31 May 2019

Editor: Jenny LeSouef
Technology: Nola Regan

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

As I write this report we are not even half way through the term but already so much has happened with lots more to come. I am always pleased and extremely grateful for the huge amount of time our staff voluntarily give up to enrich the education and lives of our students. Even before the term had begun we had dedicated teachers taking students on interstate and international tours. Pia Palermo and Kylie Carroll gave up their entire vacation to supervise 26 Year 10 and 11 students of a Study tour of Italy. In addition, four teachers, Ina Boxshall, Cheryl Venter, Stefan Brand and Hamish McLean conducted an Arts tour to Melbourne. Being responsible and on call for students 24 hours a day is a huge commitment to take on and I thank all those teachers for their efforts.

On the topic of going above and beyond, six staff and 60 students participated in the Relay for Life fundraiser on May 4 and 5. The team raised $10,456 making us the third highest school for fundraising. Collectively, they walked a total of 350Kms, equal to eight marathons, in 24 hours. A wonderful effort.

Our interschool teams are again in full swing this term with numerous teams representing the school in Netball, AFL, Cross Country, debating and mock trials. Good luck to all the teams and again thank you to the teachers who so willingly give up so much of their after-hours time to organise and run these competitions.

We began the term with our annual ANZAC ceremony which commemorates the sacrifices of those who fought for our country. Rachel Harrington did an outstanding job organising an appropriately respectful event witnessed by all lower school students.

I had hoped to be able to write that the NAPLAN testing period has come and gone without a hitch but unfortunately the move by ACARA to online testing has hit another problem. This year nationwide connection issues caused some students issues. A small group of Year 7s were significantly affected in one test and our staff have already made plans for those students who want to sit a paper and pen version to do so.

Our Year 8, 9 and 10 parent/teacher interview day was recently conducted and was another great success. It is a rare opportunity for parents to discuss the progress of their child with the teachers face to face and I thank the staff for their hard work in preparing and talking for over 6 hours. We had over 600 families who attended more than 3000 interviews. The student musical items and the front of house students assisting parents was again a great feature of the day.

The Semester 1 examination period has begun, first with Year 12s, followed by Year 11 and 10 students. It can be a stressful time for students and I know all families will be working hard to ensure students maintain a calm but focussed approach. They do need to keep a balanced life and so should be encouraged to continue sporting commitments, exercise and appropriate relaxation.

Our Interact Club recently won an award at the Seven News Young Achievers Awards, taking the Youth Group Achievement category. Staff and student representatives from the club attended a gala dinner where the announcement was made. Winning such a prestigious award from a strong field of state wide candidates is an outstanding achievement and recognition of the tremendous work they do in contributing to the school and the community.

I daresay the remainder of the term will be just as eventful and I look forward to reporting on our remarkable activities and achievements in the next newsletter.

Colin Marshall

BOARD CHAIR REPORT

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

It is this time of the year when our Year 10s, 11s and 12s are preparing for their midyear exams. Students often feel the pressure of exams and unfortunately, we as parents don’t always help alleviate this sense of dread and foreboding. It is therefore a timely reminder, as parents and caregivers, to reflect on how we can support our children to perform to their potential whilst maintaining positive health and well-being and particularly mental health. We should use our own life lessons and aspirations to constructively help break down barriers and create pathways, yet not burden our children with expectations that follow our own dreams and not theirs.

Mental and physical wellbeing is a prominent and important aspect of life in our society and with strong focus on providing positive environments to study and work. With both my parent and research hat on, it is important that we (as guardians of our children) promote a healthy balance between study, leisure time, a healthy diet, and exercise and facilitate good sleep habits (despite their nocturnal habits). These are important messages for us ‘adults’ too!

“Our bodies need time to rest and recuperate in order to properly function during the day. And while we’re resting, our brain actually strengthens and reaffirms the new memories we’ve collected through our day. To study effectively, good sleep is a must”.

It is also important that we allow our children autonomy to work out when and how they balance their time. Different students study best in different ways and at different times. As a Board we acknowledge the great work our Willo teachers, particularly year coordinators, are doing with our students to help them manage study, mental health and stress. Together we can work to support students and also foster lifelong healthy habits.

