11 April 2018

Editor: Jenny LeSouef
Technology: Nola Regan

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

We were delighted that excellence in our student outcomes was recognised by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). Our school was identified as demonstrating above average gains in reading and numeracy as measured by NAPLAN. It was satisfying that the efforts of students, teachers and family members resulted in exceptional outcomes. An excerpt of the letter from ACARA is included further in this newsletter.

There was much excitement on campus on Friday March 9, with our dress up morning and school ball for the Year 12s. The students dress up morning showed the innovative and ingenious ideas. Students paid $5 and donated a tin of food for those less fortunate in our community. They later transformed into glamour for the ball at the Hyatt. Many thanks to the staff and students who worked tirelessly both before and during the ball to ensure a successful night. Special thanks to Year 12 Coordinator, Stefan Brand for his efforts. A gallery of photographs from both the morning and evening activities, as well as a note of appreciation for our food donation appear later in this newsletter.

We held very successful Year 7, 11 and 12 teacher/parent interview sessions on March 13, we hope the feedback on your students was timely and relevant. Feedback on both the entertainment and interviews has been positive. For all of us, it was a long day on the hottest day this summer. There were 2878 interviews for 609 parents/families.

At the School board AGM, we farewelled Simon Lappin who has been Chair for the past two years. Simon has given great service to our school. His dedication, care, perseverance and positivity will be missed. We thank him for his outstanding contribution to our school.

Chris Booth

BOARD CHAIR REPORT

Welcome back from hopefully a happy and safe Easter break as the end of term one fast approaches.

The Board AGM was held last month and we welcomed newly elected parents (Wayne Nurse, Chris Phillips,) and staff (Judy Gauci, Chris Hanley) and welcomed back re-elected Jo Collier and myself (parent reps) and Jenny LeSouef (staff rep) to the Board. For a full list of current Board members please visit the Board tab on the school website. As always, we recognise and appreciate the time and effort our volunteer members contribute in order to improve the learning and life outcomes for the students of Willetton Senior High School. We have wide representation across the year groups, and across the learning areas with a diverse range of expertise which will help the Board support the school within the constraints of our school’s 1.7 million budget cut this year.

A big thank you to our retiring members Simon Lappin (parent representative), Sharee Seeburuth and Charmaine Smith (staff representatives). We especially thank Simon Lappin who has been an amazing member of our Board for four years, the past two championing for our children as Board Chair. His leadership, compassion and unassuming nature beguile us all to strive for the best possible outcomes for our students and we wish him all the best in his new endeavours.

As we settle into the year, one of the key roles the Board undertakes is to consider funding applications to provide for resources, equipment and activities that are not able to be funded through Department of Education budget allocations, but which enrich the learning of students. With the school’s tough economic situation, these demands are likely to be higher than in past years. Each funding submission is considered on merit each funding cycle, and money is allocated from the School Board levy that parents and caregivers pay. Priorities are guided by alignment to the school’s strategic plan, student learning needs, cognisant of the ethos of the school. More recently, we have also engaged with students through the Student Parliament. Importantly, this funding is only possible through the payment of voluntary School Board levies and we sincerely thank those who have already made their contributions.

Our partnerships committee aptly chaired by Prof Tele Tan and Jenny LeSouef continues to forge valuable relationships with educational institutions and local businesses. Most recently, there has been engagement between UWA and teachers with regards to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), and we envisage great opportunities for students in this space in the future.

On behalf of the School Board we look forward to a busy and productive year working together to support our students’ education, and the teachers that lead them on this journey, in one of the best schools in WA.

Dr Paola Chivers

All young people are loved and safe, have material basics, are healthy, are learning and participating and have a positive sense of identity and culture. ARACY The Nest vision

HEAD BOY AND HEAD GIRL REPORT

The first few weeks of this school year have been hectic. With many wonderful events taking place, such as the Year 12 Ball, Dress Up Day, Harmony Day and the introduction of GreenBatch to Willetton.

On March 9, the Year 12s began their day dressing up in wacky costumes ranging from characters from TV shows to clever adaptations of popular films. With all the photos taken and the parade around Southlands done and dusted the Year 12s scurried off to prepare for the big night. At 6.30pm that night, the limos began to arrive carrying the suited up and glamourous Year 12s, all ready for an exciting evening.

With the ball out of the way, other projects around Willetton took the spotlight. In these past few weeks, a company by the name of GreenBatch came to our school and gave an enlightening presentation to the Year 10s and 9s. GreenBatch is WA's first plastic reprocessing plant. They hope to take our plastic bottles that usually just end up in landfill and recycle them into filament for our numerous 3D printers. By Willetton SHS taking up GreenBatch on their offer, our school can be the first step in making WA more environmentally friendly.

It may have been only a few short weeks into the start of the school year but already so much has happened and we hope to be there with you to experience to the rest.

Josephine Santoso and Nikita Tcherkashnev

GENERAL

THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS YEAR 12s

MY SCHOOL 2018 – CONGRATULATIONS

Excellence in our student outcomes recognized by ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority)

I am pleased to advise that ACARA has identified your school as having demonstrated substantially above average gain in reading and/or numeracy achievement, as measured by NAPLAN.

As you know, ACARA publishes the latest data on Australian schools on the My School website each year. The 2018 update will take place on Wednesday 7 March 2018 and along with a new look website will include:

• 2017 NAPLAN results for schools
• 2017 school profile and population data
• 2016 school financial information, including capital expenditure and sources of funding.

Since 2013, ACARA has been releasing information on schools that demonstrate substantially above average gain in their NAPLAN results, as students progress from Year 3 to Year 5 and from Year 7 to Year 9.

On behalf of ACARA, I would like to extend my congratulations to you and your school community on this achievement. Improvement in student literacy and/or numeracy of this magnitude, as measured by NAPLAN, is significant and worthy of highlighting and acknowledging.

Robert Randall
Chief Executive Officer

From Tuesday March 20 to Thursday March 22, 2018 Year 12 students Jasmin Ely and Thisuri Ranasinghe were among 120 Year 11 and 12 students from around Australia attending the 23rd National Schools Constitutional Convention (NSCC), being held at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, Canberra.

The aim of the program is to provide senior students with an opportunity to become better informed about how Australia's Constitution provides a democratic framework and encourages them to take an active interest in the operation of government. The topic of the 2018 Convention was - ‘Is Section 44 of the Constitution relevant in modern Australia?’

Emeritus Professor John Warhurst AO facilitated the Convention where Jasmin and Thisuri along with other delegates, spent two days exploring the topic. This included input from a panel of experts, group discussions on the issues and the opportunity to persuade other delegates of particular approaches. Students participated in a mock referendum to determine the outcome of their deliberations. The programme included a visit to Government House as well as a dinner at the High Court of Australia.

Decisions made at the Convention were incorporated into a Communiqué presented to the Senate and then be tabled in Parliament.

As national delegates, Jasmin and Thisuri were selected from around 1,000 students from government, independent and Catholic schools.

Jasmin Ely and Thisuri Ranasinghe

HARMONY DAY

On March 21, our wellbeing committee hosted Harmony Day for the second year running and it was a huge success! With the always popular petting zoo and students showing their talents through the open microphone, the element of harmony was definitely present throughout the school and it was great to see!

At lunch, students were able to bring their lunch and friends to have a picnic and socialise with other groups right throughout the school which is what the day was all about! For us as the Year 12 Wellbeing representatives, it was so much fun being able to promote the day and watch it happening and immerse ourselves into it (especially the rabbit cuddles). We can’t wait for future events this year!

