24 April 2014

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

This year, we have outsourced the formatting of our newsletter. We hope you are pleased with it and would appreciate any feedback you may wish to give us.

We are adjusting to the challenges brought about by the budget cuts and are working hard to ensure that the quality of education for our students remains at the highest possible level.

Our 2013 cohort again did us proud. A summary of results is posted on the school website and we encourage you to check them out. The 2014 twelves are an outstanding group and we are hoping for a performance which reflects their abilities and dedication. Each year, I meet with the heads of learning areas for an in-depth analysis of results and their plans for improvement. This is an important part of our continued aspiration to improve student learning.

As you can see as you pass by the school, the buildings are developing at a satisfactory rate. We are pleased that planning for phases 2 and 3 appear to be progressing; by 2018 we will have buildings and infrastructure which reflect the latest thinking in educational philosophy. Meanwhile, we live by the maxim no gain without pain.

Our students have participated in the new OLNA (Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment) testing. In 2016 all Year 12 students must demonstrate a competent level of literacy and numeracy in external testing through NAPLAN or OLNA as a one of the criteria for secondary graduation. Students who have not succeeded at the required skills and knowledge levels by the end of Year 10 will be enrolled in special programs to assist them.

This year is the commencement of our second triennial cycle as an Independent Public School. Our new Business Plan is nearing completion and after ratification by the School Board will be posted on our website. Please take the time to peruse it as it contains a wealth of information about our goals, value and targets, as well as the resources we have to achieve them.

We are already preparing for our double intake in 2015. Our challenge is to design a model of teaching and learning to fit the needs of all students. We will be catering for 12 to 18 year old students with a range of intellectual, emotional and social needs. This is a challenge which we face with assurance and optimism.

Chris Booth

SCHOOL BOARD CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT

Welcome to a new year at Willetton Senior High School. It is hard to believe that we are already nearly at the end of Term One of what is sure to be a very busy year! I would like to extend a warm welcome to all our new students and their respective families and I am positive that the whole Willetton Senior High School experience will be something that will stay with you well past your years as part of our school community.

This is also a great opportunity to acknowledge the many successes of our 2013 Year 12 students in their ATAR and VET programs. As both a parent and Chair of the Board, I am very proud to be associated with such a successful school with a culture where the staff empower students to reach their full potential. Congratulations to all of our 2013 Year 12s. I am sure we will see similar achievements from our Year 12 students this year, and I wish them every success.

It is a pleasure to see how construction has progressed on the new buildings, and it isn’t hard to imagine how great the finished product will look. We are hopeful that it will be completed within plenty of time before the arrival of the year 7s next year. The next phase of the building program has been approved and contracts will be let very soon. This is all very exciting and will change the landscape of the school completely and very much for the better.

A large thankyou to our two outgoing Board members, Scott Henderson and Aravindhan Rajaratnam who over the past five years (Scott) and two years (Aravindhan) have been a great asset to the Board and to the school. They both gave their time and expertise and I would like to thank them and wish them well.

The new members of the Board are Simon Lappin, Paola Chivers and Tele Tan. Welcome aboard. I am sure that you bring valuable skills and knowledge that will make a positive contribution to the School Board.

All Board members can be contacted to answer any questions you may have.

Lindsay Holland

HEAD BOY AND GIRL REPORT

This year, Willetton Senior High School is changing. As the re-build is making progress, we find ourselves on the brink of the inclusion of Year 7s and the final year of everybody's favourite year group: the half-year cohort (that's us!) We are all aware of the transitory phase in which we find ourselves and the opportunities it will create in the future and we are very excited.

As the student leaders, we are determined to make 2014 both a successful and a memorable year for the outgoing Year 12s, as well as help guide the junior years through the beginning of this transition. The challenge we have set ourselves, along with Ms Kelly and the Year 12 Council, is to build memories and opportunities for students that they will endure in this changing landscape.

As well as supporting the school and our year group through 2014, we are also determined to remain active within our local community. As we are given more and more opportunities to embody our motto Give, Grow, Guide, we want to use these opportunities to their full potential, demonstrating to the world what Willetton Senior High School encourages us to be. We are proud to play a part in the leadership teams for 2014 and promise to do our best to build something that lasts.

Mark Brisbane & Amberly Kilmartin

CONGRATULATIONS JACOB BARON

Jacob entered the Simpson Prize Competition where 920 students submitted an essay or an audio visual presentation on the ANZAC legend.

Students were asked to consider how well the Anzac legend tells the story of individual Australian soldiers during the First World War, using their own research and selected sources from the Australian War Memorial.

Jacob, 15 secured a place at ANZAC Cove for the dawn service at Gallipoli and will give a reading at the Lone Pine ceremony.

A fortnight ago, the 2014 Simpson Prize students visited the Australian War Memorial where they met Director Dr Brendan Nelson and were given a special behind the scenes tours by staff members. They also laid wreaths at the Last Post Closing.

Congratulations Jacob for being one of only eight winners to participate in this epic journey. We look forward to hearing about your experiences upon your return.

SENIOR SCHOOL COURSE CHANGES

We hope all students have settled into school at this stage. However, if there are concerns about the appropriateness of their courses, please contact their course teachers to discuss progress.

If a review is recommended please make an appointment to discuss the options with Maura Sorrell or Lana Warner-Gillon in Student Services before April 10. Where changes into different year long courses do occur, students will be expected to catch up on work missed.

SPECIAL EXAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS

Application forms for special arrangements for the 2014 WACE examinations are now available from Christine Petersen, Julie Bergin and Natalie Mellgren (School Psychologists) or Maura Sorrell and are to be used for Year 12 candidates with a permanent or temporary disability that may disadvantage them. Illnesses, such as diabetes, are classified as permanent disabilities and candidates will need special arrangements approved to take medication, food and extra drink into any examination. Special arrangements are available for both practical and written examinations.

An appointment is essential with one of the above school contacts within the next few weeks to review current arrangements and to collect and discuss requirements of the application. Any student seeking any type of variation to the standard examination conditions must have an application form submitted and will need sufficient time to provide evidence to support an application. Due to time constraints, outside testing may be required and there can be substantial waitlists.

