.

Japanese

Great resources for the learning and teaching of Japanese

Excellent tool for learning hiragana and katakana Years 7-9

Italian

Years 11 & 12

Years 9-12

Years 11 & 12

French

Korean

All languages, including EAL/D

Years 7-9

Years 7-10

Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian

all Willetton students have a log on for language perfect.

Years 7-12

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION

2016 Basketball Awards Night

Wednesday December 14, 2016 the Willetton Senior High School Specialised Basketball Program held its annual awards night in the school gymnasium. The evening celebrated the outstanding sporting endeavours of both past and present students at state and national level, acknowledgement of the graduating class of 2016 and awarding of the class and team awards for 2016. The night was also a tribute to Ms Robyn Marler who has retired after 26 years of inspirational leadership of our program.

Outstanding Sporting Endeavours for 2016

Ben Ettridge (class of 1992) - Australian Rollers Head Coach
Mikayla Pirini (class of 2013) – Australian U19 Gems Team, WNBL Adelaide Lightning
Natalie Bright (class of 2015) – Australian U20 Netball Squad, ANL Western Sting
Rhianna Klisura (class of 2016) – Australian Schoolgirls Team
Daniel Johnson (class of 2005) – NBL Adelaide 36ers
Rhys Vague (class of 2013) – NBL Perth Wildcats
Tevin Jackson (class of 2011) – NBL Cairns Taipans
Jackson Hussey (class of 2009) – NBL Perth Wildcats
Melissa Moyle (class of 2004) – WNBL Perth Lynx
Ebony Antonio (class of 2009) – Women’s AFL Fremantle Dockers
Ruby Schleicher (class of 2015) – Women’s AFL Collingwood
Taryn Priestley (class of 2006) – Women’s AFL Fremantle Dockers

State Representatives 2016

U18 – Lauren Thompson, Shannon Johnson, Egan Bradbury
U16 - Imogen Ayliffe, Emily Counsel, Courtney Stothard, Ben Johnson, Lachlan Forrest, Luke Jackson, Luke Travers
19 & Under Schoolgirls and Schoolboys – Blair Kearsley (coach), Rhianna Klisura, Kahlia Morgan, Hannah Lee, Ruby Benn
12 & Under Schoolgirls and Schoolboys – Noah Valentine, Hayden Harwood, Mia Jacobs, Leah McLaren, Tanaya Kickett, Dravinka Fernando, Denae Civich

Class Awards 2016

Year 7

Most Improved Student Male – Callum Ainslie
Most Improved Student Female – Mikayla Campbell
Best Trainer Male – Thomas Musumeci
Best Trainer Female – Denae Civich

Year 8

Most Improved Student Male – Jeremy Bregger
Most Improved Student Female – Mia Schleicher
Best Trainer Male - Jett Ng
Best Trainer Female - Tia Morgan
Best Game Performer Male - Roosevelt Williams
Best Game Performer Female - Tia Morgan

Year 9

Most Improved Student Male – Arya Rahimi
Most Improved Student Female – Jasmin Knight
Best Trainer Male – Tyler Kohr
Best Trainer Female – Courtney Stothard
Best Game Performer Male – Luke Jackson
Best Game Performer Female - Emily Counsel

Year 10

Most Improved Student Male – Louey Foster
Most Improved Student Female – Alexandra Holdcroft
Best Trainer Male – Ben Johnson
Best Trainer Female - Sophie Doran
Best Game Performer Male - Hamish Cummings
Best Game Performer Female - Imogen Ayliffe

Year 11

Most Improved Student Male – Anthony Moreschi
Most Improved Student Female – Amber Roennfeldt
Best Trainer Male – Bodie Frost-Kelemete
Best Trainer Female – Kahlia Morgan
Best Game Performer Male – Kyle Hutton
Best Game Performer Female - Ruby Benn

Year 12

Most Improved Student Male – Taj Sandhu
Most Improved Student Female – Hayley Kenyon
Best Trainer Male – Connor Mason
Best Trainer Female - Rhianna Klisura
Best Game Performer Male - Mitch Davies
Best Game Performer Female - Rhianna Klisura