Georgia Barry and Aaron Chappell Year 12 Wellbeing Representatives.

NATIONAL YOUNG LEADERS DAY CONFERENCE

In March, our young leaders had the privilege of attending the Halogen: National Young Leaders Conference.

Amazing talks were delivered, from sports stars to news presenters, all with a different message about leadership. In breaks, we were even able to discuss post-school choices with the universities in attendance. It was a brilliant experience and every single student took something away from it, including getting to meet Rick Ardon!

A massive thank you to Miss Harrington and Mr Ialacci for organising this opportunity for us.

Georgia Barry Year 12 Wellbeing Representative

COUNCILLOR FORUM

On March 21, the Year 12 Councillors hosted the first Councillor Forum of the year. Following up from the concerns raised at last year’s Forum, not only have new drink fountains and lockers been purchased for the school, but aspects of the school uniform may be revamped for future students. Club Open Day and a school faction system may be developed further.

We first had a guest speaker from Nell Gray Uniforms to discuss potential changes to the school uniform with regard to criticism of the pre-existing range. In particular, many students will be happy to hear the female pants will no longer have bellbottoms. The PE shorts may also be changed to the same material as the shirts, among several other stylistic changes.

We then had a guest speaker from Greenbatch, who are offering their pilot program to Willetton SHS. Greenbatch is a Western Australian based initiative which collects plastic bottles from high schools and makes them into 3D printer filament for the school, creating a closed cycle of recycling and repurposing. It was received very well at the Forum and it will be implemented soon.

Cohort discussions were then held, with focuses in specific areas. After a brief presentation from each year group, we discussed potential ideas for a new cultural infographic design with the Year 12 Graphic Design students, in particular what sort of design would best encapsulate the culture of our school.

Please look forward to these new developments in the future, and if you have any concerns or suggestions, let a councillor know.

Claudia Goh Year 12

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING and MATHEMATICS (STEM) PRESENTATION TO YEAR 9 AND 10 STUDENTS

This presentation resulted from our school Partnership Program with the University of Western Australia. It was conducted by UWA Engineering Outreach Centre.

Presenter, Sarah Mellon, discussed STEM for the future and its role in devising creative solutions to problems and technological innovations.

The aim of the STEM presentation was to outline why STEM is essential for the future prosperity of Australia and the technology industry. The areas of benefit will be vast, from agriculture, biotechnology, space travel to micro medical discoveries and development.

The talk highlighted electric cars of the future, battery storage and micro generator, medical innovation.

Darren Lomman from Greenbatch also spoke at the initiative of our Head Girl, Josephine Santoso and student councillors. Greenbatch is a forward thinking innovative company using plastic waste. This process is taking waste bottles and processing them into usable 3D printer filament.

We are planning to be a part of this new development and become involved in helping solve the world’s problem with disposing of plastics and utilizing this plastic waste by transforming this into a usable product.

Bruce Dopson Science and Engineering Teacher

Sarah Mallon, UWA

Darren Lonman, Green batch

WILLETTON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
VIETNAM SERVICE JOURNEY 2018

On April 14, 26 senior school students and three staff will be flying out to Vietnam to begin a 15 day Community Service Project and Trek. Ms Jude Fapani has been the instigator and driving force behind this amazing experience and has put in a huge amount of work to ensure its success.

Fundraising efforts have resulted in over $6000 which will be put towards the service project. A huge thank you to all those who contributed their time, effort or money to this cause.

The students will commence by visiting the town of Ham Yen in Northern Vietnam, a poor district where the average monthly wage is $15. We will be helping to build much-needed toilets for the Elementary/Nursery school (currently only one toilet for over 130 students), supply furnishings for their classroom and fix up their produce gardens as they were affected by the typhoon last year. We are taking donated stationary, sporting goods and English story books/cards (thanks to Campion, Fremantle Football club and others for their very generous contributions).

Students will also be putting their bartering skills to good use by purchasing extra goods in the village for this community, thereby contributing to the local economy.

Following this service component, students challenge themselves further with a four day trek, experiencing a rich cultural exchange by travelling through regions where minority hill tribes live. (Thanks to Mr Mike Forsyth for organising the five after-school hikes to help prepare students for this.) The trip concludes with an overnight cruise on a luxury Junk in Halong Bay.

Students and staff will arrive back on the Saturday afternoon before Term 2 commences, hopefully with memories, friendships and skills that will both enhance and enrich their lives.

Mrs Di Tuxford HPE Teacher

INTERACT NEWS

It has been less than two months since Interact has been in action this year, and we are glad to report that we have used every opportunity to instigate change and benefit the world around us!

Our year commenced with voting for the Interact Executive Team for 2018, followed by voting for the local charity we will be supporting throughout this year. We decided on Capes for Kids, a charity that gives children the support and assistance they need when undergoing medical treatment in hospital.

Week 8 saw our first major fundraising project, where Interactors ran a hot cross bun and a raffle concurrently throughout the week. We had over 50 Interact volunteers, amounting to over 100 hours of community service over the four days, and a total of over $750 raised which will go directly to Capes for Kids - a remarkable effort from all Interact members!

In Week 10, Interactors rolled up their sleeves and volunteered at the Willetton Rotary Fair. From selling snags and hamburgers, to helping out at a small Old McDonald’s Farm, there was a station available for everyone to have loads of fun and also participate in a fantastic cause.

INTERACT RECOGNITION

WSHS Interact Club executive members were awarded their badges at a recent Rotary Club meeting by President Rob Webster assisted by Director for Youth Service, Simon Cubitt. Our club is very lucky to be mentored and supported by the Willetton Rotary Club who bolstered our fundraising with a generous donation of $500.

The collaboration between the two clubs is very much appreciated by our Interact Club.

Mihan De Silva President

Interact executive members are as follows:

DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S INTERNATIONAL AWARD

We have had numerous sign ups this term, mainly Year 9s commencing their Award but also Year 11 and 12 students who are undertaking Gold Awards. Welcome to everyone and also to those students who have completed an Award and are continuing on to the next level.

Best of luck to the Duke of Eders heading to Vietnam in the school holidays. Enjoy every moment of your Residential Project and Adventurous Journey and everything else that happens in between! Thank you to Ms Judy Fapani for all the work she has done to create this opportunity for students and to Mr Forsyth and Mrs Tuxford for attending the expedition and supporting the participants.

We are anticipating a well-attended Silver Camp on the Bibbulmun Track in July holidays and also, a Residential Project to Monkey Mia in December where Gold Participants will spend a week completing volunteer work in conservation and environmental management.

Congratulations to Silver Participants and Year 10 students Elaine Wu and Milasi Amarasingha who have volunteered to become Youth Award Leaders. These two students will be the student voice for Duke of Ed at Willetton and represent Willetton at upcoming Youth Forums.

The following students have achieved Duke of Ed Awards this year

The Award is available to any student aged 13 and above. Students can join at any time. Any student interested in starting an Award should first speak to their year coordinator, all of whom have received training as Award leaders. More information on the Award is available at.

Judy Gauci Coordinator Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award

PIPE BAND

Term 1 has been a busy time for Pipe Band. Our numbers have swollen with new students keen to learn pipes or one of the drum disciplines. Our band is obviously gaining momentum as we have been inundated with requests to perform at local events.

We have recently enjoyed mini band performances at Harmony Day celebrations at both Castlereagh School and Burrendah Primary School. Thanks to the following band members who made themselves available to perform; David Kuppers, Jack Killoh, Milasi Amarasingha, Deep Gill, Haarsini Harish Perumal, Parveen Kaur, Navleen Kaur, Shauna Bruce, Jack McCay. We also performanced for ANZAC Day, Multicultural week and the 2018 Willetton Rotary Fair.