If a student has recently been diagnosed with a disability, it is important that an appointment is made as soon as possible to establish a likely arrangement and to explain the application form and associated requirements and testing.

Applications for special examination arrangements, along with all supporting information, are due to be submitted to the School Curriculum and Standards Authority by the school before May 16, 2014. In order to meet this deadline and to complete the application process the form will need to be returned to the school by early May.

Until a decision has been made by the Authority, all existing special arrangements must be considered temporary and subject to change. Applications are considered on an individual basis and are based on the current functional impact of that disability in timed assessments.

Special format practical examinations will be required for any candidate with a long-term injury or illness affecting their participation in standard practical examinations as there will be no sickness/misadventure avenue for them. Late applications will be accepted until August 1 for practical examinations.

Where students currently in Years 10 and 11 are identified with a disability, early contact with Christine Petersen or the school psychologist is advised so that the school may trial arrangements for timed assessment tasks.

The following contact details are provided for additional information:

Deputy Principal Christine Petersen – 9334 7203
Program Coordinator Maura Sorrell – 9334 7229
School Psychologists Julie Bergin or Natalie Mellgren - 9334 7238

WILLETTON ROTARY COMMUNITY FAIR

The Fair was held on March 30, and it was a delight to see over 30 Years 10 to 12 Willetton students assisting with a variety of activities including face painting, helping out at cardboard city, cutting up fresh fruit for serving, art & craft, setting up and packing away. The Rotary Club of Willetton is very grateful for the extra support provided by the students, and they were exemplary ambassadors for the school.

Helen Wong

Rotary Club - Student volunteers with Rotarian Mrs Leith Singe

HALOGEN YOUNG LEADERS’ CONFERENCE

At 7:30am on Monday March 24, 50 YearS 8 – 10 students and three teachers went to the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre for the 2014 Halogen National Young Leaders’ Day. We joined approximately 900 other students from all over Western Australia. The purpose of Young Leaders’ Day was to show that anyone could become a leader, emphasising different styles of leadership. The day consisted of speeches delivered by inspirational people from different areas of society, as well as a mini expo. The expo included organisations such as Defence and Zero2Hero and different universities within the Perth region.

There were five people who delivered a speech. They were Executive Director of Halogen Foundation, Mike Martin, former West Coast Eagles player and coach, John Worsfold, Commissioner of Fire & Emergency Services Wayne Gregson, Founder and CEO of Zero2Hero, Ashlee Harrison and Mountaineer, Patrick Holingworth. Patrick spoke about his experience climbing Mount Everest and encouraged us to consider the value of pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone to discover our true selves.

Overall, the day was inspirational. The speakers gave all of us lots to think about and made us think about how we can contribute to our community in the short and long term, both from a local and global perspective. A big thank you to the School board for funding the excursion.

Nicholas Sereda, Year 10

RELATIONSHIPS AUSTRALIA is holding a series of education courses for high school parents April to June 2014. For more information phone 9489 6322.

REFLECTIONS FROM WORLD CHALLENGE TEAM 2

World Challenge consists of four phases, acclimatization, the project, the trek, and rest and relaxation. Our group was lucky enough to work on a project out in Mkak, a small farming village around 60 kilometres out of Siem Reap, Cambodia. It's funny because as Australians there are some things that we don't associate with poverty. Lush green jungles and starvation aren't things that my mind had ever really put side by side, seeing phones in the hands of people regularly exposed to malaria-infected mosquitoes didn't quite compute, and seeing smiles on the faces of kids who were far too skinny for people surrounded by acres of farmland was unsettling. To be given the opportunity to be immersed within these contrasts and work to help make them slightly more bearable for the population of Mkak was humbling. And with the school's help, we raised close to $2000 which went on to make a permanent impact on the lives of people over there. We bought textbooks, pencils and sports equipment for the kids, building materials like concrete and steel some of which we used to erect the foundations of a new classroom, and on top of all that purchased a concrete mixer which will speed up the building process for every other group that visits the village.

After Mkak we left for Dalat, Vietnam where we spent nearly a week trekking through the hills. By the end of the trek we would have passed through and over rivers, up and down hills, through coffee farms and alongside cows, we'd have dug a lot of toilet-holes and gotten progressively better at packing and unpacking our tents and progressively more disillusioned with walking games. You could probably have just about brought some of us to tears with the mere mention of "four is constant", and "Doug" the toilet-digging shovel had lost the screw which kept him from collapsing in on himself while digging. So on the last night when our guides made us a traditional Vietnamese dinner to share over a tarpaulin which was far too small for the size of our group, our natural reaction would probably have been to load up and take our plastic bowls to the fire where it wasn't cold and dark. But no one moved. Instead we stayed with each other, sitting in our irregular and slightly uncomfortable circle-ish shape and ate, reverently, maybe stopping every now and then to say something about how great everything tasted. We all slept well that night.

The Vietnamese word for thank you is Cám ơn (pronounced Gahm uhn), and over the course of World Challenge we learned not only how to use it, and use it frequently but also how to mean it. It's lessons like these that have kept us talking about the experience, and made it what it was. Life-changing."

Mark Brisbane

SECOND HAND UNIFORM SHOP

Please remember to donate all of your second hand uniforms to us as all profits we make go straight back to our school . You can drop them to the front office at any time or to us on a Wednesday.

Opening times: Wednesday 8:45-11:15.

All items are sold for $5 with the exception of

Sports Jackets $15
Dresses $15
Jumpers $10

We are also collecting any bed sheets in good condition and donating them to children in need. If you can donate please drop them off to us at the second hand uniform shop on a Wednesday and NOT at the front office

Karen and Serene.

YEAR GROUP REPORTS

Year 8

I can’t believe that the end of first term is drawing near, it has been great to meet and assist the transition of the Year 8 students and settle into my role as the Year 8 Coordinator.

The teachers are impressed with the overall manners of this group of Year 8s. As a cohort, we have been focusing on three areas; organisation, manners and the environment.

Next term our focus will be on resilience, commitment and homework versus study.

I have also been impressed with how many students have volunteered to be part of committees and teams such as the filming/photography committee, social committee, fundraising committee, environment committee, front of house teams, boys and girls AFL teams, gavel club or backstage for the musical.