The school successfully ran another parent teacher interview day. Once again our front of house students were on show and made sure parents found their way and on time, whilst music students entertained us. I was also fortunate enough to attend the Our Town drama production by Year 12 ATAR Drama students, ably supported by Year 11 and Year 12 Hospitality students catering for our dinner which was scrumptious. Special accolades must go to Directors Jade Choong, Lauren Cherry and Jessica Banks (our Year 12 ATAR students) and I admit I did have a tear or two in my eye in the closing scenes.

Department of Education Executives and WSHS staff recently formally farewelled retiring Principal Chris Booth. During Chris’ long service leave, and since announcing his retirement, Acting Principal, Colin Marshall has done a fantastic job at the helm with a significant presence in the school and we have enjoyed continuing to work with him in ensuring the best possible learning journey for our Willo students. On behalf of the Board I would also like to acknowledge the great support Nathan Harvey has provided the executive in his acting role of deputy, and of course the many staff who have taken on additional tasks and roles to fill the needs of our school.

That naturally leads on to ‘so who is our next Principal’? I can inform you that the selection process is underway and a suitable candidate has been selected by the WSHS Principal Selection Panel. There were many good candidates and it is hoped that the selected candidate will fit the mould of WSHS and continue to grow and nourish our culture and ethos. Hopefully by next newsletter we can formally announce who this is!

Lastly, finishing off where we started, a reminder that school, and particularly Year 12 is not the life defining moment. “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” (Alexander Graham Bell). The important thing for us as parents and caregivers is to help nurture and support our children to find the path that realises their potential and provides them a meaningful and fulfilling life.

Wishing our students

all the very best in ‘keeping the balance’ as they prepare for midyear exams.

Dr Paola Chivers Board Chair

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

We are now approaching the final weeks of semester 1 and what an eventful time it has been! Events have come and gone and great things have been accomplished by students throughout the school cohort.

Multicultural week was another success as we celebrated our school’s multiculturalism through the Interact Club food stalls inspired from different cultural cuisines along with performances and interactive stalls set up by the languages department.

The school once again gave students a chance to participate in the Rotary Fair, which we were so happy to see had such high levels of participation from our student body.

Relay for life was held over the first weekend of Term 2 and we are proud of the Year 11 and 12 students who with the help of staff, family, friends and the wider community, managed to raise a whopping $10 664, placing us as the 3rd greatest fundraising school this year!

The school also held an ANZAC assembly for lower school students and we were fortunate to be joined by a number of veterans and distinguished guests to whom we give our thanks for aiding us in commemoration and remembrance of the ANZAC troops, their service and sacrifice.

Looking ahead, the plans for the councillor forum are well underway and we are very excited for the projects that will come to fruition through it. Students are beginning their exams and external set tasks by now, and to everyone sitting them we wish you all the best and remind you to take care of yourselves in what is a period of intense pressure for a lot of you. Remember you are surrounded by a caring cohort and have the staff available to you at any time should you feel overwhelmed.

Araan Kousari and Jae Brieffies Head Boy and Girl

ADIEU CHRIS BOOTH

A function for our retiring Principal was held on Friday May 10 with over 100 staff, Board members, Chris Booth’s family and dignitaries attending.

The ceremony MC was Nathan Harvey. Our Willetton Pipe Band heralded the beginning of formalities. Speeches were by Gary Anderson (Regional Assistant Executive Director), Stephen Baxter (Deputy Director General), Allan Blagaich (Executive Director SCSA), Kath Ward (WASSEA Committee Member), Paola Chivers (Board chair), Colin Marshall (Acting Principal). These were followed by an original vocal rendition by staff member Deb Lievense which was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Chris Booth thanked all who have sustained him both in his long career and more particularly at Willetton. He particularly thanked Penny Lindley and Dave Bonner for their support.

GENERAL

YOUNG ACHIEVER AWARD FOR INTERACT CLUB

Once again, our Interact Club continues to excel in fundraising and community service:

The club has been named the winner of the annual Seven News Young Achiever Awards Youth Group Achievement Award 2019.

The award recognises groups that help motivate and inspire others to aim high, display initiative, innovation and a commitment to excellence. This was a wonderful recognition for the hard work and dedication which has been put in by over 80 Willetton SHS Interact students. Our competition was of an extremely high calibre and we all felt like we were winners anyway: having come to the finals was an honour and wonderful recognition for us.