The band continues to practice each week on Friday immediately after school. We are working towards building a bigger repertoire of tunes and learning to march while playing.

Judy Gauci Pipe Band Coordinating Teacher

FREE EVENT

Why is creativity an important skill in the 21 century?

Are we preparing and equipping our students with the life skills to be innovative, independent members and problem solvers of society?

Is your child inspired to be a lifelong learner who will feel confident to adapt to the many changes in the future work force?

The Arts Learning Area is hosting an evening with prominent guest speakers who will highlight the importance of their own experiences in developing critical thought, creative reasoning, collaboration and communication skills. The improvement of these skills supports further development of a young person’s emotional IQ, and healthier resilience to lifetime challenges.

All parents are invited to attend this event. There will be an open microphone at the end for questions from the audience.

Speakers are:

Dr. Christine Cunningham - Lecturer in Education and Deputy Mayor of Canning
Andrew Porter – Senior lecturer at Murdoch and journalist

A FREE event
Wednesday May 16, 2018
Where: School Theatre
Time: 7 to 8 pm
Tickets through trybooking

GIFTED AND TALENTED

YEAR 11 & 12 SENIOR GIFTED & TALENTED STUDY SKILLS PRESENTATION

After school on April, Dr Jane Genovese took our students through a range of study strategies. She entertained us with her explanation of the problems with cramming at the last minute through the analogy of a hotdog-eating competition and worked through examples of how to study smarter, not harder. In addition, she gave students academic, researched-based evidence about what works, such as mind-mapping, how to avoid pseudo-study, how not to procrastinate, why multi-tasking doesn’t work and strategies to counter distractions. Her action-motivation-action plan was practical and timely, with exams looming in the not too distant future.

Jane’s honest personal anecdotes about how she went from failing her first assessment in her double Psychology and Law degree at university to finishing in the top 2% and getting a sizable research grant for her doctorate inspired our students to keep trying.

There was a lot of laughter as students owned up to all of the common bad study habits and left armed with some new strategies to try. We hope they heard her say that none of them were going to be overnight successes.

For those who missed the presentation her practical book Study Hacks: Your survival guide for high school is available. You can contact her: jane@learningfundamentals.com.au

Julie Hind & Shelley Genoni Gifted and Talented Senior School Coordinators

EVENING PRESENTATION: YEAR 7 GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS AND PARENTS

In March, parents and students of Year 7 Gifted and Talented Program were invited to attend an information evening. The focus of the evening was on the appropriate use of laptops and technology and study techniques.

The presentation observed the differences between homework and study and suggested some simple methods that students could use to incorporate some study into their weekly schedule. Students were encouraged to map out their work and tests onto a larger schedule so they can balance their work over longer time frames.

The main focus of the evening was on managing laptops at home and families were encouraged to discuss how much time should be spent on using technology. Mr Hamley showed a Catalyst episode that explained how gaming addiction can become a real issue for some students. Many students find it difficult to regulate the amount of time they spend on-line so families were encouraged to have a formal discussion to decide where in the house students would access their laptops and how much time they thought constituted appropriate use. Keeping phones and laptops in children’s bedrooms was discouraged because it often proved to be too much of a temptation. Many parents found the opportunity to have a family discussion very productive.

Mr. Hamley, Mrs Genoni, Mrs Hind Gifted and Talented Program coordinators

Mr Hamley addressing parents at the information evening

INTERNATIONAL PI DAY

On March 14, we celebrated international Pi Day in recognition of the great number - the ratio of a circle’s diameter to its radius.

All students able to recite pi to eighteen decimal places were rewarded with either a meat or an apple pie. A huge crowd of students packed into J1.1 to compete in the challenge, 120 were successful. Bianca Stevenson was crowned the Pi Champion for the second year in a row with an impressive count of 101 decimal places. Recitals of pi were spoken in nine different languages, English, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, German, Indonesian, French, Hindi and Binary.

Thanks to Miss Hamilton, Miss Ahern, Mrs Munshi and Mr Harvey for judging.

Darren Hamley Gifted and Talented Education Coordinator

Bianca Stevenson pi Champion with Mutia Daruso and Jack Kiloh, who both recited pi in three different languages

PERIODIC FUN IN YEAR 10 GIFTED AND TALENTED SCIENCE

Students experienced collaborative learning along with broadening their knowledge about the first ninety-two elements in the Periodic Table. Parents would have been confronted with the disappearance of precious items as students went on a scavenger hunt at home, for samples of elements. Here are some fine examples of this season’s Art meets Science.

Leon Harris and Mita Munshi Science Teachers

THE ARTS

DANCE

Dance teachers at Willetton enjoy the engagement and commitment from our dance students. The dance students enjoy their lessons and have a great work ethic, which ensures they persevere and overcome the challenges of learning new choreography. Students hear the words of create, refine, and clean the moves often, as the classes focus on developing their dance works for presentation in June at the UWA Octagon theatre.

Parents will be notified of ticket sales and costumes early next term.

IMPORTANT DATES:

SOUTH OF SWAN DANCE FESTIVAL: OCTAGON THEATRE

In the evening your child will perform to a large audience. This is an exciting experience for them where they perform and embrace the culmination of many hours of rehearsing.

• Year 8, 10, 11 and 12 Monday June 18
• Year 7 and 9 perform Wednesday 20 June 20

Cheryl Venter HOLA The Arts

DRAMA REPORT

It has been a busy term in the drama department. We are growing in class numbers and drama teachers with the old team, returning teacher Amberly Panuu and new staff Pip Peake and Jackie May.

Our fantastic Year 8/9 Drama club students performed a revised production of Into the Woods. The students were outstanding and should be very proud of their efforts. A huge thank you to our wonderful certificate Year 12 students and teachers, Brad Curran and Kristen Gibson. Also thank you to Year 12 student Georgia Barry for assisting directing the production and to Clare Talbot and the certificate students.

Drama club has recommenced for this year with returning and new students. We have approximately 60 members in Year 7 and Year 8 and 20 students in Year 9 and 10 which is fantastic to see. Please see below Drama club times and when they run. If your child would like to be involved please email Stefan.brand@education.wa.edu.au

• Year 7/8 Drama club Friday mornings 7:30am-8:15am
• Year 9/10 Drama club Tuesday mornings 7:30am-8:15am

In drama, we love to work with outside companies who bring their expertise to our school to teach our drama students. Our Year 7 students have worked with Banyan Creative on their circus skills and the Year 9s on Into the Mask Theatre Company.

Year 11s and 12s have also been involved in the weekend annual drama camp held at Point Walter. This is where practitioners come and do workshops with our students. There students were excellent and this experience was invaluable to their learning.

Our Front of House program has also resumed with over 50 Year 9/10 students keen to be trained to assist with important events are held around the school. If your child in interested in this program and they are in Year 9 or Year 10 please email Stefan.brand@education.wa.edu.au

WHAT’S COMING UP?

• Year 10 Drama Production Friday May 11
• Theatre performance Thursday May 10
• Lower school Drama Showcase Monday June 11
• Future productions: Year 11 production Cosi, Year 10 production The Lesson, Year 12 Original Solo Production night.

Stefan Brand Drama Teacher

DRAMA CAMP

Drama Camp 2018 was a weekend filled with circus tricks, workshops and countless fun memories with my fellow Drama ATAR class. This was an experience I will never forget.

Jasmin Ely Year 12

Learning drama skills and theories is extremely important to a person’s development, in terms of confidence and communication. We drama students were lucky enough to have a whole weekend of these opportunities.