There have also been events on the calendar where the students’ behaviour and commitment are to be commended. Big Day out was a huge success and thanks must go to Judy Gauci ( Year 10 Coordinator) , the Physical Education staff and the fantastic peer leaders.

Thank you also must go to Helen Wong for organising the Welcome to Willetton for new parents/guardians. It was a great opportunity for parents to meet.

An event on our calendar to be performed at the end of Term 1 in 2015 is the musical Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat. I was pleased to see a many Year 8 students audition and congratulate the following students Marnie McKenna, Sascha O’Connor, Adhya Thundathil Sreekanth, Abi Sun, Joshua Rangan, Valentina Authelet, Sarah Forsyth, Aaron Chappell and Shefali Tantry on their success.

Some Year 8 students had the opportunity to attend the National Leaders’ Day conference where they heard from various leaders in our community including John Worsfold. The students who attended were the finalists in the School Board Young Leader’s Scholarships. Congratulations to John Benedict, Ben Hawking, Lycia Liew, Aidan O’Brien, Mya Plumridge, Sienna Rowson and Kaylee Wong. Our winners of this scholarship were Charlie Watt and Jasmin Ely. I have been very impressed in how they have been conducting themselves as presenters at the year group assemblies.

Congratulations to students who have been receiving merit points from their teachers. At assembly every Wednesday, we present a certificate and a movie voucher to the top student who has received the most merit points from teachers and a raffle winner ( all students that have received a merit point go into a raffle draw). Our three most recent winners have been Sarah Musumeci, Jasmin Ely and Sophie Walker. Congratulations to all of you.

Interim reports are coming up for the Year 8 students. Most teachers will be providing feedback on the students’ progress at the beginning of next term and from there you will be sent information on how to book a teacher/parent interview on May 15. Please ensure that you get in early to book an appointment as they do get filled. If you are unable to get an interview please contact the individual teacher direct.

I have been sending out emails to parents on the mailing list. If you have not been receiving these emails please contact me on stefan.brand@education.wa.edu.au and we will update our records.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s progress please contact me.

Stefan Brand
Year 8 Coordinator

Big Day Out

Year 9

Term 1 is rapidly drawing to a close and it would seem that the transition from Year 8 to Year 9 has gone smoothly for most students.

We have many new Year 9 students and I welcome them to our community and remind them to come and see me in Student Services if they need some assistance. All new students enjoyed a welcome BBQ last week where they had the opportunity to meet new friends and staff.

Congratulations to the newly elected Year 9 Student Council comprising of 12 students Niklesh Warrier, Lilli Watt, Millie Grlusich, Thomas McDonald, Joanne Cheyne, Ana Sharafi, Andrew Tan, Sinya Zheng, Chloe Tucek, Carmel Palan, Mia Allsop, Aashks Bhavsar. They are working hard as a team and have organised some exciting new initiatives and events.

Many students have signed up for the Pass it Forward campaign where each student is linked with another Year 9 student whom they may or may not know. They have two weeks to do something nice or favourable for that student with the idea of getting to know them better and discover some of their interests and likes.

We have also started a Recreation Club on a Wednesday after school where all Year 9 students are welcome to participate in a non-competitive recreational pursuit.

An ice-skating event is happening at Cockburn Ice Arena on the April 8 and all students are reminded to buy their tickets soon.

We have had approximately 20 students sign up for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme and I look forward to encouraging them through the requirements to receive their initial Bronze Award and hopefully Silver and Gold in the future. Students can continue to sign up at any time.

Sixteen Year 9 students have attended the National Young Leaders’ Conference and should have many new ideas and initiative to share with the group.

The swimming carnival went well with some Champions coming from our year group. Congratulations to all students who participated.

On a behavioural note, I am, as always, encouraging all students to take responsibility for their own learning and behaviour and begin to realise they are fast becoming young adults who need to face up to the consequences of their actions both good and bad.

Parents are welcome to contact me at any time with questions and concerns and I thank those parents who I have had contact with me already this term.

Colleen Hayes
Year 9 Co-Ordinator

Year 10

The Year 10s have had a promising start to the year. One hundred students have made a valued contribution to the incoming Year 8 cohort as Peer Leaders at school, the Big Day Out and various swimming carnivals. I thank these students for their time and outstanding effort over the past few months and the role they have played in supporting their younger peers and teachers. Thanks also to the student council who are working hard on planning guest speakers for assembly, social events and coordinating the 2014 ANZAC ceremony to be held in Week 10.

We have celebrated five Year 10 students achieving their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards at assembly. Congratulations to Sonia Bouska, Emma McLean, Bo Davie, Kanhav Goyal and Jesse Naylor Zambrano. Over 30 Year 10 students are now registered as part of the Duke of Edinburgh program and we look forward to seeing many more students receiving their awards and attending our camps later in the year.

This term really is the calm before the storm as the cohort anticipates their first set of examinations in term 2 and the commencement of the Decision Time program aimed at preparing them for their transition into Year 11. Good study habits, one hundred percent attendance and working to the best of their ability in all lessons will ensure students have their widest choice of courses for Year 11 in 2015.

Judy Gauci
Year 10 Coordinator

Year 10 Peer Leaders at Big Day Out

Year 11

What a frenetic beginning to 2014 it has been for the Year 11s. It started with them arriving in their new white shirts and straight away accepting the responsibilities of being a senior student at Willetton. I was amazed how much they had matured (and grown) over the summer holidays. On day four of the term I was pleased to watch two Year Eleven boys reprimanded some Year 9 students for doing the wrong thing; and amused by the knowledge that these older boys had done the same thing countless times in previous years but had now realised the error of their ways.

As the term progresses the pressures of senior school really hit home. People realized that Year 11 is a huge step up from Year 10. The pressure to perform constantly and the high expectations from teachers and parents have made it difficult for some students. With the careful guidance and support from Mrs Sorrell and Mrs Warner-Gillon hard lessons have been learned about selection of suitable courses and what is expected as students move into a more adult world.

As the term moves on, some students struggle with some aspects of year eleven. Students need to reflect on the effort that they are putting into school, because without one hundred per cent effort, potential achievement remains potential rather than actual. It might mean that sacrifices need to be made in other areas but the rewards in a few years will be worth it and will set you up for a positive pathway in life. Talking with many of the elevens, I know that they can put in that little bit extra. Over the past ten years many students have relied on natural ability to get through school but that is now insufficient. A good education is not a free gift; it is gained through hard work and application.

