26 June 2017

Editor: Jenny LeSouef
Technology: Nola Regan

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

It is with pleasure we present the Willetton Senior High School Business Plan 2017 – 2019 available at the link below. Many thanks to our staff and Board representing the parent body for their input into this important planning document. This plan sets the goals for student outcomes for the next three years subject to minor modification. Associate Principal, Colin Marshall, is managing the plan, and parents are invited to address any questions or comments to him at colin.marshall@education.wa.edu.au.

Our parent interviews held on May 17 were again well attended. There were 570 parents/families who attended 2856 appointments. Willetton Senior High School students achieve outstanding results due to the close links and common goals shared by school and community, and the evening certainly showed the level of commitment of all concerned. Special thanks to our Home Economics and Music staff that provided support and entertainment to parents and staff and to our Front of House students for their help in providing directions.

This is a very busy and stressful period for our teachers. They are supervising examinations, teaching and marking the exams. We respect the hard work and long hours they put in for our students.

I was recently invited to present once again aspects of our school processes to Principals from other schools, which was recorded for use with country schools. I am very pleased to be asked to make this presentation as it gives me the opportunity to showcase, with pride, the practices we use at Willetton.

Our girls’ football team coached by Sophie McLean is achieving great success with an extended winning streak. We are optimistic they will reach the grand finals which will be a curtain raiser to an AFL match. Well done to all involved.

We still have 300, 2016 Yearbooks paid for and awaiting collection despite three email reminders. Students and parents are strongly encouraged to call in to the liaison office (old VET office at the back of administration) to collect their copy. Extra copies are also available for $16.

Chris Booth

BOARD CHAIR REPORT

An expression of interest was recently released for two community representative Board positions. Such is the fortune of our school that we had five extremely competitive expressions of interest submitted. On behalf of the Board I am very pleased to announce that Trudi McGlade and former student Kailee Marshall have been elected to these positions following the votes cast by Board members. Thanks to all those that put up their hand to contribute to the success of Willetton Senior High School.

I would thank the outgoing community representative, Jeremy Chetty, for his years of service to the Board. Jeremy, also a former student, was highly valued and will be remembered for his insightful comments, business acumen, and his drive and commitment to establish the Willetton Alumni. I am very confident that Jeremy will continue to be a fine ambassador and supporter of our school.

Since the last update, the Board was fortunate enough to have Hannah and Niklesh, the Head Girl and Boy, attend our May meeting. Many thanks to them both for giving up their time to represent the WSHS student body. Their visit coincided with the school parliament meeting, wherein, councillors from each year group meet to discuss key issues affecting students, and potential opportunities to improve the school. It was very valuable to the voice of the student body, and to listen to their visions for their school. They raised a number of ideas that are currently being assessed; we will be uploading a formal response to these ideas on Connect for everyone’s information.

June is a busy time of year for students and teachers alike. Following a period filled with study and marking comes a break. We hope that you all have a peaceful and safe break, and come back rested and ready to tackle the next term.

Simon Lappin

HEAD BOY AND HEAD GIRL REPORT

It's been a hectic past few weeks.

Our first lot of exams for 2017 happened, shocking most of us, good or bad. But hey, if you did well, you know you're on the right track, if not, you know what not to do for mocks and WACE. It was a delight to see the Year 10s stress about their exams. To any of them reading: look out, but we’d like to congratulate all of them, and of course the Year 11s and 12s on their dedication and hard work that hopefully paid off.

There’s so much more to school than scores, as can be seen with the many sporting ventures - the recent netball cup and the footy teams are in full swing. As for the drama productions, the talent continues to astound audiences. The school’s major musical, Cinderella Enchanted, is coming up, so make sure you get your tickets soon! Massive congratulations to everyone that participated in the World’s Greatest Shave and thank you all that showed valued support and donated.

Even though scores aren't everything, people still get stressed, so to combat this, the Health and Wellbeing Committee, a new initiative in this school, put on an Act Belong Commit event where students could enjoy yoga classes, smoothies, head massages. The event spread positivity, while students learned a lot about their own mental health.

With new initiatives over the horizon (stay tuned) we are both excited, as are all Year 12s to enjoy the last 13 weeks of our high school careers.

Hannah Page and Niklesh Warrier
Head Girl and Boy

HUMANS OF WILLO

KOBEE ZIDEAS YEAR 12

I was in a few community team sports, although I recently damaged my knee and had a reconstruction. I played football, basketball, raced motorbikes. I’m heavily invested in racing bikes since I grew up as a kid on a farm and pretty much rode around and hurt myself. Mucking around was always fun.

I’m pretty heavily invested in high level of racing in Perth. I will probably go over to England next year, and hopefully get a position in a team over there. We’re building a track at the moment, costing round two million dollars because the bikes have evolved and the track is getting too small. This is in Wanneroo, but since I live in Pickering Brook it’s round an hour away.

I’ve raced in Sydney, Mildura, Adelaide, pretty much all over Australia. I got most improved last season, third highest points for the whole of WA for Speedway. I’m also trying to get my best mate, whom I met through it’ to start racing and drifting cars. My brother and I are really invested in that too.

By Andrew Tan Year 12

CHERRALEE CLARK

Today after school I’m trying out for the WA State Schoolgirls’ Soccer Team which is being conducted in the school itself. I feel quite nervous, but for most people, taking a trial or a test is quite nerve-wracking. So it’s nothing to be ashamed of really! It’s a natural kind of nervous because humans get scared of the unknown. But I’m nervous since I haven’t played this season and chose to focus on studying for Year 12… for ATAR. I’m nervous because I haven’t trained in such a long time. But every now and then I make sure to go for a run. Well, when I’m not eating anyway. When I’m not studying I’m either eating or running!

By Andrew Tan Year 12

DANELLE STIPP

Before moving to Australia three years ago, I lived in South Africa. My sisters and I were home schooled my whole life until the middle of Year 9. It was a pretty big change because when you’re homeschooled, you can sleep in and be in your pyjamas the whole day!

I’ve also had the opportunity to volunteer at Oberthur Primary School. They have a program after school where they look after the kids until their parents come, it’s like day care. I have three sisters, all of them younger than me, so I’ve learned a few things. The kids are absolutely amazing, they’re so lovely. I feel it has helped my communication... because talking to kids you have to talk, but also

not as if you’re looking down on them. And they’re really intelligent, they’re absorbing everything. It was a learning experience for me, like, finding that ground of how to communicate with them and actually realising what level they are on... and it was just so cute.

By Marnie McKenna and Penny Padmanabhan Year 11

DAVID JOHNSON

I get asked all the time, what made you want to start teaching? It’s a difficult question to answer. I don’t really know, I was just drawn to working in an environment where every day is a little bit different. You’ve got that human element, that interaction, managing and working with lots of personalities. My motivation depends on the student and it depends on the group. So the thing that motivates me in my Year 11 and 12 classes is getting them to wherever they want to go. If I’m talking about my lower school classes, particularly 7, 8, 9, it’s those little victories, it’s overcoming a particular obstacle. I guess, that light bulb moment. Seeing those light bulb moments are the things that I sit there and tick off as being something that’s successful.

Now, about my socks. I guess generally, the staff have to dress fairly conservatively. My socks are an opportunity to inject a little bit of personality into how I dress every day. I saw a pair of sox that I liked, so I wore them. Everybody commented. I liked getting the comments. I haven’t actually bought a pair for a long time... I had a reasonably small collection and then students and colleagues have been kind enough to purchase them for me.

By Marnie McKenna and Penny Padmanabhan Year 11

ZOË KARAFILIS

I enjoy performing arts, especially singing. My family is very musical and I’ve been singing from a young age. My mum is a music teacher, my dad…actually my mum and my dad, and their friend had a band. I do get nervous going to auditions though, I usually just sing to myself.