Georgia Barry Year 12

Over the camp weekend we had the opportunity to learn from industry professionals and build our understanding of how our course applies to the outside world. It a very beneficial educational experience and the Year 11 and 12 ATAR Drama students had a chance to bond and build trust. Thanks to Mr Brand and Ms Talbot for all their hard work and patience over the weekend.

Marnie McKenna Year 12

Drama camp was a very enlightening experience, It exposed some us to new styles of drama and for others it reinforced all their characteristics. My favourite workshops include Andy Fraser's stage combat and the Yip Yip circus as they tested my boundaries physically. They greatly differed from the usual theory sessions we have at school so to physically getting involved was a fun change.

Jade Choong Year 11

Drama camp was great experience with all the workshops we did and all the different things we learnt about types of theatre. My favourite work shop was the circus one by far because of all the lifts we did.

Aaliyah O’Connor Year 11

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR DRAMA CAPTAINS

Drama at Willetton has allowed me to develop my creative and personal skills, and has opened many opportunities for me. However, the most valuable part of my time in Drama is the friendships formed between my fellow drama students. I now have the chance to work with a variety of other passionate students like myself.

Jasmin Ely Year 12 Drama Captain

I am delighted to be given the role of drama captain in my final year at Willetton Senior High School. Over the past few years, I have spent in the Arts program, I've learned so much and made some really incredible memories, and I'm honoured to have the opportunity to give back to a program that I've benefitted so much from. I can't wait to see what this year's group of students will bring to the stage.

Marnie McKenna Year 12

Remember: There are no small parts, only small actors. Every single person is important no matter the size of the part. Working as a team will create something truly amazing.

Aaron Chappell Year 12

When many people ask me; how has drama inspired you? Or what does drama mean to you? I answer that drama has helped shape the person I am today. When I was younger I was often looked down by others since my English was limited and I couldn’t play sport well, which resulted in me into losing a lot of my self-esteem and confidence.

In Year 5, I was chosen to take a lead role in a play. At first I was worried since I never really acted in any assemblies and if I did act I usually had a minor role. But after a while, practicing my lines, the performance went well. Though that wasn’t the only thing that changed, after the performance my self-esteem had increased rapidly and I made new friends during the journey.

Drama has even helped me increase my confidence in some aspects of physical and academic skills. Since then I was inspired into taking commitments to drama from Year 6 till now which included Drama Club and Cinderella.

Yi Yi Ng Year 10

DRAMA CLUB: INTO THE WOODS

Working on this production was incredible. Many students and teachers volunteered their time and showed great determination to make the production possible. Some students stepped up to take on new roles or extra parts and they had less time to develop and rehearse. We all did a fantastic job, if we do say so ourselves.

The experience was fantastic as we learned new drama skills which boosted our confidence and performance. Thank you to all the cast and crew for making it possible as well as all the people who joined us in the audience. Thank you to Mr Brand for your support and directing and Ms Talbot for the lighting.

Isla Simeoni Year 9

YE OLDE DRAMA: YEAR 9s LEARN THE ART OF COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE

On Wednesday March 15, the Year 9 Drama students had the opportunity to study the form of Commedia Dell’arte, with a very special guest, Shane McMullan, from Into the Mask Theatre.

As a group, we had a lot of fun, but also came away with some valuable knowledge. Shane explained the background behind the masks used in Commedia Dell’arte, such as how it is a tradition to put your mask on facing away from your audience.

During the full-day workshop, we watched demonstrations on the way the characters acted, walked and talked, and then had the opportunity to give it a try ourselves. We had a lot of fun putting on lots of little skits in groups and getting to use a bataccio, the Italian word for slapstick, which is two light pieces of wood tied together that make a big noise when used.

It was a fabulous workshop. Thanks to Mr Brand, Ms Peake and Shane McMullan for allowing us to learn and use these skills.

I would love to see this workshop run for future drama students: it was a valuable experience and a wonderful day.

Laura Ludlow-Lees Year 9 Drama student

In character: WSHS Year Nine Drama students got into the centuries-old art form of Commedia Dell’Arte at day-long workshop with Shane McMullan, of Into the Mask Theatre

MURDOCH GRADUATION

The Certificate III in Live Production and Certificate II in Creative Industries students attended the Murdoch University Graduation in February; taking on the role as ushers, greeting and showing people their seats and any directions they needed help with.

We met the Acting chancellor Mr Ross Holt and the production staff from Lux to see how professionals work in the industry. It was a pleasure to work in a this setting where high-tech lighting and sound devices were experienced.

This course is a great learning experience, being able to get a sense of the world of theatre behind the scenes.

Valentina Authelet Year 12

MUSIC NEWS

At 7:15am every Monday morning, The Arts building is alive with music: Junior String Orchestra in one room, Senior Guitar Ensemble in another, and Jazz Band jiving away in the Theatre. What better way to start the week.

Our mantra in Music this week has been: Don’t practice until you get it right. Practice until you can’t get it wrong. Students in the middle school music classes have all performed solo in class recently. It’s a great way to challenge ourselves and develop our ability to cope with nerves – a skill we can now transfer to any area of our lives.

Our Year 12 ATAR students’ excursion to the WA Symphony Orchestra’s performance of the Year 12 set works was an amazing opportunity for the students to watch the orchestral pieces they will analyse this year being played live.

We love performances and encourage any music students keen to perform to come and see us: with plenty of assemblies and the Year 8, 9 and 10 Parent/Teacher Interviews coming up, there are plenty of performance opportunities.

COMING UP… Multicultural Week performances, Year 9 Baroque Luncheon

Ms Pip Peake Music Teacher

Performance: Year 10 music students Janelle Muir and Chantel Lai performed at a recent Year 10 assembly

ENGLISH

DEBATING

This year we have 47 brilliant students and six fantastic coaches who make up 11 teams representing Willetton SHS in the 2018 WA Debating League Inter-school Competition. We have seven Novice teams, three Junior teams, and one Senior team. We are very excited to be participating in the competition again, and are thrilled with the number of students involved. They are all fantastic representatives of our school and we are very proud of them.

Our teams participate in five rounds of debating over the course of the season, which are held on Wednesday nights at All Saints College. After the initial rounds, any teams who win their pool will advance to the finals. Each round, the teams have a new topic to debate, and take either the affirmative or negative position. Some of the topics for this year include:

• Maths should be compulsory throughout high school
• We should abolish juries
• Religious schools should receive public funding
• We regret the rise of start-up culture
• Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) should be a mitigating factor in criminal sentencing.
• The party system has done more harm than good

Our debaters for this year are:

Novices (Year 7/8): Charlotte Goodchild, Hannah Cooke, Tammy Pham, Mehvish Mehboob, Anton Brown , Lainey Goveas, Shannon Downie, Mia Rumsey, Alisha Billimoria, Emma Htut, Bryan Liyanage, Ryan Liyanage, Adit Pradipta, Ian Pinto, Matthew Lim, Jerone Mathews, Ashlin Alex, Ananya Sanivarapu , Imogen Walsh, Rujula Davesar, Dionne Sebastian, Lucy Ming, Krisha Thakar, Sophie Wilkins, Priyal Desai, Elsa Joseph, Aathira Suresh, Niche Deng, Tanush Embali, Thyler Cung, Samuel Sundara Rajan, Dylan Newman , Kartikeya Dashora

Juniors (Year 9/10): Amy Mercer, Louis Kuppers, Kate Graham, Emily Ong, Wei-En Seet, Sarthak Mehta, Oliver Rapanaro, Harry Hall, Saran Bicknell, David Kuppers, Rey Loh

Seniors (Year 11/12): Yusif Khudhur, Mihan De Silva, Jae Brieffies

Yusif Khudhur, Mihan De Silva, Jae Brieffies

Coaches: Mrs Duffy, Mrs Genoni, Mrs Hind, Ms Leal, Mr Sharp and myself

We would like to thank the school community for its support, and our parents and family members who are enthusiastic supporters and audience members. We look forward to a great season of debating.