Parents, here is a myth that I need to dispel. When your child says but I have no homework, it’s most likely not true. There are always things to do; extra examples to consolidate understanding, preparing study notes (and using them) for upcoming exams, completing assignments over a week rather than Sunday night, and getting organised with files and folios. It is a realistic expectation that Year 11s should be doing twenty to thirty minutes of homework for each course five times a week.

I must congratulate the Year 11 student councillors for their tireless application to their extra responsibilities; planning for the Year 12 Leavers Jackets is well underway, preparations for the ball early next year are beginning to occur. A highlight of Term one was the river cruise along the Swan. As usual for Willetton students, everyone was perfect. The glow sticks and the finger lights were fantastic. Thanks to Daniel and Zheng for their fine photography on the night.

Sophocles wrote; Success is dependent on effort. I would encourage all Year 11s to place those few words into their long term memory. As the exams get closer, now is the time to put in that extra effort.

Paul Hogg Year 11 Coordinator

YEAR 12

Another great year has started and I welcome back parents and friends and hope that this year is as successful as the previous four.

I am very pleased with the hard working council and working party which in no small way made the Ball such a great success. Congratulations must also go to well deserving Head Boy and Girl Mark Brisbane and Amberly Kilmartin – they are leaders who lead by example and are impressive role models for the rest of the school.

Year 12 Councillors, as well as Head Boy and Girl include – Hannah Jokovich, Shevonne Kwan, Shanae Tuxford, Jamie Stackpole, Emil Nedved, Imasha Seneratne, Astrid Sweeney, Jeswin Babu Vadakampadan, Suthish Rathkrishnan, Regina Mobley, Alysha Oorjitham and Valerie Hew. Working Party – Sam Jeffries, Jagruti Makhijani, Nadya Haryanto, Nikunj Patel, Lowenna Clemence, Dana Griffiths and Shane Ratnayaka. This combined group are actively working towards the Graduation video and Year book submissions, other social events, fundraisers, Relay For Life and distribution of the Leavers jumper.

This wonderful leadership group planned and organised the Ball to perfection and a great night was had by all. Held at Fraser’s Kings Park for the first time, students danced the night away. Food and drink was plentiful and combined with a view second to none, a photo booth and professional photographer, the evening flew and before we knew it, the event was over all too soon. Discs and order forms for the professional photos are available and students are asked to order and return the forms to the Registrar’s Office by April 10.

Congratulations to Amberly Kilmartin, Suthish Rathakrishnan, Bianca Wardle, Teigan Klashorst and Ann Marie Maddocks for their inspired creations at the morning dress up for charity – they won free tickets to the Ball. Students raised $1000 which will be donated to Red Kite. They also provided canned goods, which will go to needy families in the community.

Now that the excitement of the Ball has subsided, this wonderful group look more than happy to turn their full attention to their studies and achieve the results needed for their future ambitions. I remind parents and students to avail themselves of Student Services if they have any questions or concerns as the year progresses.

The next big event on our calendar is the Relay for Life, held on May 3/4 at the State Athletic track. This event has always been well supported and involves a group of senior school students who keep batons moving for a full 24 hours, in order to raise much needed funds for cancer research. More details will be available closer to the date. We will hold a fundraising day Friday April 4, which includes free dress, sausage sizzle, bake sale and other initiatives created by student inspiration.

Star badge nominations have been awarded to Ryan Cheok, Shanae Tuxford, Melissa Lake, Nathan Male, Daniel Bettermann, Ciara Starling, Aaron Sy-Siong and Bijan Biares, Kyle Lannen, Shoudy Chen, Teigan Klashorst, Courtney Hanney and a large group of Japanese students both for test results and for assisting a delegation of Japanese University lecturers. These badges and awards recognise excellence in a variety of fields and the students are to be congratulated for their endeavour and success. Dennis Zhao and Lucas Liew also received recognition for winning Senior Boys interschool doubles badminton competition the day after the Ball – well done boys. Congratulations to Jordan Fry and Taylor Grant who helped Willetton retrieve its first division status in the swimming carnival on the day of the Ball. Further testament to the wonderful sense of community enjoyed by this group.

Please keep in touch if there are any concerns. Student Services is always available and willing to help and has a wide variety of resources.

Chris Kelly Year 12 Coordinator
Chris.kelly@education.wa.edu.au

Senior Gifted and Talented Program

On Wednesday afternoons between 2:45 and 4:45, Years 11 and 12 Senior Gifted and Talented students are encouraged to join our study group in the library. Students work together in subject specific study groups, receive help from our former top performing Gifted and Talented students now at University as well as support from the Senior Program Coordinators. The study group aims to help students complete homework, understand important concepts and study for tests and exams.

Many students in the Senior Gifted and Talented Program have offered their time and knowledge for peer tutoring. This will provide all senior school students the opportunity to work with peers with expertise in different upper school subjects.

Targeted revision for a range of subjects will be offered to Years 11 and 12 Senior Gifted and Talented students next term in preparation for semester one examinations.

Free Peer Tutoring for Years 11 and 12 students

Year 12 Senior Gifted and Talented students are providing tuition in subjects across a range of Year 11 and 12 courses. Students have volunteered time before and after school to work with any senior school student who is experiencing difficulty in a particular subject. This may take the form of revising a concept, completing a particularly difficult homework problem, studying for a test, or discussing ideas for essays or oral presentations.

Timetables with email contact details have been placed in F block and any student wishing to avail themselves of this opportunity needs to work out a time that suits both. Morning sessions are 7:45 to :.15 (in F Block) and Wednesday afternoon sessions go until 4 pm (in the Library).

We urge students who are having difficulties or just want to work collaboratively to take up this offer. Parent enquiries are welcome.

Julie Hind & Shelley Genoni
Senior Gifted & Talented Coordinators

LANGUAGES

Important Information for students in Year 10 and below

A summary of the new requirements for enrolment in Language Courses

The Board of the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) has considered and approved the introduction of WACE background language in all six offered languages in Years 11 and 12 starting in 2015. Background will replace the current Heritage terminology.