I’m also a part of production and Drama Club at school. The environment is a very relaxed and happy. It’s nice to be in a big team and know everybody there and be good friends. It’s also helped me get to know more people, in older grades as well as younger, so that’s made a bigger friendship group. I was in the lower school Drama Showcase. I remember our group had practiced a little but, it was a story line that was improvised mostly but there were key words that we had to say, and so when someone said the wrong line so we completely improvised the rest of it. I found it fun and enjoyed it

By Marnie McKenna and Penny Padmanabhan Year 11

GENERAL

CONGRATULATIONS

HARISHAN PUGANESWARAN

During Terms One and Two Ms Travers’ Year 9 and 10 Modified HaSS classes competed in the Australian Stock Exchange’s Share Market Game. This national competition receives over 16, 000 entries from around the country. Students compete as a syndicate (of one, two or three) and start the game with $50, 000 to invest in the stock market over a period of ten weeks.

Students buy and sell shares in real time on the stock exchange and all companies are ASX listed companies. Harishan Puganeswaran from Year 10 achieved an outstanding result. Harishan turned his $50,000 into $57, 925.77, a profit of 16%. He placed 26th in Australia from 16,691 entrants and placed 3rd in Western Australia from 1,568 entrants.

Harishan was the top ranked government school student in WA.

Harishan Puganeswaran with teacher Robyn Travers

STAFF AND STUDENTS - OLNA LITERACY RESULTS

This year our March OLNA literacy results were outstanding, with 99% of our Year 12 students demonstrating Category 3 in Reading, which is the standard required for WACE graduation. 97% of our Year 12 students demonstrated the standard in Writing and Numeracy.

The students who have not yet demonstrated Category 3 in Reading, Writing or Numeracy will have another opportunity in September to do so. Our literacy and numeracy specialists have been

working extremely hard to improve the skills of all of our students in Years 10, 11 and 12 who need to sit the OLNA.

Maths, EALD and English teachers are involved in running after and before school classes and classroom teachers are actively supporting these students to achieve their personal best. Students and parents should have received their diagnostic report which identifies the skills which require remediation to meet the standards and thus achieve WACE graduation. Students who do not achieve category 3 by the end of 2017 will still have an opportunity to sit the test again next year.

Congratulations to all staff and students involved for making such a fine effort

PRACTISING PRESENCE OF MIND- MINDFULNESS AT WILLO

William James was one of the founders of modern psychology and over 120 years ago he recognised that there is value in being able to focus our attention and keep it one place. Mindfulness helps us do what William James suggested might be a good idea.

Unitasking is a solution where we focus on one thought at a time. Research shows that when we do this our short term memory and processing speed improve. We make fewer errors and improve decisions. Recall that Mindfulness is paying attention to what we are doing.

Practical ways to discourage internal distractions:

Quit daydreaming - make a checkmark on a notepad every time you catch yourself daydreaming
Deal with boredom - try to find one thing that is enjoyable about what you are studying
Instead of worrying, take action - alternate different subjects. Take study breaks every 50 minutes

CHILL OUT EVENT

Our Chill Out event held at lunch time on Tuesday, June 14, was a fantastic success! We hosted a crowd of enthusiastic Willetton students in the quad, who were more than happy to engage in some mindful activities such as head massage, tai chi and also win some free goodies! There was a swarm of students at the lollipop moment stall, eager to give a lollipop to their friend who had changed them for the better and also eager to receive one from their friends!

Thanks to everyone from the Wellbeing Committee, headspace and Act - Belong - Commit who sacrificed their time to make this event a success! We look forward to organising our next event and continue to promote wellbeing at our school.

Duli Jayalath Year 10 Wellbeing Representative

THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S INTERNATIONAL AWARD REPORT

Silver Participants of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards are busy preparing themselves for the upcoming Silver Adventurous Journey being held on the Bibbulmun Track during the July school holidays. Thank you very much to staff members, Mr Hamish McLean and Ms Sonia Evans who will be attending the camp as school leaders and especially to Mr McLean who has put in countless hours to plan and coordinate the event. We wish the group all the best for a safe and dry expedition.

Silver Camp Practice Photos

Participants and parents are reminded that it is their responsibility to manage, communicate and complete all aspects of their Award. Learning to liaise with adult mentors and assessors is all part of the Award and it is important to seek support as required. Duke of Ed support times are at recess on Tuesdays and Fridays in H202. All participants are now made part of the Duke of Ed Connect Community at the time of registration. I encourage everyone to check the page regularly for updates on opportunities relating to the Award including potential Adventurous Journeys and other events and activities for each Award section.

The Award has seen a spike in registrations at Willetton with around 30 new participants this year. For others contemplating an Award, start-up packs are available in Student Services. Students in Years 9 – 12 are encouraged to apply.

There are numerous participants nearing completion for each Award level. Congratulations to the following students who have achieved Awards so far this year and in particular special mention to our Gold Awardees who have completed all three Award levels while students at Willetton Senior High School. They will get their certificates from the Governor of Western Australia, the Honourable Kerry Sanderson AC, at special Government House ceremony in October.

2017 Gold Awards:

Year 12: Chloe Tucek, Ashka Bhavsar, Jo Cheyne
Class of 2016: Bo Davie, Brianna West

2017 Silver Awards:

Year 11: Lachie Forrest, Hayley Rolfe

2017 Bronze Awards:

Year 11: Falicia Tay, Lucy McGinn, Sarah Chan, Yasasvi Katragadda
Year 10: Bianca Stevenson, Brielle McKinley, Mackenzie Taylor, Matthew Lee, Jae Brieffies, Jade Choong, Brodie Hood

For information on The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award please go to:

INTERACT NEWS

We are halfway through the year, and it has been a busy time for the Interact Club. We had ten students attend the RYPEN camp generously supported through the Rotary Club, our Mother's Day fundraise raised $808, and our very own Vice President Hannah Page bravely shaved her hair to raise money for Leukaemia Research.

We value every member of the club, and believe every voice matters, so the whole club has been voting for worthy organisations to donate our hard-earned funds to.

The executive team was invited to attend a Rotary Meeting, to share our success and accept a generous $500 donation.

Testament to our commitment to each member's personal development, we have an upcoming leadership workout on the June 22 that should prove valuable to the club's continuing growth and success.

Bring on Term 3!

Jasmine Beck Interact Club President

RYPEN? WHAT’S THAT?

Three Interact Club members– Luke How Son, Jack Killoh and Duli Jayalath– were sponsored by Willetton Rotary Club to attend a leadership camp.

Luke and Jack share their thoughts on the opportunity.

Luke Howson Year 12: The RYPEN or Rotary Youth Programme of Enrichment is a weekend long camp for 14 to 17 year olds, focusing on building leadership qualities as well as having an all-around fun time with other students from all over Western Australia.

Participants are sponsored by their local Rotary club to attend the camp, which allows anyone interested to participate in a weekend of both self-development and socialising in a supportive environment.

The camp is mainly facilitated by young adults of another Rotary program (RYLA) who are well-trained mentors with an exuberant attitude that allows the campers to be themselves.

The camp provides a technology free weekend that reminds us that we are able to have just as much fun without the need for electronic devices. It is held at the WA Serpentine Camping Centre, which has many facilities and is well catered for by dedicated staff members. RYPEN is held twice a year occurring in both the months of May and September and consists of up to 45 students.

Activities based at the camp consist of problem-solving games that each requiring a certain degree of team and individual thinking and participation. The activities throughout the camp are well thought out, in order to allow for development of both mental and physical strength.

My appreciation goes to the camp leaders, who spend an enormous amount of time and effort to produce a fun-filled camp from morning to night. They really do go beyond all expectations in all aspects. The camp has given me the opportunity to meet and learn about others from all walks of life but also to develop some leadership qualities that are necessary life skills. This is also a fantastic opportunity for youth to learn more about the amazing work Rotary does and the programs that are available to them in the future.