Ms Appleton English Teacher

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION

WILLETTON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL SPECIALISED BASKETBALL PROGRAM

Western Australia’s highest ranked basketball school is currently accepting applications for their 2019 student intake.

The Specialist Basketball Program inspires talented young West Australians to develop their skills, leadership, character and passion for excellence, both on and off the court. Our students learn the fundamentals of basketball in a high performance environment, as well as life-skills and values such as respect, leadership, time management, teamwork, discipline, mental toughness and sportsmanship.

The Willetton Senior High School Specialist Basketball Studies Program has been instrumental in developing many talented young athletes who have gone on to elite careers.

For further information please visit the website:

Application for Year 7, 2019 close Friday May 11
Application for Years 8 - 11, 2019 close Friday June 8

HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

YEAR 8: A NATURAL DISASTER

Mr Johnson’s Year 8s have been looking at the causes and consequences of geomorphic hazards such as volcanoes, earthquakes and landslides. As part of this study, students were tasked with creating a model that demonstrated one or both of these things. The photographs below show that students were diligent in their model making and successful in sharing their learning. Mr McLean was called upon to be the independent judge of the models and showed great diplomacy in awarding prizes to multiple groups.

David Johnson Humanities and Social Sciences Teacher

LANGUAGES

INTRODUCING NEW LANGUAGES STAFF

This year, Ms Kylie Carroll has joined the Languages department, working in the Italian team. Kylie lived and studied in Bologna, northern Italy and this sparked a passion to study Italian, French and Politics at UWA when she returned to Perth. Kylie has joined us from Penrhos College and worked previously as a teacher of Italian and EAL/D at Perth Modern School. Kylie is a great addition to our team and staff and students are already benefiting from her energy and expertise.

ITALIAN LANGUAGE ASSISTANT

The first day I arrived at Willetton Senior High School my colleagues gave me a warm welcome and made me feel special. The Languages block has been my home for the last three months.

Thanks to Willetton SHS I have the amazing opportunity to share the Italian culture and customs with the students, talk about my home town, see how dedicated the Italian teachers are, experience new teaching methods and learn more about Australia and its multiculturalism.

When I found out I was going to be an assistente, my main objective was to leave a positive impact in the lives of the people I would cross paths with, and I hope this was true for some people because I know it was for me: everyone from Willetton - teachers, other language assistants and all the students from Year 7 to Year 12 - will always have a special place in my heart. Grazie a tutti!

Ricordo ancora il primo giorno in cui sono arrivata al liceo di Willetton: le prof di italiano mi hanno dato il benvenuto abbracciandomi e con un gran sorriso e da lì ho capito subito che mi sarei sentita a casa.

Grazie a questa esperienza di assistenza linguistica ho avuto l'opportunità di coniugare il mio interesse per le lingue e le diversità con la passione per la promozione culturale, grazie ad un clima collaborativo e di scambio di opinioni, tradizioni, gesti e gusti culinari. Tutto ciò ha arricchito maggiormente il mio bagaglio culturale, aprendo ancora di più la mia mente e i miei occhi a diversi stili di vita e usanze.

Ringrazio indistintamente tutti gli insegnanti, gli assistenti e gli studenti con cui mi sono incrociata e messa in discussione nel corso degli ultimi tre mesi. Non vi scorderò mai!

Taryn Curcuruto Italian Language Assistant

JAPANESE LANGUAGE ASSISTANTS

Hi I’m Mao Inoue

This is my third time visiting Perth. I’m a fourth year student at the University of Hyogo, studying business administration.

Last September, I came to Perth to study English at UWA for one month. Hyogo and Western Australia have been sister states since 1981, and because of this connection, I was given the opportunity to do an internship at Hyogo cultural centre to introduce Japanese culture to Australian high school students and generally support the learning of Japanese in Perth.

Willetton Senior High school and the high school of the University of Hyogo have a sister school relationship and every year many students experience both Australian and Japanese culture through exchanges between our countries. This year, I was very lucky to have been chosen to come to Perth as a Japanese assistant until December.

I will do my best to make the learning of Japanese fun for all students at Willetton Senior High School and at the same time it will help me build confidence and improve my teaching skills!

Mao Inoue Japanese Language Assistant

Hello, my name is Yurie Mima

I am from Kagoshima, Japan. I am the new Japanese language Assistant at Willetton Senior High School until December 2018.

In Kagoshima, I attend Kagoshima Junshin university and I am majoring in English and Japanese. After graduating from university, I am hoping to become an English teacher at a junior high school in Japan. During my time at Willetton high school, I would like to help the students learn the Japanese language and culture in a fun way.

Perth and Kagoshima have a sister city relationship but this is my first time in Perth and I would like to take advantage of this new experience and visit as many places as possible. I would also like to improve my English during my time here.

I love animals so I would like to go to Caversham Wildlife Park before I go back to Japan.

Yurie Mima Japanese Language Assistant

FAREWELL FROM SHIORI SENSEI

Hi, I’m Shiori

I’ve worked at Willetton SHS for 10 months. I’m really happy to have been able to come here. The students have a lot of motivation to study, and the teachers are really energetic, so I’ve really enjoyed my time working here.

My role as an assistant teacher including preparing class materials, helping students with their Japanese writing and conversation skills. Everything I did with the students was an amazing experience, but the one on one sessions with the Year 12 students in term 3 was most memorable for me. I think they were quite stressed while studying for the WACE exams, but they looked like they were having fun when they studied Japanese. They were also doing their best for exams so it made me want to work harder for their sake. As I will be returning to Japan soon, I wish them and all the other students I’ve met in these 10 months, the very best for their future endeavours.

Helping them was not easy and in fact, quite challenge. Thanks to that, however, I was able to learn many things. I will treasure the time I spent here at Willetton SHS. I’d like to thank everyone for the kindness and hospitality. Hope to see you again.

Shiori Kitano Japanese language assistant

YEAR 9 JAPANESE EXCURSION

One hundred and twenty Year 9 students learning Japanese participated in a full day excursion to the Hyogo Cultural Centre in City Beach. The day was conducted in a Japanese immersion environment and consolidated and extended this term’s topic. Hyogo is the sister state of WA. The theme of the workshop was ひょうごに行きましょう (Let’s go to Hyogo) were students worked in teams to learn about the most important aspects of Hyogo’s industry, culture and food. They then designed promotional posters in Japanese for a simulated travel expo to encourage people to visit Hyogo.

YEAR 10 EXCURSIONS TO UWA

ITALIAN

The excursion that we went on was a wonderful opportunity to discover new ways we can use our language once we graduate. We had a treasure hunt at the end, a fun interactive activity that allowed us to speak to each other in either French or Italian and expand our vocabulary. This excursion gave us a tour around the campus of UWA and expanded our horizons for our use of our language, whether it is Italian or French, and was a very beneficial experience.