The next step was an invitation for the club to attend the Gala Awards Night at the Pan Pacific Perth Hotel. Thanks to the generous financial assistance from the Rotary Club of Willetton and the school, we were able to have eleven members of our Interact executive attended the formal proceedings last Saturday night. Everyone was dressed to impress and full of anticipation. We were honoured to be accompanied by Mr Simon Cubitt (Youth Director from the Rotary Club of Willetton) and Mr Marcus Wong (our first Interact President). Both of these gentlemen are actively and constantly involved in assisting our club and their attendance was extremely important to us.

Suzannah Carr was the compere for the evening and the other seven awards were announced. Our award, the last award, was announced after the meal and the wait was very long for everyone. To our surprise, delight and pride we were announced as the winners! There was much excitement while our 2018 President Mihan De Silva made his way to the stage to receive our award. Mihan then spoke to the audience of 470 people. He impressed everyone with a professional, warm and sincere speech which fill the facilitators with pride. He spoke from our hearts and left the audience in awe:

Tonight, I stand before you as one of over 80 students in the Interact Club of Willetton who together, have given thousands of hours of their schooling life to serving our community and larger society. … Interact is testament to the fact that age is no barrier to service. Together, we have organised and successfully run over ten fundraisers in a single school year, volunteered at homeless shelters, and sent maternity care packages to Papua New Guinea. We have donated all our proceeds to a number of charities, including ones that empower girls in Sierra Leone and Uganda, provide aid to children in hospitals throughout Australia, and help the fight against breast cancer here at home, in Perth.

Following the awards night, Mihan said the club’s award was humbling. It was a privilege to be recognised by our community, but greater than that it was affirmation to all of us as students and as people that we have the power to shape the world around us. Nothing is more powerful than the determination to help others and I am so immensely proud to have shared that passion with the entire team at the Interact Club of Willetton Senior High School.

The Interact Club Executive extends congratulations to all of our current and graduated members as it has taken many hands to achieve this success. We look forward to continuing to make a difference in our world through community service and fundraising. The financial reward, $500 cash, a $500 Woolworths voucher and $1000 Bartercard, will be used to aid our future endeavours.

We meet in F13 Thursdays at recess and we welcome new members.

Deb Lievense, Pip Peake, Sue Thorp and Helen Wong Interact Facilitators

Interact Club members at the Young Achiever Awards and the trophy they received

SAM BATEMAN RECORD BROKEN AT WSHS

One of our Year 10 students, Sam Bateman, has been awarded the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) Foundation Certification. Sam enrolled for the online course in January and took the examinations in March. He passed the examinations with flying colours. The examination was conducted by the ANZ Testing Board (ANZTB) which is the organisation representing software testing professionals in Australia.

According to ANZTB, Sam is the youngest candidate to have achieved this certification. This is a fantastic achievement by Sam.

The ISTQB program was supported by the Autism Academy for Software Quality Assurance (AASQA) at Curtin University and sponsored by BHP and Planit Testing. Two of WSHS former students assisted Sam by providing him with encouragement and mentoring support while he was studying for the examinations.

Tele Tan
PhD, BEng(Hons)
Professor | School of Civil and Mechanical Engineering
Director | Autism Academy for Software Quality Assurance
Faculty of Science and Engineering

ANZAC DAY: REFLECTIONS

On April 30, Willetton SHS students from Years 7-10 gathered in the school quadrangle to honour those we have lost as a nation, as a result of war since our founding days. We honour their selflessness, their bravery, their sacrifice, and their spirit, and we also pause to remember all current and former members of our defence forces who still serve today.

On the day, we welcomed members of the Riverton Returned Services League, including former president Dr Tony Thatcher who gave a captivating speech to the students which not only honoured the ANZACs and all other soldiers who have gone before us, but reminded us of the need to bring into our lives the values and ideals that our soldiers fought so hard to protect and preserve - liberty, equality and collegiality.