Jack Killoh Year 9: On May 12, I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to attend the Rotary Youth Program of ENrichment, or RYPEN.The camp lasted two days, from May 12-14, and is designed to develop leadership skills in young people. There were so many different things packed into one weekend that we hardly had a chance to sit down; the agenda consisted of numerous activities, ranging from lecture-like workshops, to hands-on tasks and games that tested our courage and leadership. The camp was run by a committee of facilitators, who put an outstanding effort into making it an enjoyable and educational weekend.

I thoroughly enjoyed the RYPEN camp and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in gaining leadership skills in a fun-filled environment. I learnt so much from this experience, including skills in goal setting, communication, integrity and reaching a consensus. I pushed myself outside my comfort zone in order to complete some of the activities and I came out of my shell especially by the second day. I thank the Rotary Club of Willetton for giving me this opportunity and allowing me to have such an amazing experience. To anyone who is thinking about applying for the next camp, I recommend doing so, because these camps are a once in a lifetime experience.

If you, or your son/ daughter, are interested in participating in a future RYPEN youth leadership camp, join WSHS Interact Club. We meet each Thursday recess in F13. We have several aims, one of which is to raise funds for great non-profit organisations. Another aim is to build the leadership and teamwork skills of our members. We welcome new members.

LIVING CHILD- A GREAT CAUSE INTERACT IS SUPPORTING

Papua New Guinea is our closest neighbour- just 150km from mainland Australia. But giving birth in PNG is a much different experience than here in Oz.

Living Child is a non-profit organisation making a difference to the lives of PNG women and their families. Living Child CEO and founder Sara David was guest speaker at a recent Interact meeting. She told students that an average of five women die each day in PNG from preventable causes related to giving birth.

The organisation is run by volunteers, equipping PNG women with basic equipment and training to improve the very sad rate of deaths of infants and mothers suffered in many areas of the country.

Mrs David inspired Interact members with her story, speaking of her journey from trepidation to courage when she first travelled to the area to provide assistance.

It takes a lot of courage when you first step into the unknown, Mrs David said.

Soon enough, however, she knew the people and the area, spending time listening to their stories and concerns. Now, local PNG medical staff enables the work of Living Child to continue throughout the year. Mrs David will join them in July to continue assisting Living Child’s life saving work.

Interact Club members were proud to present a cheque for $200 to Mrs David.

We hope to continue to support the organisation in various ways.

GIFTED AND TALENTED

2018 GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS

We have been conducting tours of the school for the parents and students who have received invitations to attend the Willetton Senior High School Gifted and Talented Program next year. Many parents are exploring their options as their child received multiple offers to attend specialist programs run by the Education Department.

YEAR 10 AND 11 COURSE COUNSELLING FOR GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS

Next term Mrs Hind and Mr Harvey will be interviewing Gifted and Talented students to guide them through the selection process for Year 11 and Year 12. This is an opportunity for students to review their progress and make informed choices about what subjects to select and consider strategies for success in their final two years of schooling.

LONG SERVICE LEAVE

Mr Hamley will be returning from his Long Service Leave at the beginning of Term 3. We hope he has enjoyed camping in the desert photographing rare parrots.

Ms Hind and Ms Genoni Senior Gifted and Talented Coordinators

THE ARTS

CINDERELLA ENCHANTED

Have you purchased your tickets?

Through TRYBOOKING or school registrar

When: Wednesday 26 July, Thursday 27 July, Friday 28 July at 7pm Saturday July 29 at 2pm
Where: Willetton School Theatre

Who will prince charming marry? Will he fall in love with the beautiful Cinderella, ride off on a white horse into the sunset and live happily ever after?

Book your tickets and enjoy the magical tale of this century old myth.

CAMP JUNE 9 – 11: POINT WALTER

What a weekend, so busy, such fun and sleep deprived.

Thank you to the five teachers and 60 students who attended. This was a weekend where the glue of sticking the production sections together occurs. A camp where the band, chorus and leads worked alongside each other, guided by the teachers to refine, assess and improve the staging of Cinderella Enchanted. Many hours were spent playing a musical instrument, singing, dancing and repeating lines.

By Saturday night, a little reprieve was needed – so Nikita our awesome stage manager organised a talent show. The opening act was by the five teachers who were invited to perform the Swans dance from Swan Lake. They were accompanied by saxophonist Keaton Van der Linden. Lots of laughs.

Thank you to the students who were always polite, respectful and considerate of the staff, their peers and the camp staff. Parents, they did you proud!

Words that describe our experiences at musical camp:

New friends made
Food and more delightful food
Sore fingers and mouths for the band members after many hours of rehearsing
Lots of laughs
Sharing the experience
Repeat; now say again with more passion
Sing again
Project your eye line
Where are you looking?
Spacing
Graceful, toes first
Only a 5 minute break
Focus focus!

DRAMA UPDATE

The drama department has been exceptionally busy this term.

On Monday June 12, the lower school showcase featured the Year 7 to 9 students. The students performed exceptionally well. We thank the hospitality certificate classes of Year 11/12 under the direction of Brad Curran and Kristen Gibson, as well as the Front of House students and the Creative Industries class which looked after backstage.

Congratulations to the two most recent appointed drama captains Georgia Barry and Lauren Cherry who have been busy assisting drama performances and creating new initiatives for the department.

The Year 11 production of Blood Brothers is busy in the rehearsal period. Please come along and support what will be an amazing show on Wednesday 28 June commencing at 6:30pm. Tickets are available through Qkr.

Coming up in Term 3 is the musical extravaganza, Cinderella Enchanted, the Year 12 Original solo performance night and the Year 10 production of Term 3.

Thank you all for the support of the drama program and we look forward to seeing you at future performances.

DRAMA CAPTAIN

Hi, I’m Georgia and I’m in Year 11, I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to represent The Arts as the senior school Drama Captain. Currently, I am studying Drama ATAR and I love it. Right now, we are working on Blood Brothers which is coming up in week 10. I also come in on a Tuesday morning to help with the awesome Year 7 and 8 Drama Club, working on Into the Woods.

Drama has always been a passion of mine, I studied it in the UK since Year 6 and when I moved here, to Willetton, in Year 9 I knew I had to keep doing it. It’s the best feeling for me being on stage, I get a rush of adrenaline even if I’m working on backstage. What I enjoy most is working with the younger students, seeing some awesome actors/actresses even at that age, it’s wonderful.

I am excited to see where I can provide initiatives for the Drama department this year.

Georgia Barry Year 11 Student

MUSIC NEWS: HOT OFF THE PRESS

CONCERT

Our 350+ music students performed at the Winter Music Showcase. With ten ensembles performing, the night was a great success.

IN TUNE

Students had a rare insight into the workings of a piano, with the help of professional piano tuners GW Ridge. While tuning our four upright pianos and baby grand, Gregory and Reece Ridge shared their knowledge with us. Students were fascinated to witness the process and hear the story behind a well - cared for piano.

Year 8 and Year 12 ATAR music students enjoyed a Q&A opportunity with piano tuners Reece (pictured) and Gregory Ridge, learning about the inner workings of our pianos

Members of the Junior Contemporary Guitar Ensemble have enjoyed playing old-school rock each Friday afternoon, getting ready for the Winter Music Showcase.

L to R: Lohitaditya Konwar, Anuvrat Goel, Hugo (Qiheng) Wang, Rafael Santoso, Radin Mansouri and Min Thant Kyaw

ENGLISH

SPELLING COMPETITION 2017

The following students are winners of the Willetton Senior High School Spelling Competition for Semester One 2017 completed on Education Perfect in the Term 2 school holidays.

The competition involved students participating in an online spelling competition made up of hundreds of words from the NAPLAN word lists in their own time.

Year 7 student Samuel Sundara Rajan was the overall winner. All winners received a certificate and book voucher.

A big thank you to all the teachers who encouraged these students to enter the competition.