Ella Angus Year 10

FRENCH

On March 22, UWA hosted an excursion for our Year 10 French and Italian students. Many of us had been unsure about whether or not to continue learning our language for ATAR or at university, as well as what options are available for studying French and Italian at UWA. This excursion was valuable to show us that even if we don’t choose our language as a major, we can still choose it as an additional unit to keep up the strength of our language skills. It wasn’t just the university lecturers who talked to us, but also current and past university students. It was helpful to receive their views on the language courses they are taking and to hear how it has benefitted them in finding a career. We were given a tour around the university campus and went on a fun scavenger hunt in French or Italian around the arts area. It was amazing to see all of the historic buildings and beautiful gardens in UWA, and everyone enjoyed catching a sight of one of the peacocks wandering around the campus. The excursion was very enjoyable and important for learning more about French and Italian at university, and so I would like to thank UWA very much for giving us this opportunity.

Kate Graham Year 10

Other key points that students picked up were:

• You get a 10% bonus added to your score if you take an ATAR language
• At university, a language can be taken as a major, a second major, or as a broadening unit, and there are opportunities to study overseas
• Learning a language makes you stand out when applying for jobs
• Learning a language helps students in their other fields of study by opening up new opportunities and improving their communication skills

JAPANESE

On March 20, the Year 10 Japanese students went on an excursion to the University of Western Australia. The main objective was to experience a day at a university and learn more about why we should continue our study of Japanese. We did various activities including a tour of the university, a talk with some UWA students and we had the wonderful opportunity of joining a Japanese lecture.

At the Japanese lecture we got to be in a real university lecture environment, where everyone was very quiet, attentively listening and writing down the new kanji characters from the board.

In the morning, a Japanese lecturer talked to us about the benefits of learning a language, in particular an Asian language. She stressed that not only you are learning a language, but you also get to learn about the culture and get to meet and understand people from a different culture. You also have a chance to go on an exchange study trip to improve your language skills!

During the tour, we visited the sunken gardens, Winthrop Hall, various lecture theatres, the village café, the beautiful lawns surrounding the campus (where we encountered peacocks), the Octagon Theatre, the Japanese garden and many more wonderful areas of the university.

We had a very inspirational talk with some UWA students who had previously attended Willetton Senior High School. They talked to us about their experiences at the university. We learnt that when you are at uni, you only have to attend your lectures at certain times and for the rest of the time, you have to study by yourself. They also gave us a few tips to help us in our transition to university, for example, don’t procrastinate and spend your time wisely.

The whole day was an amazing experience. We all had lots of fun and started to think more about what university we should go to and how wonderful it would be to keep going with our language studies.

Diana Montaya Delgado Year 10

KOREAN

Our Korean class went to a very knowledgeable and eventful session at UWA. We met Dr Nicola Fraschini who taught us a lot about Korea’s history, culture and pathways. We first started talking about the pathways and courses being offered at the prestigious University of WA. Being the only university that offers Korean studies as a course, Dr Nicola showed us the new and improved units that are being offered, some of which can lead to many exchange trips and new careers. With insight into the current students’ university life, it showed how Korean culture has expanded and influenced the students of UWA.

After the amazing talk with Dr Fraschini, we had a campus tour with student ambassador, David. We went to fascinating places such as the Guild village, Molecular Science Department, Reid Library and the business school building. We were then astonished by the different vending machines in the campus.

When visiting UWA our class attended a first year Korean lecture by Dr Fraschini. The lecture was on numbers and endings which our class has learnt years prior. As such, our class was able to answer questions before his students were. However during the class despite knowing much of the lesson already we were taught new vocabularies used by Dr Fraschini as examples. The lecture hall was comprised of a crowd 150 people and the lesson was engaging and easy to follow.

All in all, the journey to UWA gave us knowledge and insight into the fascinating culture of Korea. It was a very valuable experience in which we got to meet new people and learn more about the University of WA. We would absolutely love to be able to do this every year! 감사합니다!

Jordan Best Year10

MATHS

MATHEMATICS STAFF AT THE BALL

A number of staff from the Mathematics Department attended the Year 12 Ball this year.

It was great to see our Year 12s dressed in their finery and looking absolutely superb.

We all enjoyed the celebrations. Congratulations Mr Brand and his councillors on organizing such a fantastic night.

Mrs Amie Yost, Mrs Patricia Cope, Miss Jacquie Ahern, Mr Richard Hamilton-Brown, Mrs Cheryl Correa, Mr Peter Lee, Mrs Kerri Kalotay, Mrs Zoe Tay, Mr Ian Galbaith, Miss Amy Leow, Mr James Whiteley, Mrs Yujing Sun, Mr Ian Warburton, Ms Kate Thompson, Mr Hamish McLean and Mrs Karen Gatland.

SCIENCE

YEAR 11 BIOLOGY - PERTH ZOO EXCURSION

As part of the investigation component of the course, classes attended an excursion to Perth Zoo in February.

Students were given a presentation by an Education Officer where they were shown live specimens of different lizards and learnt how they are classified.

Students then went walkabout to make first hand observations of animals in their enclosures. It was very interesting to see the different structures and behaviours that allow animals to survive well in their habitat.

The glorious sunny weather, ambience of the zoo and conscientious students with exemplary behaviour all contributed to an excursion that was enriching and rewarding.

Mrs Gloria Wynhorst and Ms Suzanne Wager Science Teachers

YEAR 12 GENERAL INTEGRATED SCIENCE

Students performed titrations to determine the concentration of dissolved oxygen in water samples at different temperatures. They found that warmer water has less dissolved oxygen and looked at the effects this has on aquatic ecosystems.

Grace Hamilton Science Teacher

Jake Hollibone and Lachlan Forrest

A MAN OF CULTURE – TISSUE CULTURE CLUB

Plant tissue culture is a fun and varied art. We are cloning Western Australian Native plants, using tissue culture techniques. Our members learn the lab techniques needed to prepare the media necessary to grow these plants.

The Tissue Culture Club operates on Wednesdays after school in E Block.

Leon Harris and Ravila Rajor

TECHNOLOGIES

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Graphic Design classes are an exciting place to be. No matter what year our classes are producing amazing work samples. Numerous students have had their work published on greeting cards which are available for staff to use.

To cope with the interest and demand of students who missed Graphics in their options selection we are offering a Graphic Design Club for 1½ hours after school on Wednesdays. We have been overwhelmed with students taking up this opportunity with up to 35 in attendance.

It is always inspirational to hear about the success of past students. This year we have had the support of Jordan Muir, class of 2015 who has come back to work with Year 11 and 12 students. Jordan is doing an excellent job of bridging the gap between Graphics at school and further studies at TAFE and University. Enjoy the work samples in the gallery.

Judy Gauci, Jayson Bignoux and Rachel Harrington Graphics Teachers

I graduated from Willetton SHS in 2015. Part of my senior school course was Certificate II in Visual Arts, Graphic Design. It was my favourite subject through senior school so decided I wanted to further my knowledge and experience in the Design field.

I applied at Curtin College where I studied a Diploma in Arts and Creative Industries. I am now studying second year of Photography and Illustration Design at Curtin University. Doing the Certificate at high school really helped me through my post high school studies as most of what I am currently learning we have covered in the certificate course.

Jordan Muir Class of 2015

HOME ECONOMICS

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING

CAREER AND ENTERPRISE HELPS TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

In March, Year 12 Career and Enterprise students had the opportunity to listen to two guest speakers who are the owners of the business Stratus Imaging. This company uses sophisticated drone technology for:

• Aerial mapping
• 3D reconstruction
• Plant counting
• Surveying
• Property overview

Clients are able to use this information to support management of:

• Plant Health Management
• Pasture and Grass Health and livestock rotation
• Plant and Tree Loss Identification
• Water Detection
• Viticulture sector
• Horticulture sector
• Environmental regeneration/degeneration mapping

The business, established by Jonathan Smith and Andrew Dedman operates in WA.