All current Year 10 students wishing to commence study in a WACE language course in Year 11 2015 will be required to complete an Application for permission to enrol in a WACE language course during Term 3, 2014.

Students who have typically been brought up in a home where the language is used and there is a connection to that culture will not be eligible to enrol in a Second Language course even though they may have received most or all of their formal education in schools where English is the medium of instruction. These students would be eligible to enrol in Background Language courses. Currently, Willetton SHS, like most schools does not run Background Courses.

More information the application process for current Year 10 students will be made available in Term 2. For further information please contact your Languages teacher.

Mike Rosa Teacher of Languages

Italian

We have had the pleasure of an assistant language teacher, Sofia Bonfanti, as part of the WAATI Assistenti Linguistici Program and partnership with The Catholic University in Milan. Sofia works in classes with students helping to improve their Italian and supports teachers in the development of learning materials.

Sofia is impressed with the commitment and love for learning of Willetton Italian Language students.

Ms Sofia Bonfanti leading the lesson

Japanese

We have had the pleasure of hosting Ms. Kaoru Yaekura from Kagoshima University for the past year as an assistant teacher and it is already time to say さようなら. We would like to thank Kaoru for all her hard work – she will surely be missed by our department and all the students she has worked with. All the best, Kaoru!

Promoting our upcoming Multi-Cultural Week in Kimono, from left – Ms. Haruko Nomoto, Ms. Marilyn Onishi, Ms. Kaoru Yaekura

French

Alliance Française Film festival: “Belle et Sebastien”

On March 27, a group of Years 10 and 11 French language students went to see a French film called “Belle et Sebastien” at Cinema Paradiso in Northbridge.

The excursion was a wonderful experience for us. It was a brilliant way to expand our vocabulary as well as immersing us in the culture and the history of France during the Second World War. “Belle et Sebastien” was an adorable film which left everyone smiling. It was certainly a great day.

Amy Walsh and Jin Chan Year 11

PHYSICAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

2014 Swim Team Report

After a big effort in 2013, we still managed to be placed back in B Division this year for the SSWA Interschool Swimming Carnival at Challenge Stadium. We have been very successful at B Division carnivals in the past and all students involved were looking forward to the coming event. We then found out that the Year 12 Ball was on the same day as the carnival – this resulted in our Year 12 swim team being extremely depleted.

Due to a minor booking clash with Riverton Leisureplex, we had to attend the Zone Swimming Carnival on Friday March 7 at South Fremantle SHS with a large group of students trying out for the team – especially the Year 8 and Year 10 students, before having any trial swims. Our swimmers were fantastically behaved and dominated the pool taking a majority of the first place ribbons. We won this carnival easily and it gave me a good idea of the strong swimmers in the team.

With little preparation time, we flowed straight into the intra-school swimming carnivals for the Year 8s and 9s on Monday and Tuesday March 10/11. These carnivals are great fun and involve a number of short races, some novelty team races and the 50m championship events. The competition was hot all day with some outstanding individual efforts as well as some great team spirit in the novelty relays. The carnivals were a great chance to identify and consolidate the exceptional swimmers in our Year 8 cohort as well as consolidate the Year 9 members of the team. The senior school swim team also attended the carnival as part of the final official trial for positions in the team. It is a great spectacle for the younger students to see the best swimmers in the school perform and as always some great times and personal bests were recorded.

With little time in between, I had one day to prepare the team for the big tasks of taking on some top schools at Challenge Stadium on Thursday the March 13 in the B Division Interschool Swimming Carnival. We started very strongly and didn’t let up all day, with a number of exceptional performances. The students competed very hard all day and many outstanding individual efforts were rewarded and as always, the students’ behaviour was fantastic and really enhanced the reputation of the school. At the end of the day, after some great performances in the team relays, Willetton was named as the winning school by 175 points. We now look forward to next year as we move up to A Division and with a solid, strong team are looking to hold our place amongst the top schools in the state.

Thank you to all the swim team members for 2014 especially our Yeasr 8, 9 and 10 students who swam for our absent Year 12 team. Of special note are our two brave and spirited captains – Year 12s Taylor Grant and Jordan Fry, who gave up the Year 12 dress up day and their own ball preparations to again represent the school and lead the team to a resounding victory.

I look forward to the 2015 swim season.

Blair Kearsley
Health and Physical Education Teacher

Year 8 Big Day Out – Monday March 10
Results – Diamond 767 points Ruby 558 points Emerald 397 points Sapphire 352 points	Champion Boy – Jordan Hoffmann – Diamond 58 points R/Up Boy – Bailey Tucek – Ruby 42 points Champion Girl – Marnie McKenna – Diamond 73 points R/Up Girl – Ashlee Cronin – Ruby 70 points

Year 9 Swimming Carnival – Tuesday March 11
Results – Ruby 565 points Emerald 448 points Diamond 443 points Sapphire 232 points	Champion Boy – Dylan Tan – Emerald 70 points R/Up Boy – Kieran Hills – Diamond 51 points Champion Girl – Natasha Chung – Emerald 75 points R/Up Girl – Kaylee Burnett – Ruby 66 points

SSWA ‘B’ Division Interschool Swimming Carnival Challenge Stadium – Thursday March 13
Results - Willetton SHS 926 Mt Lawley 751 Darling Range 733 Woodvale 530 Melville 487 Lesmurdie 444 Ocean Reef 309 Kalamunda 146	Champion Swimmers Sabrina Seitz – Champion Girl (45 points) Year 11 Girls Jesse Tucek – R/Up Champion (32 points) Year 11 Boys Tate Campbell – 3rd Place (21 points) Year 11 Boys Joseph Reagan – R/Up Champion (21 points) Year 10 Boys Dylan Tan – R/Up Champion (33 points) Year 9 Boys Natasha Chung – R/Up Champion (35 points) Year 9 Girls Ashlee Cronin – 3rd Place (18 points) Year 8 Girls

Senior Boys Cricket

The senior boys cricket competition was the first sports competition of the year. As such, it was a busy time getting trials organised, teams picked, games organised and excursions planned in time to play by the third week.