Lara Duffy Acting Head of Learning Area English

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION

YEAR 12 OUTDOOR RECREATION

In Weeks 2 and 3 of this term students completed their Kayak Camp at Point Peron with Kayaking Instructors KP and Judy. Their journey began at the Wanbro Foreshore with a paddle through to Penguin Island for lunch. After lunch, we walked the island and saw some penguins fishing on the reef. The paddle then continued past seal Island where the students got up close to a couple of sea lions playing in the water around our kayaks. We managed to make it around Point Peron with the company of some beautiful dolphins and pulled the boats up onto the shore of our campsite.

Day two involved some skills with KP and a paddle to the Rockingham Foreshore. The students covered approximately 14 km of paddling over the two days and enjoyed the team bonding of camping out with their class. We are looking forward to starting our Surfing unit and making the journey down to Margaret River for the Surf Camp in Term 3.

YEAR 11 OUTDOOR RECREATION

The Year 11 students have had a busy semester. They started off the year snorkelling and displayed their skills in a Snorkel Camp on Rottnest Island at the end of Term 1. Students saw a wide array of marine life at the Basin, Little Parakeet Bay and Parker Point.

This term, we have been bushwalking in the Lesmurdie Falls area. Students have been enjoying the time getting to know their peers better and experiencing the outdoors. They have just completed a day hike on the Bibbulmun Track where they finished at Mundaring Weir. Groups took turn leading the hike and it was awesome to see the students take on a leadership role so well. The Year 11s will be moving on to navigation challenges next semester and mountain biking in the Kalamunda area.

Rianda Clemons Acting Head of Learning Area HPE

SENIOR GIRLS AFL - UPDATE

Round Three: Willetton 9 .5 (41) def St Mary's 1.0 (6)

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• Georgie went on a goal kicking rampage - no one could stop her
• The unstoppable twins make their mark though the mid and forward line #seeingdouble

Round Four: Willetton 3.10 (28) defeated Kolbe 1.0 (6)

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• Charli and Chloe's singing lifted the girls' spirits, the whole way to Rockingham!
• The flu bug has found the team - luckily it doesn't hinder their performance one bit!

Round Five: Willetton 8.4 (52) defeated St Brigid's 0.1 (1)

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• Charlotte Slaughter, the smallest member of the squad tackled the tallest attacker in the opposition and won a free kick for holding the ball
• Tanaya Kickett's first EVER game of AFL- she was put in Midfield and played like a natural!
• Tessa learns how painful it is when you are studded in the abdomen #ruckmansacrifice

Round Six: Willetton (27) def JSR (12)

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• Chloe Sauzier's first goal of the season!! Congratulations Chloe
• Pocket Rocket's Sophie Doran and Hannah Blyth steam through the midfield untouched
• WSHS will commence through to SEMI finals against the fourth team on the ladder

Sophie McLean HPE Teacher

Girls AFL Team with coach Ms Sophie McLean

L to R: Chloe Sauzier - Vice Captain and Tessa Miotti - Captain

HIGH SCHOOLS CUP NETBALL

This year Willetton has fielded four teams in each of the divisions of the High Schools Cup netball competition. At the end of term all teams had progressed through the first round.

The Year 9 and 10 team, coached by Mrs Banner, were runners up in the first South of the River day carnival in May and progress to the interzone final later this month.

In the second South of the River day carnival in June, the Willetton Year 7, Year 8 and Open teams coached by Ms Wheeler, Ms Clemons and Ms Hayes were all undefeated and will also progress to the interzone final.

Good luck to all players!

Year 7 HS Cup Team

Year 8 HS Cup Team

Year 7, Year 8 and Open Netball team

Andrea Wheeler HPE Teacher

YEAR 7 LIGHTNING CARNIVAL NETBALL

A record 43 netball teams from the South Coastal region participated in the Year 7 carnival on Thursday May 18. Willetton had four netball teams and the results were as follows:

Team 1 undefeated winning 5 out of 5 games!
Team 2 came 4th with 2 wins and a draw
Team 3 were runners up winning 4 games out of 5
Team 4 were runners up winning 3 games.

Many thanks to the Year 10 coaches and umpires, Gemma Bell, Trinity Cooper, Parveen Kaur , Jess Rolfe and Sami Polak and ex-student Siobhoin Ialacci (Class of 2016) who also umpired for us.

Year 7 Lightning Carnival Netball teams

Andrea Wheeler HPE Teacher

HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

YEAR 10 EXAM REVISION WORKSHOP IN HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

The Humanities and Social Sciences invited interested Year 10 students to join the staff for a workshop on exam preparation and technique. We were delighted by the number who attended and impressed with the level of maturity and engagement of the group.

There were a variety of presenters who each reviewed a portion of the courses that we have covered so far and gave specific skills tips and content reviews to give students an overview of what will be examined.

The workshop notes and presentations were uploaded to Connect for those who could not attend and to allow students the freedom to review what was delivered.

We have high hopes for this year group in their coming examinations and wish them all the best in all learning areas.

Thank you to our diligent HaSS staff who continually give of their time to support all year groups: Ms Stevenson, Mr Miller, Ms Fourie, Mr Johnson and Mr Toohey.

Ms Bettermann HaSS Teacher

SPINNING

During Term 2 Ms Travers’ Year 9 HaSS Modified class studied the Industrial Revolution and the changing methods of textile production. To help the class understand how textiles were made before the Industrial Revolution Mrs Yvonne Wade, our Education Assistant, brought in her spinning wheel and gave us a demonstration. Mrs Wade explained the parts of the spinning wheel, the different types of wool and then began to spin the wool into yarn. Thanks to Mrs Wade for bringing history to life in our classroom.

Ms Travers HaSS Teacher

Pre industrial spinning demonstration

LANGUAGES

FROM THE HEAD OF LANGUAGES...

Term 2 is always busy in schools, not only due to examinations, formal reports and teaching, but planning for the following year begins.

Year 9 students will soon be selecting courses for Year 10 2018, and we really encourage most students to continue their language learning. Successful completion of the Year 10 course is a pre-requisite for the ATAR courses in Years 11 and 12.

Language learning promotes intellectual development, enhances career prospects and improves communication skills. It also helps students to develop their understanding of other cultures and the structure of their own language.

I have provided some important information below regarding subject selection.

Many Willetton students participate in our exchange programs, having the chance to visit the country of the language they are studying. Our community provides wonderful support in opening their homes to be host families. Recent national and global events have really given a new perspective on the value of person-to-person international exchange and peace through understanding. AFS USA have published a blog from one particular mother who reflects on her commitment to providing her students with a good understanding of international connections:

Nathan Harvey Head of Languages Area

LOTE BONUS

Universities will give a bonus to any student who studies a Language in Year 12. For such a student the ATAR will be boosted by 10% of the final scaled mark. The score boost will apply regardless of which faculty of the university the student joins. This is a tremendous way in which language students are able to be even better off in the competitive field of tertiary entrance.

PERMISSION TO ENROL IN WACE LANGUAGES COURSES

All students intending to enrol in a Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) language course are required to complete an application for permission to enrol.

The objective of the language enrolment process is to ensure that students with a linguistic advantage in a language are not assessed against students who do not have the same advantage. Students deemed to have a greater linguistic competency than required by the course are not permitted to enrol.

The criteria for enrolment have been designed to assess the degree to which a student has had previous experience in, and exposure to, the language they wish to study.

Research into language acquisition has shown that people who learn a language during their ‘critical period,’ that is, between birth and around 10 years of age, have an advantage over those who learn the language outside of this period. It has also shown that children who are immersed in a language, for example, through growing up with the language at home, or spending time in a country where the language is a medium of communication and/or through attending a school where the language is the medium of instruction, have an advantage over other learners.

Year 10 teachers will be helping our students complete this process in the coming weeks.