Students gained understanding of the scope of the work that drone pilot qualifications can obtain with a course and around $3000. There are strict regulations around drone use. Jon and Andrew are moving also to design job specific drones, which adds another dimension to the evolution of their own careers and business.

Additional to gaining some understanding of a career with drone technology, was an appreciation of personal career management. Jon’s working life began in IT networking , further study of electronics, sales, developing customer networks and contacts, and a move into the automotive industry to become a fleet account manager. His career journey then combined with a passion for drones to create Stratus Imaging in 2015.

Likewise with Andrew Dedman, his career journey began with a lengthy work relationship in the Health and Safety field with the oil and gas firm, Shell. Andrew’s experiences in leadership to innovate in multi-site and multi business teams enabled him to transfer skills, understandings and management practices to Stratus Imaging.

According to Jobs Outlook the Industry Outlook over the 5 years to 2022, it is expected the largest jobs growth will be in

• Health Care and Social Assistance
• Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
• Construction

By 2022, there will probably be fewer jobs in

• Manufacturing
• Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services
• Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing

As the current generation is set to change their careers and jobs up to 15 times in their working life, it is vital to have an understanding of:

• Transferring skills from one job to another
• The need to upskill and reskill to meet the needs of using new technology
• That technology may make work easier, “take” a job or help to create another job for the worker
• The need to be able to locate new jobs, apply and interview successfully
• The need to have flexible, adaptable and positive attitudes to sustaining work with knowledge of job trends

Our students had a taste of their future challenges in managing their careers over a working life.

With thanks to Jon and Andrew for their time to visit our school and present to our students.

Special thanks to Stratus Imaging for the donation of a model of a drone currently being used in the business.

Ruth Barratt Career and Enterprise Teacher

YEAR 7

Congratulations to all Year 7s on an excellent first term at high school. There have been very few settling-in issues and students have made a positive impact on their classroom teachers. The general perception is that this cohort is hard working, friendly and respectful. This all bodes well for the next six years. Students have settled into their new routine of lessons, weekly assembly and risen to the challenge of making new friends.

We had an awesome day at Riverton Leisureplex with the Phys Ed team. Special thanks to Mr Blair Kearsley and all other staff who contributed to making this a fantastic day. Thanks also to the Year 10 Peer Leaders for doing such a great job assisting at the carnival and also for helping Year 7 students out in the first couple of weeks of term. I would also like to acknowledge the School Board for running a Cyber Safety information session mid-March. The presentation was attended by numerous Year 7 parents.

The step up from primary to high school can be massive and for some, the increase in homework has caused some anxiety. To assist with this, there is a new time management planner available to all Year 7s. They will need to come and see me in person to collect a copy. Thank you very much to the students who have trialled the drafts and provided feedback.

Year 7 students have already been given opportunities to take on leadership roles. I was very happy when over 100 students nominated to MC at assembly. These students have buddied up and will take turns presenting at assembly on a roster for the duration of 2018. I acknowledge the 10 applicants for their effort in nominating for the Wellbeing Committee. Many of these students attended the 2018 Councillors Forum late in April as well getting a taste of the input student representatives can have in the running of the school. I congratulate Ananya Sanivarapu and Emerlyn Kaur have been appointed as the Year 7 Wellbeing representatives and wish them all the best in their role.

I have recently advertised for two Year 7 committees. Our Fund Raising Committee will coordinate the World’s Greatest Shave event in Term 2 and a Social Committee who will plan and help run our end of semester social. I am looking forward to working with all students to create some amazing experiences and memories.

Judy Gauci Year 7 Coordinator
judy.gauci@education.wa.edu.au

YEAR 8

2018 has started off very well for the Year 8s. Students settled in quickly as most of them are familiar with the routine of finding their classrooms and getting to know their teachers. Already the group has made the most of the opportunities presented this term.

The first most important event to occur was the appointment of the successful Year 8 Councillors for 2018. They are:

These councillors will be busy throughout the year planning social functions, fundraising events and running the weekly year assemblies. They have already been involved in the Councillor Forum run by the senior students and have shown leadership making decisions associated with planned uniform changes in the future. I am certainly looking forward to working with this group of students, developing their leadership and decision-making skills.

I also want to acknowledge a group of Year 8 students who were involved in the Year 8/9 Drama Club production in February. Family and friends had an enjoyable night watching the production Into the Woods. Congratulations to Mr Brand and the cast, Ms Talbot, and her crew whose help made the production possible. The following students gave an excellent performance in front of their peers:

Congratulations must also go to all Year 8s who attended the Year 8 Swimming Carnival. The day was filled by serious competition and some good-natured fun. Students were a credit to the school and themselves, displaying exemplary behaviour and fantastic sportsmanship. Congratulations to the Champion Boy and Girl and their Runner-Ups, and to the winning house - Ruby!

Later this term, to help students develop their leadership skills, our Year 8 Student Councillors and students short listed for the WA Secondary School of the Year scholarship were invited to the Halogen National Young Leaders Day at the Perth Exhibition and Conference Centre in Perth. The day was filled with activities and inspiring talks by personalities such as John Coultis (double amputee) and Rick Ardon (Channel 7 News Reader). I believe that all students who went found inspiration and purpose in listening to the motivational guest speakers and hopefully took away with them a determination to lead by example.

Finally, at the 2017 end of the Year Awards ceremony I announced the winner of the WA Secondary School of the Year Scholarship. Unfortunately she was absent on the day, so I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Angela Thompkinson on winning this prestigious award. Angela went through a rigorous application process before being interviewed before a panel. I am looking forward to Angela achieving outstanding academic and leadership achievements throughout her time here at Willetton. Well done Angela.

Principal Chris Booth presenting Angela Thompkinson the winner of WA Secondary School of the Year Scholarship

Congratulations Year 8s on a wonderful start to 2018. I am proud of the work you have put in so far and am looking to seeing how you progress through the rest of the year.

Michael Ialacci Year 8 Coordinator

YEAR 9

YEAR 10

It has been a busy first term for the Year 10s. With the increased workload of Year 10 and the semester exams that will play a huge role in determining our ATAR subject selections getting ever closer, everyone has been giving it 110%.

Even though we have been very focused on academics, we have also had time to participate in many extracurricular activities. The Year 10 leadership group and several other volunteers helped out at the Year 7, 8 and 9 swimming carnivals and played a crucial part in their success. Our school also performed well in the zone swimming carnival, with multiple Year 10 students on the swim team performing well, with one winning the prestigious place of runner-up champion boy. A team of Year 10 students from our school even made it to an Australia-wide robotics competition in Sydney. The range of achievements is a testament to the talented and hardworking students that make up the Year 10 cohort.

Year 10 Swimming carnival helpers

In March, the Year 10 councillors held a movie night to raise funds for the charity zero2hero. The fundraiser was a resounding success. Altogether, around $4000 was raised which went towards improving the mental health of teenagers across Western Australia.

I believe the foremost concern on the minds of everyone in the Year 10 cohort right now will be the Semester 1 exams. However, I believe that our hard work will bear fruit and every member of our cohort will be able to pass the upcoming exams with flying colours.

Chris (Hang Yi) Law Year 10

YEAR 11

As term 1 2018 draws to a close most students are now settled into the subjects they wish to study in senior school. Maths, English and some HASS subjects offer homework and extension classes held before and after school as well as OLNA classes for those who need them. Students wishing to have one on one help can get a peer mentor form from Student Services as we have some Year 12s who will tutor Year 11s as part of their community service to the school.