Team Awards 2016

Championship Men Best Player – Kyle Hutton
Championship Men Coaches Award – Connor McLachlan
Championship Women Best Player – Imogen Ayliffe
Championship Women Coaches Award – Hannah Lee
Senior Men Most Valuable Player - Ryan Keepa
Senior Men Coaches Award – Alec Gries
Senior Women Most Valuable Player – Tia Morgan
Senior Women Coaches Award – Alexandra Holdcroft
Junior Men Most Valuable Player – Luke Travers
Junior Women Most Valuable Player – Courtney Stothard

2016 Robyn Marler Award - Best All Round Students

Lower School – Sophie Doran

Upper School – Bridget Saywell

SCIENCE

AQUAPONICS

Ever wondered about the future of farming in tight, urban spaces? Aquaponics is a space-saving and efficient way of growing your own herbs and vegetables whilst also bringing the amount of waste generated and groundwater pollution to almost none.

This aquaponics system is located indoors in the ground level of the new Science block. Year 9 extension students will be the first group to learn about the modern new way of farming and sustainability. The system works through a simple system of nutrient recycling. The waste generated by the fish tank is used by the plants in the grow-bed as nutrients for growth. As a result, the water returning to the fish tank is clean. This is a self-sustained cleaning system that maintains a non-toxic environment for the fish to thrive in.

Charissa Haning and Bruce Dopson Science Teachers

PERIODIC TABLE SCAVENGER HUNT

What an excellent effort our Year 10 Gifted and Talented students have put into making these periodic tables! To complete this task, they had to scrounge for all sorts of material containing the elements of the periodic table. Did you say that a brazil nut was radioactive? Thank goodness that the fluoride in that toothpaste isn’t a gas! You can enjoy viewing the results of this project in the library from Week 5 onwards.

Leon Harris and Mita Munshi Science Teachers

ASI BIG SCIENCE COMPETITION

The Australian Science Innovations (ASI) Big Science Competition will be held at Willetton Senior High School during Session 2 on Tuesday May 23, 2017.

This international competition tests critical thinking and problem-solving skills as well as science knowledge. All questions are aligned with the Australian Science Curriculum. Questions are set in real-life, contemporary contexts, making them relatable but rarely rely simply on factual recall.

The Big Science Competition is a way to challenge students from Years 7 to 12, and track their performance against state or national averages.

The competition runs for 60 minutes. Your child will miss Session 2 if they choose to participate in this event.

The competition is open to students of all abilities, at three (3) levels:

• Junior (Years 7-8)
• Intermediate (Years 9-10)
• Senior (Years 11-12)

Parents and teachers will receive reports on how students performed that will help identify areas of strength as well as where improvement can be made.

Each student who takes part will receive a certificate and detailed feedback on their performance in the competition.

Certificates are awarded as follows:

• High Distinction (top 5%)
• Distinction (top 15%)
• Credit (top 50%)
• Participation to all other participating students

The Big Science Competition is organised by Australian Science Innovations, a not-for-profit organisation committed to providing high quality science extension programs that inspire, challenge and raise the aspirations of students in science.

The cost of entry is $8.00. Interested students are asked to see Mr Ta for an entry form during recess. All payments must be received before Friday April 7, 2017.

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING

There was love in the air…….
At The Hangout on Tuesday February 14

Eighty two Year 12 Career and Enterprise students made their way to The Hangout in Bayswater for indoor wall climbing on Valentine’s Day. So there may have been love in the air but it was definitely hot air and humid and some students did hang in the air before being brought to the ground safely by their partner who was belaying them in their climb.

Our students had been working on reflecting, to identify their personal skills and attitudes to change and challenges. These qualities were tested in goal setting exercises where students set themselves Simple, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time managed goals. Variations came to goals set at the beginning of the day as students learned in the induction about safety, using the harnesses and ropes and gained confidence both in their belaying partner and their problem solving abilities to climb successfully.