During the service, we were fortunate enough to have received poignant and moving performances from Year 10 students Sara Puteri Nur, Oliver Rapanaro, and Isla Simeoni, Judy Gauci and Willetton High School’s Pipe Band joined by James Murray from the WA Police Pipe Band, and the school’s very own choir led by Ryan Huxley and Pip Peake. Bugler Daniel Marshall of Year 8 performed the Last Post and Rouse for the ceremony, and Year 10/11 students, Taine Mitchell, Thomas Kammermann, Arjun Grover and Rohan Kumar formed the caliphate party of the ceremony, each doing a splendid job in their roles.

Further, the operations of the day would not have been possible without the work of the Year 10 Student Council and Peer Leaders, who were instrumental in guiding the audience to their seats and ensuring the ceremony played out smoothly. Another thanks must be extended to Jenny LeSouef for the stunning wreaths she made, which acted as a fitting tribute to the people we gathered to honour on the day. We would also like to acknowledge Alan Wilson of Pennant House for the kind donation of the flag and flag post for the ceremony.

Finally, the biggest thanks of the day must go to Miss Rachel Harrington who organised and coordinated the event. As one of Willetton’s most successful ANZAC Ceremonies to date, it is Miss Harrington’s organisation and direction which made the ceremony the moving tribute that it was.

As the ceremony has concluded, let us ensure that we go about our days living in the memory of those who fought and died so tragically before their time. We give thanks for their service, and unequivocally we honour the individual and communal sacrifice they all made such that today, we may leave in peace, harmony and unity.

Araan Kousari and Jae Brieffies Head Boy and Girl

RELAY FOR LIFE

The Cancer Council’s Relay for Life is an amazing fundraising event where members of the community gather for a weekend to raise funds, awareness and support for all of those affected by cancer.

Willetton Senior High School has been involved for many years and on May 4/5, a group of over 70 senior school students and teachers took part. It was a fabulous weekend full of laughter, love and laps! Walking over 320km together while reflecting on the impact cancer has on far too many lives, it was a weekend to remember. As a team, we raised over $10000 which is a tremendous amount so thank you to everyone who contributed.

Brielle McKinlay Year 12

Some words from our team members:

It’s about giving back to the community. It makes me thankful for my own health while acknowledging the strength and courage of others. Mrs Venter

Relay for me is about being able to do something for a good cause with people I love. Celestine Christo

Relay is a hub for like-minded people where everyone is very warm and approachable. Araan Kousari

Our thanks to all the students and staff who participated and to Mrs Barratt for her fabulous food which came late on Saturday night and reenergised us.

HALOGEN NATIONAL YOUNG LEADERS CONFERENCE

Respect is free to give and priceless to receive

This quote was by Akram Azimi, one of the four speakers at the 2019 Halogen National Young Leaders Conference, held on March 25 at the Perth Convention Centre which student leaders from across the years had the privilege of attending.

Our first speaker Akram Azimi, was the 2013 Young Australian of the Year who told us about his childhood and being a refugee as well as what it really meant to be a good leader. Don’t judge leaders on how they lead, he told us, judge where they are leading you. Is the place really worth going?

The second speaker was Jade Slater from the Cotton On Foundation, who told us about her adventures on the various projects by the Cotton On Foundation around the world. Her main message was to dream big because everyone has the power to change the world. She also asked us three important questions -

• What is your cause/passion?
• What do you need to make it happen?
• What’s stopping you?

Leisel Jones, an Australian swimmer with nine Olympic medals, was our 3rd speaker, who told us about her three rules for success-

• Goal setting- set huge goals and then break them down
• Know that it will take a long time
• Start with a single step.

Children’s author and illustrator Matt Cosgrove was the fourth and final speaker whose main message was to know your passion and keep on practising and that our perception of something can change the experience because perception is everything.

With breaks in between to speak to these amazing speakers in person and take photos and autographs, we all had an incredible day. We appreciate being given the opportunity by the School Board to attend this event and were all inspired by what the speakers had to say, all taking away something to put into use in our lives and improve as leaders.

Mehvish Mehboob Year 8 WA Secondary School of the Year Scholarship recipient

2019 STAFF FELLOWSHIP

Each year, the School Board offers staff the opportunity to apply for a Fellowship, aimed at providing a professional learning experience that would otherwise be inaccessible. Several staff apply, according to specific criteria. This year Hamish McLean and I made a joint application to attend the 2019 Future School’s Conference and Expo in Melbourne. Happily, our application was selected! We secured our flights, accommodation and set off for Melbourne on the red eye flight of Monday, March 18.