Willetton vs Perth Modern

In our first game against Perth Modern, we lost the toss and were sent in to bat. We made decent progress but lost our opening batsmen in unlucky circumstances in successive balls to put us on the back foot. From here, Rav and Apurv dug deep to build momentum, but were undone by the bowling of their star player. From here, we found difficulty keeping up our momentum with the exception of Jack who batted superbly at number 9 to make 16 runs. Overall we made 98 runs which was a decent score for the day.

Perth Mod started slowly as well and things were looking up for us. We made an early wicket which brought in their number three, who was their bowler. His bowling was of a very high standard which made us a bit apprehensive to see him step to the crease. He batted with the skill that made us appreciate his position in the state Under 19s cricket team. His superb knock put them in a commanding position until a rare mistake resulted in him being run out. With their star player out of the way, we made quick progress and a few wickets. With us steadily making ground, it all came down to the last over. Unfortunately for us, they beat our total with two balls to spare which was pretty much as close as it could get.

Best batsmen = Rav (21) and Jack (16)

Best bowlers = Rav and Hudson

Willetton vs Emmanuel Catholic College

After winning the toss, we sent them into bat on a pitch which had a relatively short boundary. They made poor progress in the first 12 overs where they were restricted to only 30 runs. After a few words of encouragement from their coach and players, they started to apply the pressure. In the space of eight overs, their run rate jumped from 2.6 to over 16 per over! In addition, their captain scored an unbeaten 100+ runs.

Our openers Hudson and Apurv were consistent under pressure. They made many runs but were restricted to mainly singles with a few boundaries and sixes to build on our strike rate. Despite our strong start, our strike rate was slightly below our target so the controversial decision was made to retire Apurv on 44 runs. In hindsight it was a mistake as our next three batsmen were out for two, four and one. Raj held on to score a respectable 12, but we were running out of overs to reach our total. In the end, we needed 11 off the last over to win the game. This pressure saw two run outs and we ended up needing six off the last ball to tie. It was the second game that could have gone either way but unluckily for us it went the wrong way again.

Best batsmen = Hudson (64) and Apurv (44 retired)

Best bowlers = Rav and Hudson

Willetton vs Lakelands Senior High School

With two injuries to our team, we had to bring in some last minute players to make up our squad. Manoj and Andre fielded and bowled well and were welcome additions to the team. After winning the toss, we put Lakelands into bat so that we had a target to aim for. We restricted them to 60 runs for the innings and then were able to apply some pressure with the bat. Hudson and Rav made short work of their total and we reached the target with the loss of only one wicket for a well-deserved victory.

Best batsmen = Hudson (31) and Rav (21)

Best Bowlers = Andre and Raj

Hudson on his way to 64 runs

Rav bowling

Team talk

Senior Cricket - vs Emanuel College

Our 2014 Badminton Stars Year 12s Dennis Zhao and Lucas Liew
Senior School Badminton Squad again make us proud!

Twenty senior students (10 pairs) participated in the Be Active Schoolsport WA Doubles Badminton Tournament on Friday March 14 at Kingsway Stadium in Madely.

All our teams participated very competitively with six pairs only losing one game in their respective pools to eventual finalists.

One team, our top ranked boys pair of Dennis Zhao and Lucas Liew proceeded through their pool then won their quarters and semis to win the overall final beating the Perth Modern pair.

It was Amazing game play. Be very proud of yourselves boys!

Our Girls teams also performed well in their pools with our number one pair, Jess Mac and Emily Chan losing only to the eventual winners in their pool round.

The Senior school Badminton squad members include

Dennis Zhao, Emily Chan
Lucas Liew, Jess Mac

Josh Lim, Chin Low
Brandon Low , Lucy Chen

Kapilan Ganapathy, Dana Tai
Edmund Wong, Nicholle Sim

Gobind Sing, Pavitra PremKumar
Jason Ting, Priya murali Raj

Jin Tin Chan
Hao Wen Cheng

Melvyn Koh
Justin Job

Winning Boy’s team

Whole team photo

SCIENCE

Year 12 Biology Excursion Woodman Point

On Friday March 21, the Year 12 Biologists travelled to Woodman Point to carry out an investigation of the sand dune ecosystem.

Students carried out transect and quadrat work. Information was gathered about the environment including adaptations of sand dune plants and soil analysis.

The impact of human activity threatening the sand dune ecosystem and ways that the dunes are being rehabilitated and managed was observed by the students.

The excellent team work and dedication shown by the students is a credit to them which resulted in a very rewarding experience for all.

Mrs Gloria Wynhorst Teacher of Biology

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Year 8 Chemistry – Chemical Reaction Creates Slime

As part of the Chemistry topic this term Year 8 students observed chemical reactions.

One of these involved mixing several reactants together to create a slimy product.

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Year 11 Biology

To investigate the adaptations of the transport system in mammals, students dissected sheep hearts.

By carrying out the dissection students were able to see first hand the internal structures the heart has which allows it to pump blood so efficiently around the body.

Curtin PICSE Industry Placement Scholarship Program Reporting Back Session

On January 30 this year, three Willetton students Jagruti Makhijani, Sangeetha Ravindran and Jeswin Babu V presented a brief report on their experiences.

They were all awarded a scholarship to take part in a camp and industry placement to gain first-hand experience about what a science career can be like.

Proud teachers Marina Pitts, Gloria Wynhorst and Lance Taylor were delighted to see the students presented with a certificate and $300.00 each for their participation.

The experience has opened their eyes to the importance of science and scientific research in the primary industries.

SOCIETY AND ENVIRONMENT

2014 Australian Geography Competition

All students in Year 9 and Gifted and Talented program students took part in the 20th annual Australian Geography Competition in week 8 of this term. Their entry fee for the competition was paid for by the Society and Environment Learning Area.

Approximately 70,000 students from all around Australia entered the competition this year, which is organised by the Australian Geography Teachers’ Association and the Royal Geographical Society of Queensland.

The competition gives the Society and Environment learning area an opportunity to highlight geography. In this learning area, we feel that the study of geography is very important for all students as it helps to establish valuable understandings about the world around them and the interconnectedness that exists between people and the environment.

Students who achieve outstanding results in this competition may have the opportunity to represent Australia in the international geography competition.

All students who have participated will receive a certificate and a scorecard of their achievement level later in the year.