For those for whom heights were a challenge, students pushed themselves, within their realistic frameworks and achieved their own goals in their own way. It was uplifting to see and hear peer encourage and support each other in whatever the achievement might be.

These understandings are now being used to apply to career goal setting and matching personal qualities with the personal requirements of a job and the type of activities that are part of that work.

On the day our students needed fuel to get through the day which amounted to juices, Subway, freshly delivered pizza, bananas and apples in extraordinary quantities…. With water, water, water, on that extremely hot day. One or two needed to take a quick kip on the way back in the bus – it had been a tiring day with limits being pushed.

All in all, a successful working day!

Ruth Barratt Teacher in Charge, Career and Enterprise

SCHOOL BOARD NEWS

SCHOOL BOARD ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)

The School Board AGM will be held on Monday March 20 2017, 5.30pm in the staffroom. This will be an opportunity to meet members of the new 2017 School Board. The Chair’s Annual Report and the Annual Financial Report will be presented at this meeting. A list of Board meetings for this year can be found on the school website, under the School Board information. All are welcome to attend.

SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION

Information on the School Board elections for parent and staff representatives was recently sent out. There are three vacancies for parent representatives, and two vacancies for staff representatives.

Voting forms will be emailed before the end of February. We strongly encourage all parents and staff to participate in the voting process to select your respective representatives. Voting will close at 3.00pm on Friday March 10.

If you require further information or seek clarification, please contact Helen Wong, Board Executive Officer on 9334 7217 or helen.s.wong@education.wa.edu.au

SCHOOL BOARD COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES

Two members of the local community may be appointed by the School Board in June each year. Terms of appointment are for 12 months. Expressions of interest from the local community are now open and should be forwarded to the School Board office.

ENTERTAINMENT BOOKS FUNDRAISER

Early bird purchase through the School Board for the new 2017/2018 Entertainment Books will soon be taken, with bonus vouchers available. For enquiries, please contact Helen Wong on helen.s.wong@education.wa.edu.au or 9334 7217.

Profits raised from the sale of these books will go towards a Student Leadership Development Program initiated by the Board. Your support will be much appreciated.

DISCOUNTED HOYTS MOVIE TICKETS

Discounted Hoyts movie tickets are available for purchase through the School Board, and are valid Australia wide. Profits from the sale of these tickets go towards funding projects around the school, which enhance our students’ learning outcomes.

Pricing as follows:

Tickets may be purchased from the bookshop on Wednesday mornings (9am-11.30am) during term, or by arrangement with the School Board office. Please contact the School Board office for an order form to be emailed to you.

STOP PRESS!! Clearance sale on Hoyts movie tickets (expiry end March).

Child/Senior (standard, not valid after 5pm Sat) $50 for booklet of 5
Child/Senior (unrestricted) $62 for booklet of 5
Adult (valid Mon-Thurs, expiry end Feb & end Mar) $58 for booklet of 5
Adult (unrestricted) $78 for booklet of 5

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

From time to time, the school is in need of volunteers to assist in various parts of the school such as the second hand bookshop, second hand uniform shop, canteen, parent information evenings, or grant applications. If you would like to put your name on a Volunteers’ List, or have a special skill you would like to offer to the school, please leave your details with the School Board office.

HOW TO CONTACT THE SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE

To find out more about the School Board or how you might get involved, please contact Helen Wong, School Board Executive Officer on 9334 7217 or email helen.s.wong@education.wa.edu.au

WILLO PARENT GROUP

WILLO PARENT GROUP MEETINGS

The Willo Parent Group is a very friendly group of parents who meet twice a term, coming together for parent information sessions or meeting socially over morning tea, lunch or dinner. This is a great way to meet with members of the school community and find out what is happening around the school. Suggestions for meetings are always welcome, and we especially invite you to attend our first meeting for the year on Friday March 10.

EVENTS FOR TERM 1

For further information on these events, please contact willoparent@gmail.com