Congratulations to the 2018 Year 11 Student Councillors who were presented with their badges during the recent Investiture Ceremony

Year 11 is a busy year for the Councillors with events such as Relay For life, Councillor Forum, Leavers Jacket 2019, 2018 Dinner Dance and 2019 School Ball to organise.

2019 LEAVER JACKET ORGANISATION

The Leavers’ Jackets committee has worked with the rest of the council to decide on the details and design of the jackets. Two photos have been included below, one of which shows one of the options for the reverse of the jacket. The other design is filled 19 with Leavers on the top inside an inverse ribbon (found beneath our school logo)

The vote to decide on the final jacket design will be occurring soon and sizing, nicknames and payments will be organised shortly after. The cost is still being finalised but should be approximately $85 which includes a $5 donation to Zero2Hero a charity which supports teen mental health.

Muhammad Umer Year 11 Councillor

2019 Leavers Jacket Option 1

YEAR 11 PROPOSED DINNER DANCE THURSDAY JUNE 14

Plans are well underway in the organisation of this event. The Dinner Dance is scheduled for Thursday 14 June from 6.30pm to 10pm at East Fremantle Yacht Club. Dress will be semi-formal with meals served in a cocktail party style. The venue will cater for dietary requirements. There will be music and a DJ. This will be the only Year 11 social this year and the last one before our school ball. Details and price of tickets will be available soon.

Amos Choo and Kristina Joseph Year 11 Councillors

HALOGEN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

Halogen was a very inspiring seminar in which we were taught many valuable lessons. The first speaker was John Coutis, his message was very emotional. His most important point was that your life is priceless, and no matter how bad you think it is it can always be straightened out. The second speaker was Sarah Jamieson, who was an Olympic athlete for many years. Her message to us was not to let fear run our lives, and to believe in ourselves. The next speaker, former West Coast Eagles player Andrew Embley, left us with a powerful quote, the only person stopping you from being your best, is you. This tied in with his lesson of belief in yourself. The final speaker, 7 News presenter Rick Ardon related to the students very well as he spoke about three important issues in school; being true to yourself, social media, and bullying. Rick was encouraging us to take responsibility of our actions and to learn from our mistakes.

Simone Male Year 11 Councillor

Simone Male Year 11, Arron Chapple and Georgia Barry Year 12

2019 SCHOOL BALL PLANNING

In the past few weeks, the Year 11 council has been asking their year group about the theme that would be most preferred for their Year 12 Ball. The councillors are doing their best to come up with ideas, going as far as attending the 2018 Year 12 Ball for inspiration. Some great ideas have already been put forward, but if anyone has others, please approach the friendly Year 11 Councillors, as they are willing to take on board as many ideas as possible. The council will be having vote amongst the Year 11 cohort, regarding the Year 12 ball theme in the near future.

Morgan Geiles Year 11 Councillor

I hope all students have a relaxing term one break and we will see everyone back ready for action on Tuesday May 1.

Andrea Wheeler Year 11 Coordinator

YEAR 12

Term 1 has been busy!!

I have been impressed with all of the Year 12 students as always. Many teaching and non-teaching staff have commented on how well-mannered and thoughtful the students are. Thank you for continuing being the proud young citizens of Willetton!

My head is spinning with the many events that we have had and there are many more to come. The distribution of the leavers’ jackets, the tradition of senior status, the academic award ceremony, the dress up day ( so, so impressed), the ball, the announcement of Head Boy and Head Girl, parent/teacher meetings, commencement of the fundraising for Relay for Life ( we have over 80 Year 11 and Year 12 students participating), our final ever swimming carnival, the Councillor Forum, the announcement of the Year 12 Interact leaders, more success for the Duke of Edinburgh students achieving Bronze and Silver awards and the events continue.

Still to come are the inaugural Year 12 Dinner Theatre Restaurant performed by the Year 12 Drama students which will be prepared and served by the Year 12 certificate students, Relay for Life, the final round of leavers jackets arriving in Term 2, exams, and first semester reports.

Congratulations also to our students who have been involved in recent competitions and events that have gained good results. We have had student trips to Canberra, our basketballers have been doing well and we have the up and coming Vietnam trip during the holidays. I wish them all the best and thank the staff for supporting these amazing opportunities.

Congratulations to the following students who this term have received Student of the Week awards (recognition for effort and behaviour). Certificates will be presented at our final assembly this term to Chelsea Broun, Carter Van der Linden, Chun Sern Shong, Eunchan Park, Alexandra Holdcroft, Adam Turany, Linh Nguyen, Sean Chionh.

Thank you to also the amazing teaching and non-teaching staff for their support for the Year 12 students in the first term. Thanks also to the parents and guardians for ongoing support. Please keep up the communication.

I wish you all the best for the school holidays. Please look after yourself students! Give yourselves some time to relax; we have a busy year ahead of us.

Stefan Brand Year 12 Coordinator

SCHOOL BOARD NEWS

SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS

The School Board AGM was held on Monday March 19, 2018 in the staffroom, where the Chair’s Annual Report and the Annual Financial Report were presented. Thank you to all who attended. A list of Board meetings for this year can be found on the school website, under the School Board information. All are welcome to attend.

SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION

It is with great pleasure that we announce the 2018 Willetton Senior High School Board.

Mr Chris Booth, Principal

Co-Opted Member

Mr Tim Roach

We thank Mr Simon Lappin, Mrs Sharee Seeburuth and Ms Charmaine Smith for their time and contribution to the School Board. They have now completed their elected term of appointment. We wish them all the best.

A particular acknowledgement to Simon for his outstanding role as the Board Chair over the last two years. He has taken on this role with the utmost humility and professionalism, and his priority has always been to put the students’ interest first. His expertise, commitment to the school and wit will be greatly missed. We wish Simon all the best as he embarks on the next chapter of his life.

(Front L-R) Wayne Swan, Jenny LeSouef, Helen Wong, Chris Booth, Tele Tan, Chris Hanley
(Back L-R) Judy Gauci, Chris Phillips, Colin Marshall, Rachel Harrington, Jega Jegathesan, Paola Chivers, Jo Collier
Absent: Karen Allen, Trudi McGlade, Kailee Marshall

SCHOOL BOARD COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES

Two members of the local community may be appointed by the School Board in June each year. Terms of appointment are for 12 months. Expressions of interest from the local community are now open and can be forwarded to the School Board office,
willetton.shs.schoolboard@education.wa.edu.au

WILLO PARENT GROUP

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 our school. Suggestions for meetings are always welcome. For details of Willo Parent Group events please contact Helen Wong helen.s.wong@education.wa.edu.au

CYBER AWARENESS PRESENTATION

On the evening of Wednesday March 21, 2018, the Willo Parent Group held an informative Cyber Awareness Seminar presented by Matt Chapman and Michael Fairclough from Cyb@ware. The presentation covered the important issues of cyber security and safety, cyberbullying, online gaming, social media use and its influence, as well as practical solutions for parents, staff and students to prevent or reduce the impact of internet issues that they face regularly.

Feedback from the parents and staff who attended this seminar has been very positive. Thank you to Michael and Matt from Cyb@ware for giving up their time to assist in navigating a fast paced, challenging and often confusing subject for parents and students.

Student Services will be running a Cyber Safety presentation for all Year 7 students on May 29.

Thank you to the Cyb@ware team, Helen Wong, the Willo Parent Group volunteers, WSHS staff, the Front of House team, Cheryl Venter and the Certificate in Creative industries and Live production students for making this evening an outstanding success and I look forward to the next Willo parent group presentation on Friday May 25, 2018.

Sam Phipps Willo Parent Group

UPCOMING EVENTS