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE/DIALECT (EAL/D) ELIGIBILITY PROCESS

Enrolment into EAL/D as a Year 12 student cannot occur without eligibility approval. For a student to gain approval to enrol, the appropriate eligibility application must be completed and submitted to the Schools’ Curriculum and Standards Authority, along with the required supporting documentation. EAL/D eligibility status is determined on a case-by-case basis.

Year 10 teachers have been helping our students complete this process.

FRENCH CLUB: KEEP CALM AND MANGE DES CRÊPES!!!

Salut tout le monde,

Do you want to learn about another culture? Do you want to know more about France? Well, head over to our French club to discover more about France! We make a range of different French foods and also listen to some really good French songs. We also play some very fun board games like Pictionary! So if you are interested come down and have some fun with us!

Last week we made some crepes! When we first entered we could already smell the ingredients that were sitting on the table. We walked inside and Amandine, our French assistant, guided us to mix all the ingredients together and to make the crêpes. Once we made them, we got to eat them straight away! After making the crêpes and eating them, I realised that I really like crêpes and now I love to cook them for my family.

Thank you Amandine! I really enjoy French club and I really recommend the French club to anyone that wants to learn more about France and the benefits of learning languages.

Devanarayan Venugopal Year 8

WHAT DO STUDENTS TELL ABOUT LEARNING KOREAN?

Having only introduced two years ago, many other students have no knowledge of the Korean language and how fun it is to study it. Personally, I chose Korean because I love the language and its culture. The city never sleeps and the language is always evolving, as if it was alive. Koreans have been brought up to speak politely to their elders and they still wear their traditional clothing to the events. Best of all, Korea has a great food and if you love spicy food, this is the place for you! Above all, I recommend and encourage students to learn Korean as it will open many opportunities for the future. Year 10 student

Korean is one of my favourite subjects in school. Through the Korean languages classes, I understand and experience both the traditional and modern cultures of Korea. The most enjoyable part of Korean is having fun learning and laughing with friends and doing interactive activities in class. One of my most memorable memories in Korean class is when we had the Korean Cultural Incursion in 2016. Learning Korean is great because we get to improve on our language skill and have lots of fun at the same time. I would love to go to Korea one day and use all the knowledge I’ve gained from Korean class. Year 10 student

KOREAN CLUB: MAKING AN ORIGAMI HANBOK

I started Korean club for the first time, and I had fun while learning more about Korea's culture.

We also do hands on activities. Furthermore, we also learnt about common phrases.

Korean club is great if you are interested in learning more about the Korean culture. We have done activities such as making an origami hanbok and learn to read the language, learning new words and phrases on the way.

IN THE EALD CLASSROOM – WORKING IN GROUPS

Reporters Interviewing their Classmates

This term, the 09EAL_2 class was assigned pair and group work to give them opportunities to be actively engaged in learning all about the newspaper report genre through interacting and communicating with one another.

Working in pairs and groups enables EALD students to develop their confidence in their oral skills, and communicate effectively with others.

Students Feedback

This term we learnt how to write news reports as a group. Group work has benefited me greatly. We were able to practise our communicating skills and help each other with the work – Milton

I like pair and group work because it is fun and we can learn more. – Jack

Group work in our EALD class is really fun. Interacting with others increases my confidence and I get to listen to other points of view. It’s hard to do one big task by myself so doing it with others makes the task easier, fun and interesting. – Kavya

Looking at the layout of a news report

2017 ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE POETRY COMPETITION

(L to R): Arjun Grover, Millie Sales, Sarthak Mehta (Year 8) and Samuel Sundara Rajan (Year 7)

Congratulations to our finalists: Millie Sales, Arjun Grover, Sarthak Mehta and Samuel Sundara Rajan who entered the 2017 Alliance Française Poetry Competition, as well as the language teachers and our assistant, Mrs Amandine Commergnat, who helped make this competition a tremendous success.

Mr Matthieu Heimel French Teacher

WELCOME TO OUR NEW JAPANESE ASSISTANT: SHIORI KITANO

My name is Shiori Kitano. I come from Kagoshima. I will be in Perth for the next 10 months to assist Languages students to learn Japanese. I would like to experience many things in Perth that I can’t do in Japan. For instance, I would like to visit Perth and its surroundings. I am looking forward to hearing a lot of advice from you.

Shiori Kitano Japanese Assistant

MATHS

OLNA SUPPORT CLASSES

The Mathematics Department have set up support classes for Year 10, 11 and 12 students who have to sit their Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA).

It is a requirement by the Education Department that students who do not attain a band 8 or higher in literacy or numeracy in Year 9, will have to pass OLNA to graduate with a WACE certificate.

Year 10 students have an extra class timetabled for them to receive teacher assistance to learn the content they struggle with. A range of practice tests are available for them to use in class and at home to support them to achieve success. It is important for these students to attend these after school classes, as without them they risk repeating the same mistakes in previous tests.

Students who do not pass OLNA in Year 10 are required to attend special classes during Year 11, until they pass.

Students who do not pass OLNA in Year 11 are then required to attend more classes during Year 12.

Students who do not pass OLNA in Year 12 do not graduate with a WACE certificate.

The Mathematics Department has found that attendance at these OLNA classes has a direct influence on student success. Many of our students who attend these classes regularly, go on to pass OLNA.

The following is an excerpt of a letter we received from a parent of one of our Year 10 students.

My son, in Year 10, has recently completed and passed the OLNA numeracy testing, a requirement where NAPLAN results have not been met. To be honest, we felt daunted that this lay ahead and would do so until he was successful in passing it. I was quickly put at ease in speaking with his Maths teacher, Mrs Amie Yost, as she explained how we would tackle this. Weekly timetabled support classes were set up and the resources were invaluable and a necessary progression towards his at home practices. My son is heavily committed outside of school and in keeping our communication lines open, Mrs Yost, myself and my son, were able to structure his timetable if need be, make sure his attendance at the support classes were met and encouraged him to work hard so that he could pass OLNA in his first attempt. I am indebted to Mrs Yost and the school for the support that we received, the above and beyond approach she/the school has given and the elation we all felt in finding out he had passed! I highly recommend and encourage any student doing OLNA numeracy, to take advantage of the classes and resources in order to pass OLNA successfully.

If you have any questions regarding these classes, please contact Mrs Amie Yost in the Mathematics Department.

NEW MATHS CLASSROOMS

The Mathematics Department are enjoying our new classrooms. Below are a few photos of some of these classrooms.

Mrs Yost’s Year 10 students in B05 investigating the Pythagorean theorem and the circumference of a circle

Kerri Kalotay Mathematics Teacher

SCIENCE

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CHEMISTRY QUIZ

Dear Parent/Guardian

I am writing to invite your child to participate in the 2017 RACI Australian National Chemistry Quiz.

The Australian National Chemistry Quiz is a unique chemical education activity. It provides a major focus for secondary school students on the relevance of chemistry in an exciting and stimulating way.

The Australian National Chemistry Quiz aims to promote interest in chemistry and the role of chemists in our society. The Australian National Chemistry Quiz is not a nationwide assessment of chemistry knowledge, but rather an opportunity to promote Chemistry and for teachers to gauge the understanding their students have of the subject.

All students receive a Certificate of Participation and we anticipate that 40% of all entrants will receive Certificates of Merit to acknowledge their efforts at Credit, Distinction and High Distinction levels. Students who obtain a perfect score of 30 receive a Certificate of Excellence and a Plaque. Students are encouraged to engage with the questions and are not penalised for incorrect answers. Students will only be competing with other students from their country or state, in the same year level.

The Australian National Chemistry Quiz is a true international competition with papers translated into seven different languages. The Quiz attracts students throughout Australia and 17 neighbouring countries. We anticipate an even greater response for this year’s Quiz including students from Switzerland, Austria and Germany.

The Quiz comprises of 30 multiple choice questions to be answered in 60 minutes.