Traditionally, students from Willetton SHS perform very well in this competition, with many receiving high distinction certificates. An analysis of the final results will be provided to parents.

John Maxwell
HOLA of Society & Environment

Earth and Environmental Science (EES) Field Trip.

Year 11 EES students have ventured on the first of two field trips for this term. A small taste of life at the University of Western Australia was sampled, with a visit to the Geology Department and the always helpful curator, John on hand to assist students. The students looked at the geological history with particular reference to Western Australia. Being able to look at samples of minerals rock and fossils that only existed as pictures in their text books bRought this part of the course to life. A quick stop at a university café gave hints of the social life of a university student. Again this year, a former Willetton student saw the uniforms of our students and stopped to have a chat, recalling her experiences when she was doing this course.

Onwards to the hills to study some of the torturous igneous processes that formed parts of the Western Australia we know today. Unfortunately we endured one of the warmer days and being at the base of a quarry was energy sapping and the limited shade was in high demand. Some of the information from the university visit was translated into practical usage as the students worked away on their assessment.

There seemed to be no resistance to the students getting onto the air-conditioned bus to escape the heat and for the trip back to school.

Sam and Jacob making notes on the chalk cliffs near Gingin.

STUDENT SERVICES

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

We presently have a record number of Duke of Edinburgh Award participants after Ms Hayes recently signed up over 50 recruits from Year 9. We welcome everyone to the program and look forward to supporting you in your pursuit of Gold!

Congratulations to Shevonne Kwan (Year 12) and Jesse Tucek (Year 11) for achieving their Silver Awards this month. Also to Bo Davie, Emma McLean, Sonia Bouska, Brii West, Jesse Naylor Zambrano and Kanhav Goyal, (Year 10) for achieving their Bronze Awards.

Next month we look forward to seeing 2013 graduates John Foster and Ryan Forsyth collect their Gold Awards in a civil ceremony at Government House in Perth. 2010 graduate Emily Gray will also be receiving her Gold Award after completing the program she started as a Willetton student.

Joining the program is easy. If you are interested in signing up and have turned 14 come and get an application from Student Services. To all of our active participants, remember, it is up to you to manage your award. Keep your online record book up to date and contact myself or Ms Hayes if you need support. I am also available in D14 at recess every Tuesday for Duke of Ed help.

Judy Gauci
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Coordinator

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Career and Enterprise : Out and About in Term One

You name it.....
in Career and Enterprise........ we have done some of it!

Our course provides opportunities for students to really test some of the things we learn about in the classroom.

Goal setting was tested when 52 Career and Enterprise students went to The Hangout in Bayswater. Their job on the day was to explore the Employability Skills of communication, teamwork, initiative, problem solving and learning whilst setting goals to climb part of a wall, the whole wall or a more difficult wall. Students had a great day, fuelled by Subway, pizza, fruit and juices. As always there was one or two who fell asleep On the way back to school on the bus.

Goal setting was then applied to career planning and considering selection of a sustainable career of the future.

Some students already have part time work, but for many the workplace is something new to them. Just how to behave and knowing work expectations are valuable lessons.

Following class work, students listened to a presentation delivered by David and Janeine Pollock of MacDonalds Willetton. They spoke of worker rights such as equal opportunity, safety in the workplace and being paid correctly. Having a positive and can do attitude and being prepared and willing to learn are valuable qualities to take to the workplace. Students used this information to complete an assessment.

Part of the Personal Career Management concerns is where to work: big or small?? Students of Career and Enterprise 2AB learned some of the advantages and challenges of working in a large business like a Sizzlers Restaurant and a small business like the Riverton Florist. Our speakers, Greg Larson, the Manager of Sizzlers, Riverton and Glenda Conn, the business owner of Riverton Florist provided great insight into the running of businesses; communication, promotions, teamwork and networking. Again the contrast between being a worker in a large and small business provided some clear differences, but also similarities. Students had a bit of a bonus being able to speak with Glenda about corsages and flowers for the ball.

Ruth Barratt Teacher in Charge: Career and Enterprise

At The hangout

At MacDonalds

At Sizzlers

SCHOOL BOARD NEWS

SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS

The School Board AGM was held on Monday March 24 2014. The Chair’s Annual Report and the Annual Financial Report were presented and the new 2014 School Board announced. The next Board meeting will be held on Monday April 7 2014 at 5.30pm in the school conference room. A list of Board meetings for this year can be found on the school website, under the School Board information. All are welcome.

SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION

It was pleasing to see a great deal of interest shown with nine parents nominating for the Board this year, and many votes received during the election.

It is with great pleasure that we announce the 2014 Willetton Senior High School Board.

Executive Board

Principal: Mr Chris Booth
Chairperson: Mr Lindsay Holland
Vice Chairperson (parent representative): Mr Simon Lappin
Vice Chairperson (staff representative): Mr Phil Sherwood

Parent Representatives

Dr Paola Chivers
Mrs Sarah Jeffries
Mrs Tania Rennie
Dr Tele Tan

Staff Representatives

Ms Jenny LeSouef
Ms Christine Petersen
Mr Tim Reinholz

Community Representatives

Mr Jeremy Chetty
Mr John Ahern

Ex-Officio Members

Mr Jega Jegathesan, Business Manager
Mrs Helen Wong, Board Executive Officer

Seated (L-R) Tele Tan, Christine Petersen, Chris Booth, Jenny LeSouef, Tim Reinholz
Standing (L-R) Helen Wong, Jeremy Chetty, Jega Jegathesan, Phil Sherwood, Lindsay Holland, Tania Rennie, Paola Chivers, Simon Lappin, John Ahern
Absent: Sarah Jeffries

We would also like to thank Mr Scott Henderson and Mr Aravindhan Rajaratnam (both parent representatives) for their invaluable time and contribution to the School Board. They have now completed their elected term of appointment. We wish them well in their future endeavours.

WA SECONDARY SCHOOL OF THE YEAR SCHOLARSHIP

WA Secondary School of the Year scholarship recipients Jasmin Ely and Charlie Watt with family members

Congratulations to Jasmin Ely and Charlie Watt who were chosen as joint recipients of the WA Secondary School of the Year Scholarship for 2014. The scholarship recognises students who have demonstrated great leadership potential. The applications received were of an extremely high calibre, making it extremely difficult to select just one recipient. Both Jasmin and Charlie are worthy recipients, and are a credit to their parents.