The age divisions are:

• Junior Years 7-8
• Junior Years 9-10
• Senior Year 11
• Senior Year 12

The Competition will be held during Session 2 on Tuesday, August 1. Your child will miss part of the normal school day if they choose to attend this event.

Interested students please see Mr Ta (J-Block) during recess to obtain a Letter to Parents and the Consent form. Please note that all payments must be received before Friday June 23, 2017.

Hao Ta Science Teacher

SCIENCE CAFÉ 2017 – UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Science Café is a National Science Week event where Year 10 students are invited to network with scientists over morning tea. Over 70 scientists will attend representing various disciplines from universities, government and industry. Students will have a unique opportunity to speak one-on-one with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) professionals and gain practical knowledge about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The event is organised by the University of Western Australia (UWA) in conjunction with National Science Week organisation.

An opportunity exists for eight lucky students from Willetton Senior High School to join students from other metropolitan high schools at this amazing event.

The students will enjoy breakfast and listen to various science speakers from WA and/or interstate. In addition, all students will get a unique opportunity to speak one-on-one with notable scientists from the state’s universities, CSIRO, Engineers Australia, Kings Park and Botanic Gardens and Perth Zoo and receive practical knowledge about science career pathways.

Interested Year 10 students are invited to enter a draw by registering with Mr Ta from the Science Learning Area. All student entries will be placed into a box and eight entries will be randomly drawn. The lucky students will then be notified in due course.

Hao Ta Science Teacher

ICAS (INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS AND ASSESSMENTS FOR SCHOOLS) SCIENCE COMPETITION

The ICAS Science Competition was held at Willetton Senior High School during Session 2 on Tuesday May 30, 2017.

For over 20 years ICAS has taken place each year in schools throughout Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, the Pacific region and South Africa.

ICAS is an initiative of Educational Assessment Australia (EAA). EAA is a not for profit organisation owned by the University of New South Wales (UNSW).

ICAS provides an opportunity for all students to gain a measure of their own achievement in an external assessment situation. It provides teachers, parents and students with comprehensive reporting of results in Science.

All students receive a certificate and an individual student report indicating which questions they answered correctly, their total score as well as their average compared with the rest of the students in the state/region. The student report is also useful for highlighting student strengths and weaknesses in the skills and processes in Science.

These documents are suitable for your child to include in a portfolio.

High quality UNSW certificates are awarded for each year level in each state/region as follows:

High Distinction to the top 1% of entrants
Distinction to the next 10% of entrants
Credit to the next 25% of entrants
Merit to the next 10% of students
Participation to all other participating students

All students who achieve the highest score in each state/region receive a UNSW medal.

For more information please visit the EAA website at the link below, or email info@eaa.unsw.edu.au.

Hao Ta Science Teacher

YEAR 9 EXTENSION - ECOLOGY AT MURDOCH

Students had a fun day learning about the relationships between native flora and fauna and the conservation efforts put in place by Murdoch University to conserve the natural bushland. Thanks very much to the Murdoch Outreach Coordinators and Murdoch University academics for organising an amazing day for the students. Supervising Teachers were Mrs Haning and Mr Bruce Dopson.

After a long walk through the bush
Students from L to R: Yuri Kwon, Jayden Feng, Renee Harle, Lisa Hickey, Jotham Chee, Sourish Agarwaal, Someshwaar Ganesh , Saul Menendez, Asma Masood

Group photo at the end of the excursion
L to R: Mrs Haning, Murdoch University Outreach workers, all students of Year 9 extension, Mr Bruce Dopson (at the back)

Charissa Haning Science Teacher

TECHNOLOGIES

ROBOCUP JUNIOR

Saturday June 10, Jack Wright, Leah Adderley, Angus Spencer, Lohitadiya Kinwarr, Navdeep Kamboj, Saksham Kalia, Arjun Grorer and Gabriel Rapanaro met at All Saints College for the preliminary heats for the Junior Robocup competition. Willetton SHS has fielded two teams in the Rescue category, this is the first year we have entered the competition and the intention is to develop new teams each year. The state competition is held in August at Curtin University.

Our current two teams are preparing for the 2018 competition. The statewide competition is held in August at Curtin University. The two current Rescue teams meet each Thursday after school. The competition provides students with opportunities to develop programming and computational thinking skills using Lego EV3 robots. The students can enter the competition twice, before they are required to enter future events in the open category.

Mr Carmody Robotics Teacher

Members of the Junior Robocup with one of the Robocup organisers

COMPUTER SCIENCE EXTENSION

For many years now we have provided opportunities for students to develop extended skills in programming for two hours a week in Years 8, 9 and 10. With the increased emphasis upon Coding, Computational Thinking, Robotics and STEM, this specialist group has a great opportunity to develop these important skills in a supportive learning environment with other high achieving students. Recently, 77 students from Year 7 completed the entry tests for the Computer Science Extension program. The 25 successful students will be notified of their success by the end of the term.

Mr Carmody Teacher in Charge Digital Technology

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Graphic Design students in Years 8 – 12 continue to produce amazing work samples. Enjoy the galleries showcasing work submitted in the past few weeks.

HOME ECONOMICS

Lower school students have been doing some wonderful assessment tasks in the last few weeks. The Food Science and Technology students were exploring food products, where they came from and how they can be marketed for consumers in the supermarket.

The hospitality students helped out with Wellness Day producing smiley smoothies which were delicious and thoroughly enjoyed all students.

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING

CAREER AND ENTERPRISE AT THE CAREERS EXPO

On Friday May 26, Year 12 Career and Enterprise students made their way to the Convention Centre to gain as much information as they could about the possibilities for future careers and the education and training that would be needed.

Career and Enterprise students are encouraged to develop individual pathway plans, matching their interests, skills and values with a career. However, they work to have a contingency career or open themselves to new possible careers also.

In the lyrics to the song Beautiful Boy, John Lennon sings… “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”

This was the case for one student, Supuni Sirisena Archchi. After her visit to the Career Expo she had a major shift in her post Willetton career plan. She had planned to become a dance teacher, return to her home country of Sri Lanka and establish a dance school. Supuni is a talented dancer, responsible for choreography of Willetton SHS and local primary school performances.

Using the information she gained from speaking to the officers at the Career Expo and also following discussion with her parents, she has moved forward with her career planning for 2018. On Thursday June 15, she participated in an interview with the Australian Defence Force. Supuni has applied for the Defence Gap Year 2018. She will be applying for the role of army rifleman.

Where you start where you finish can be totally different places……. but a plan of some sort is needed to begin with….. as well as knowing places to get good information to make the best decisions.

We wish her well on her own personal career management journey.

Ruth Barratt Career and Enterprise Teacher

YEAR 8

MINDFULNESS EXPO

On the June 14, the Well-Being Committee held a Well-Being Exposition at lunch in the Quad. There were stalls with different activities and exercises, all which are used to de-stress students who had exams (the Year 11 and 12s). We had Lollipop Moments to acknowledge someone who has done something nice, scalp massages to relax the scalp, Tai Chi demonstrations, sumo wrestling along with many games and activities, yoga, and much more! This was held in order to help students de-stress and chill out. The Well-Being Expo was a successful event, as many students were interested in all the different stalls, games and enjoyed the free goodies.

Trinyce Tong Year 8 Student Wellbeing Representative

STARLIGHT CHARITY BAKE SALE

My name is Bethan Rosier and I am one of the 14 Year 8 councillors. Recently, we had a bake sale where all proceeds went towards Starlight which is a charity for children. In total we raised over $150. We sold brownies, cupcakes and finger buns. There were two stalls, one was placed by the bike racks and one was placed by the main gates. We raised most of our money on Friday as people actually remembered to bring their money. Some items cost $1.00 and some cost $1.50. Some people were even kind enough to donate some extra as one person gave $20. Doing the bake sale was a great experience of being a councillor and something for Starlight.

Bethany Rosier Year 8 Student Councillor

Being a councillor has a lot of responsibilities. One responsibility that we had to do was a bake sale raising money for Starlight Foundation. Thinking that it might not be popular enough we still volunteered for it and it turned out a huge success. We estimated that we would raise about $50 - $80 if we were lucky. It ended up being over $100. All the money raised went to Starlight Foundation. We felt really good as we knew it was going to a worthy cause. Overall the bake sale was really successful and we came away knowing that we helped a child in hospital recovering from their illness.

We also have our end of semester social coming up at Rollaways to celebrate and award the hard work the Year 8 students have achieved.

Corey Rynvis Year 8 Student Councillor

YEAR 9

YEAR 9 LEADERSHIP TRAINING DAY

In Term 1, the Year 9 councillors and peer leaders had an in-school incursion run by Mark from 4theTeam. Mark and his assistant, Evie taught us about different values of a leader, various ways of leading, and how we could use our strengths to work together. He didn't tell us what to do as a leader instead gave us some advice and stepped back, and used our experiences as a teaching point for everyone.

We did many team building activities in the quad and oval throughout the day. Many of those activities included using our own balance and stability, but most importantly, it showed us the importance of trust and collaboration between teammates, and personal sacrifices in exchange for whole-team victories (personal space was non-existent in one of the activities). The activities were meant to be (and were) frustratingly hard, teaching us through example to learn from our mistakes and not give up too easily.

It was an awesome incursion, and we all had a great day. Not only was it fun, we also gained many valuable skills, lessons and experiences worth taking home and remembering.

Xinyu Choot and Will Ho Year 9

MULTICULTURAL WEEK

Willetton Senior High School has always taken pride in celebrating the diversity of multicultural background we have at the school. During the last week of Term 1, our school was packed with different activities to celebrate the special event of multicultural week. There were stalls of cultural food, raffle ticket selling, dances, sporting events, songs and many other engaging activities.

This year, some of the Year 9 students, along with the huge support from Ms Atkinson, took part in organising and carrying out the multicultural week raffle. The students contributed by bringing in prizes from home and selling raffle tickets during recess and lunch all around the school. The prizes included hampers filled with loads of wonderful items, including a restaurant voucher and a delicious cake. For their efforts, the students were invited to come and join the multicultural lunch, with some of the students in others years and as well as with Mr Booth. The Year 9 students who helped out with multicultural week and Ms Atkinson would surely agree that it was a very amazing and enjoyable experience.

Hetvi Vyas and Asma Masood Year 9

ENERGY DRINKS

With energy drinks being so popular among people our age we all need to be aware of the amount of caffeine that we put into our bodies to stay healthy.

What is the recommended amount of caffeine for an everyday teenager?

It's recommended that an adult can consume between 300-400 mg, that is equivalent to 3-4 cups of coffee and teens around 100mg, which is only ONE cup of coffee.

Wesley Francis Year 9

YEAR 10

It has been another huge term for Year 10s. Meningococcal vaccinations, first exams, careers expo, willo walk, work experience and interschool sport for some. Here is a sample of what has been happening:

YEAR 10 LIGHTNING CARNIVAL NETBALL WEDNESDAY APRIL 5

This was the last lightning carnival for these girls. Most of them have played netball in this carnival since Year 8 No winning teams but great fun!

Year 10 Lightning Carnival netball

WILLO WALK

It was great to see the Year 10s participate in the willo walk during Physical Education classes. Many thanks to all those students who obtained sponsorship.

ELEVATE EDUCATION ‘ACE YOUR EXAMS’ SEMINAR WEDNESDAY MAY 24

In the lead up to exams we were able to offer the Year 10s the Elevate Education Ace Your Exams seminar . Ninety Year 10 students attended the after school seminar and learned some valuable tips about studying for exams.

Elevate exam seminar

WORLD’S GREATEST SHAVE

The Year 10 fundraiser World’s Greatest Shave was held on Tuesday May 16. We raised $550 from the our Crazy Hair Day. Kymba from 94.5fm was the compere for the head shaving which took place in the main quad at recess.

Many thanks to our team of head shavers Agastya Bakshi Year 8, Year 10s Brodie Hood, and student councillor Araan Kousari and Head Girl Hannah Page. In addition, Deputy Principal Phil Sherwood and PE teacher Andrew Stephen also gained sponsorship and shaved their heads.

Thanks to our fabulous hairdressers, our wonderful staff in the Resource Unit, Sharon and Michelle, Mrs Rajor, Mr Pretorius and Kammi from SG Hair design at Southlands. On behalf of the Year 10 cohort we thank you all for your generosity towards this wonderful cause. The fundraiser had particular significance to our school and year group as we lost a staff member, Alex Mellor in January who shaved with us last year.

Total funds raised by the team $4775.59

CAREER EXPO

On Friday May 26, the entire Year 10 cohort of 340+ students attended the Career Expo at the Perth Convention Centre. This marked the beginning of the careers and course counselling for senior school pathways. Students are currently being counselled during class time and should be bringing career and course information home to discuss with their parents. The next stage involves students seeking recommendations from their teachers for Year 11 courses. Before choices are finalised, students and parents meet with the school course counsellors to discuss their courses and pathways for Years 11 and 12 and beyond. Appointments will be available through the online booking process in weeks 4 and 5 next term.

Best wishes for the upcoming school holidays.

Andrea Wheeler Year 10 Coordinator

YEAR 11

YEAR 11 UPDATE

It has been a busy time in the Year 11 calendar.

I would first like to congratulate all students who sat their recent examinations. The behaviour of the students was outstanding. Now, it is time for the student to reflect, set new goals, discuss with their teachers and set realistic expectations when it comes to them making their final selections in Year 12.

I would like to personally thank the Year 11 councillors for all of their hard work in the preparation for the leavers’ jackets. The first round of jackets expected arrival is in Term 1 next year and the payment date is Friday July 28. We can accept any payments after this date. All students have been given a letter; there are spare copies at Student Services.

The councillors have also been busy working on the school ball for next year. Shortly, documentation will be given to students to allow more time for parents/guardians to pay for this event. Please put the date in your diary for Friday March 9, 2018 6:30pm-11:00pm.

It has been a privilege to watch the students grow from Year 8 to Year 11 almost becoming young adults. A tradition at Willetton Senior High School is the senior status trial. Because this year group has been exceptional with the majority early senior status is being introduced with documentation coming out soon to the students. The senior status trial begins soon and students need to remember that this is a privilege not a right - they have to earn it through their regular attendance of above 95 per cent, and the expectation of behaviour, positive attitude, completion and submission of work.

It is with sadness that I am temporarily leaving for long service leave. I will be away from August 5 to October 17. It is with pleasure that I leave the year group in the capable hands of Charmaine Smith who has worked with some of the Year 11 students in the past. I thank her for looking after the year group in my absence.

Thank you again for your support and communication throughout the year.

Take care and I look forward to my return in early Term 4.

Stefan Brand Year 11 Coordinator

YEAR 11 COUNCILLOR REPORT

The Year 11 council has been kept busy with various tasks, much of it being in preparation for Year 12. This includes planning for the ball, finalising the Year 12 Leavers’ jackets and considering an Open Day for Willetton Senior High School’s many clubs.

The ball has been one of the more prominent subjects of our meetings. Recently, we had a meeting with the photographer we have hired to take photos at the ball, with the result being a consensus among the council and Mr Brand over how we will distribute the photos after the event. However, other issues remain unresolved and so the ball will remain on our agenda for the time being.

We have also been busy finalising the Year 12 Leavers’ jackets for 2018. In the week before the beginning of Year 11 exams, the council set up a booth where students could try on sample jackets with the intent of eventually compiling everyone’s preferred size and nicknames for their jackets. The nicknames are currently being scrutinised by Student Services and Mr Brand, while the final design for the jackets is also being tweaked based on feedback given by students.