A special mention must go to the other seven applicants who were shortlisted for an interview: John Benedict, Ben Hawking, Lycia Liew, Aidan O’Brien, Mya Plumridge, Sienna Rowson and Kaylee Wong. We look forward to watching their leadership skills continue to develop over the next five years.

All nine shortlisted applicants were selected to attend the Halogen Foundation National Young Leaders Day Conference.

ENTERTAINMENT BOOK FUNDRAISER

For the second year running, the Entertainment Book will be available to Willo parents and friends to purchase through the School Board. Bonus coupons are available for early bird orders with payment. The Entertainment Books will be available from late April (digital form) or early May (hard copy). For enquiries, please contact Helen Wong on 9334 7217 or helen.s.wong@education.wa.edu.au or make a purchase at

https://www.entertainmentbook.com.au/orderbooks/904a46

Profits raised from the sale of these books will go towards a Student Leadership Development Program initiated by the Board. The Halogen Foundation National Young Leaders Day conference which 50 YearS 8 to 10 students attended on March 24 was funded through this program. Your support will be much appreciated.

The Halogen Foundation National Young Leaders Day conference

THANK YOU

At the beginning of term, an email request was sent out for parent help in preparing a whole school mailout for the School Board elections. The response was fantastic and it was wonderful to have many parents come along to help. Thank you very much for the parent support.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

From time to time, the school is in need of volunteers to assist in various parts of the school such as the bookshop, 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

The Willo Parent Group
in conjunction with
Touchpoint Community Services
present

Life Skills – The Emotional Quotient Seminar

Speaker: Mr Roger Tan, Life Skills Coach
When: Mondays May 5, 12, 19, 26 and June 9
Where: Willetton SHS Staff Room
Time: 6.45pm (for a 7.00pm start) to 9.30pm
Seminar Cost: Free – however gold coin donation requested, to support Youth Focus

The seminar will cover:

Week 1 - May 5 Self Awareness – Listen to your own heartbeat

Week 2 - May 12 Self Management – Heart at peace without inappropriate emotional outbursts

Week 3 - May 19 Self Motivation – Heart of the Matter – Delayed Gratification

Week 4 - May 26 Empathy – Connecting Heart to Heart – Communication

Week 5 – June 9 Building Relationships – Bonding, Conflict Resolution and Motivating Others

To maximise benefit, it is advisable that participants attend all sessions.

Booking is essential. Please register your attendance to willoparent@gmail.com by Wednesday April 30 2014. Places are limited.

Roger Tan

Roger is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Life Skills Centre, an organisation that provides Life Management Skills training, facilitation and coaching services as well as HR consulting. He was trained in Canada as a Life Skills Coach in 1995 and is a US-certified Behavioural Consultant as well as a trained and experienced counsellor and workplace coach.

Roger has trained, coached and consulted for companies such as Citibank, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Shell, Tetrapak, Public Utilities Board (Singapore), Water Corp (Western Australia) and a number of Telecommunication Companies.

As a personal and team coach, Roger conducts training and development programs in the following areas: Emotional Intelligence, People-Centred Management, Teambuilding, Executive Coaching, Adult Accelerated Learning, Spiritual development and other areas of intra- and interpersonal skills. His work also includes facilitation services for companies and institutions to define their vision, mission, values, develop implementation strategies and desired organisational cultures. He is much sought after as a coach for Presentation, Facilitation skills, Leadership and for train-the-trainer programs.

Roger now lives in Perth with his wife and two sons.

The Willo Parent Group

cordially invite you to join
all parents, invited staff and
student members of Outspan
at a special Multicultural Lunch
to celebrate
Willetton Senior High School’s traditional
Multicultural Week

Friday April 11 2014
12 noon to 1.00pm
WSHS Staffroom

Please bring a plate of food to share with
the staff and students

RSVP to willoparent@gmail.com by April 9 and inform if
you will bring a sweet or savoury dish

Willo Parent Group News

WILLO PARENT GROUP MEETINGS

The Willo Parent Group meets two to three times 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.

Events for Term 1 and Term 2

For further information on these events, please refer to the detailed flyers found in the newsletter or contact willoparent@gmail.com

WELCOME NEW FAMILIES PICNIC – March 5

The Welcome New Families Picnic was held recently and it was lovely to meet so many families that evening.

It was wonderful to see our 2013 Head Boy Ambar Srivastava and Head Girl Rachel Wong return to help with the BBQ, whilst current Head Boy Mark Brisbane and Head Girl Amberly Kilmartin mingled and welcomed the new families. The evening was also an opportunity for several students to showcase their keyboard talents. Thank you for giving up your time.

A presentation on Building Resilience in Your Teenager was given by Deputy Principal Ms Christine Petersen who graciously stepped in for a very ill Mr Stefan Brand. Many thanks to Christine. Thank you also to the Year 10 drama students who put on an excellent performance on Resilience.

A special acknowledgement to Tanya Picen, Dawn Grady, Lesley Russell and Susan Hughes who worked so hard to organise everything for the BBQ and to the families who baked delicious goodies to be served to welcome the new families.

Year 10 drama students (L-R) Cole Bannister, Annelle Angus, James Dow, Elyse McBeath, Libby Charlton, Mitchell Hayward

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

Over the years, the Willo Parent Group has assisted the chaplains at this school with Operation Christmas Child, a worthy project that can make a difference in the lives of many young people. It is now time to start bringing in your donations of gifts to fill the Christmas shoe boxes. Items needed include soft toys, toys, colouring pencils, crayons, puzzle books, toiletries and clothing. All items need to be new. Please drop off your items at the chaplain’s office, located in the demountable at the front of the school. More details on this project can be found on www.samaritanspurse.org.au Volunteers are also needed to assist with wrapping and packing the shoe boxes. If you are able to assist, please contact Heather Gare in the chaplains’ office on 9334 7242 (Tuesdays and Wednesdays).

Parent E-News

If you would like to be included on a parent email distribution list to be kept informed of Willo parent activities and sent information relevant to parents, please provide your details to helen.s.wong@education.wa.edu.au You may request for your details to be removed from the list at any time.