The Year 11 council has also been tasked with possibly running an Open Day for the clubs of Willetton. An idea that has been under consideration for a while, the Year 12 council approached us to run it as they are scheduled to do their WACE exams on the days it may be run. Although the idea has only just been opened to us and has thus been little considered in comparison to the ball and the leavers’ jackets, we plan on making it a primary subject in our future meetings closer to the date.

With the Year 11 exams now behind us, we will likely provide input in many other things that will be brought to our attention, leaving us more and more busy as the year progresses.

Leopold Ngu Year 11 Student Councillor

YEAR 12

YEAR 12 REPORT

With Term 3 around the corner Year 12s have reached the business end of their secondary school education. It’s that time of year where students are busily preparing for their mock examinations at school, finalising General and Certificate courses, submitting applications to tertiary institutions and applying for scholarships. Year 12s are encouraged to remain focused and make use of the support provided by the school. After school ATAR revision classes will be conducted throughout Term 3 and important information received from the universities and TAFE will be posted on Connect. Students and parents are invited to contact Mrs Warner-Gillon, Mrs Sorrell or myself to discuss any issues.

Remember balance is the key to a successful study program so students need to ensure they are eating well, getting plenty of sleep, limiting social media and doing some exercise!

Thank you to those Year 12 students who participated in our Act, Belong Commit chill out lunch this week. It was great to see your support and I look forward to further events.

It is pleasing to see so many Year 12 students engaged in a vast array of extra-curricular activities. We appreciate their efforts. We wish the many students involved in the Cinderella Enchanted production, early in Term 3, the very best. A big thank you goes to our head girl, Hannah Page, who participated in the World’s Greatest Shave and raised more than $2000 for cancer research. Our many senior sporting teams are also experiencing success and we have all benefitted from the hard work of the hospitality students. Congratulations.

As the colder weather approaches Year 12 students need to ensure they wear the correct school uniform. Senior students are seen as role models by our younger students and it is important we set the correct example. In addition Year 12s are asked to look after their Senior Status badges as too many are losing them at the moment.

Please be aware I will be on Long Service leave between weeks 2-5 next term. I will be introducing my replacement in the next few weeks. As usual, if any student or parent has a concern, the team in Student Services will be able to assist during my absence.

Colleen Hayes Year 12 Coordinator

SCHOOL BOARD NEWS

MEETINGS

The next School Board meeting will be held on Wednesday August 2, 2017. A list of Board meetings for this year can be found on the school website, under the School Board information. Please notify the Board office on 9334 7217 if you wish to attend. All are welcome.

SCHOOL BOARD COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES

Two members of the local community are appointed by the School Board in June each year for a 12 month term. We received a tremendous response and after much consideration, the Board is very pleased to welcome back Kailee Marshall, and extend a warm welcome to Trudi McGlade as our Community Representatives. We extend our appreciation to all who responded in their willingness to contribute to the functioning of our Board.

Many thanks to former student Jeremy Chetty, who has served on the Board as a Community Representative for the past 6 ½ years. His business acumen and contribution towards the establishment of the Alumni is greatly appreciated.

SCHOOL TOURS

The next school tour will take place at 9.00am on Tuesday July 25. Bookings are essential as places are limited. Please contact 9334 7217 to book a place.

ENTERTAINMENT BOOK FUNDRAISER

The 2017/2018 Entertainment Books are available to purchase through the School Board. For enquiries, please contact Helen Wong on helen.s.wong@education.wa.edu.au or 9334 7217 or make a purchase at the following link. Orders are available for immediate collection but supplies are limited so don’t miss out!

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

The School Board will no longer be selling the discounted movie tickets once our current stocks sell out.

Adult unrestricted tickets (end August 2017 expiry) are still available for purchase at $17 each, and are valid for use at any Hoyts cinema, Australia wide.

SECOND HAND UNIFORM SHOP

The second hand uniform shop is serviced by a dedicated team of vibrant and friendly parent volunteers. We will gratefully receive your donation of uniforms that your child has outgrown, with the sale from all garments being channelled back to funding projects around the school. We are currently low on stocks of the following items: dresses, sports jackets, sports shorts and senior sports tops. If you have these to donate, please drop them off at the front office or at the second hand uniform shop on Wednesday mornings.

UNIFORM CONCEPTS

Uniform Concepts (for new uniforms) will be closed for the first week of the school holidays, from Monday 3 July and re-opening Monday 10 July 2017.

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 email helen.s.wong@education.wa.edu.au or 9334 7217.

WILLO PARENT GROUP

MEETINGS

The Willo Parent Group meets each 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. For details of Willo Parent Group events, please contact helen.s.wong@education.wa.edu.au

CYBER SAFETY PRESENTATION

Our recent Willo Parent Group meeting was held on June 16 and was very well attended. We were privileged to have visiting speaker Dr Hee Jhee Jiow from Singapore present on Cyber Safety. Dr Jiow, a pioneer of the cyber wellness movement in Singapore gave some valuable insights into the dangers of social media and video gaming. His topics covered:

• Digital Divide
• Social Media Use and Video Gaming
• Parental Mediation
• Types of Advice to Provide Your Children to Keep Them Safe

This article appeared in Singapore's TODAY newspaper

Keeping it low­tech, but not no­tech

When Dr Jiow Hee Jhee’s eldest daughter Gabriella received her first smartphone at the age of 11, he got her to sign a “Smart Device Ownership” contract – a list of usage parameters, as well as his concerns and expectations of her mobile phone use.

By Eveline Gan

When Dr Jiow Hee Jhee’s eldest daughter Gabriella received her first smartphone at the age of 11, he got her to sign a “Smart Device Ownership” contract – a list of usage parameters, as well as his concerns and expectations of her mobile phone use.

“When I saw her proving to be a responsible media user, we gradually migrated to version two of the contract. By the third version, she was allowed to be on social media like Instagram,” said Dr Jiow, 45, an Assistant Professor at the Health and Social Sciences faculty of the Singapore Institute of Technology and a member of the Media Literacy Council.

“She’s no longer on the contract, but what I found amazing was how she deleted Instagram from her phone on her own a few months ago because she felt it was a distraction to her studies – that shows her maturity in media usage,” he said.

Having carried out research on Singapore children’s media habits, the father of four children aged six to 13 knows well the dangers of excessive media use within the family.

In his research, Dr Jiow found that one of the top reasons for high media consumption in children here is that parents are using smart devices as babysitting tools, and leaving their young ones unsupervised.

“In addition, some parents use media excessively, and this influences their children to follow their media habits,” he said.

Like the late tech maestro Steve Jobs, who limited the amount of technology his children used, Dr Jiow has kept to a relatively low­tech parenting style.

For example, mobile phones and other devices are off­limits during family gatherings and mealtimes – not that the children mind, as they love interacting with one another.

Most of their screen time is carried out for school work or as a family, such as a family movie date, or viewing Facebook content and sports videos together on a computer placed in the living room. On his part, Dr Jiow practices what he preaches and tries not to access his devices once he is off work.

“The kids did not get any screen time before the age of two. We also started them on sports and outdoor activities from a young age, so digital media does not have such a strong hold on them,” he said.

That said, Dr Jiow acknowledged that appropriate and guided use of digital media has its benefits, and forbidding usage might backfire.

For example, had he not allowed his daughter to have a mobile phone or to use WhatsApp, which she needed to communicate with her co­curricular activity team mates, she might have been socially ostracised, he said.

“Ultimately, it depends on what the media device is being used for. For example, if the child spends time on the Internet researching school work, you can’t say it’s bad because it serves an academic function,” he said.

Finally, parents need to be good role models when it comes to media usage.

“Some parents may feel that communication is best done over media but I personally see media as a tool – it is supposed to assist (in) communication, not replace it,” said Dr Jiow.

COFFEE MORNING – August 4

The next coffee morning will be held at 9am on Friday August 4. Guest speaker is to be confirmed but please pencil this date in your diary and look out for details in the Willo News or school website.