The Future Schools Conference was held on March 19 – 21, at the Melbourne Convention Centre, a most impressive facility. On the first day of the conference, we both attended 8-hour Masterclasses of our choice. My Masterclass focused on STEAM and the future technology and direction for incorporating student-based learning across all learning areas. Hamish attended his Masterclass in E Learning and advancements being made to improve digital learning in schools.

Days two and three were action packed, both days starting with 2 hours of conference presented by keynote speakers from Australia and New Zealand. Keynote speakers were prominent specialists in their chosen field, all of whom are leading the way in creating innovative ways to direct the future of education. Conferences and speakers continued throughout the day in Plenary Hall. We were able to select and attend those we felt were of interest or particularly relevant to Willetton Senior High School. A huge expo was also in operation, featuring over 150 exhibitors of educational resources and programs. There were also smaller workshops, seminars and information sessions available. We spent several hours exploring the expo, trialling the latest technology available to schools and talking to experts about developments in resources.

In short, our three days at the conference was informative and innovative. There was so much to hear, see and do. We both came home inspired with several ideas to share with our colleagues, which we plan to deliver through discussion, pop up professional learning sessions and staff meetings.

We wish to thank the School Board and Student Services for the unique opportunity to attend the conference and hope others can benefit from a similar experience in years to come.

Judy Gauci (Technologies Teacher) and Hamish McLean (Maths Teacher)

INTERACT REPORT

Term 1 has gone past in a flash for Interactors and students, and we are very happy with the progress made by the club, both in fundraising efforts and community service activities.

March 30 was our #trashtag cleanup - Interactors gathered to collect trash and weeds from our local Ferndale river bank, conducted with thanks to SERCUL (the South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare). The event helped to clear the area in preparation for later planting which will take place, contributing to much-needed revegetation and rehabilitation along out Canning River.

The very next week, Interactors were out and about again, this time at the Rotary Community Fair on April 7. Interact members were involved in setting up and running a biscuit decorating stall for kids and did a fantastic job of manning the stall throughout the day. Other Interactors worked alongside Rotarians throughout various areas of the Fair to ensure it was able to run smoothly. Once again, we thank the Rotary Club of Willetton for providing such a fantastic event, which is not only of tremendous benefit for Rotary’s charitable causes, but also a great day out for the wider Willetton community!

Our next event occurred across 3 days in the final week of Term 1 - in Willetton tradition, Multicultural Week always truly highlights our rich and diverse school community. In 2019, Interactors threw themselves into the spirit of Multicultural Week, working in groups to autonomously plan three different fundraisers which ran throughout the week, which saw members selling homemade bubble tea and curry puffs, alongside pizzas as well. Not only were the sales a great success, with the club raising $1,162 across the three days, but Interact members, particularly our younger members, were exposed to a great opportunity in learning how to brainstorm, plan and execute an event, working on their teamwork, innovation, leadership and communication skills in the process. It was truly fantastic to see so many young people actively engaged in the school community, and working towards a common goal, not to mention the multitude of food which was consumed along the way.

We thank Mrs Onishi for her fantastic organisation of the Multicultural Week events, and congratulate the school, staff, and student body as a whole for producing what is a wonderful celebration of Willetton’s diversity, spirit and collegiality.

After the well-deserved holidays, Interactors were straight back into work with the Election Day Cake Stall and Sausage Sizzle. With donations of cakes from club and community members, and the amazing assistance of Willetton Rotary, we were able to raise well over $1500 again. As always, the fantastic work of Mr Simon Cubitt and Willetton Rotary made this event possible for Interactors, and we thank all the students and community members who volunteered at, or purchased an item from one of the stalls.

As always, a massive thank you goes to our facilitators, Helen Wong, Philippa Peake, Sue Thorp and Deb Lievense, for their tireless work with the club both on the front and behind the scenes. Interact would not be a possibility without their dedication.

The semester is far from over for Interact yet. With several projects on the horizon, ranging from a tree-planting event to a quiz night marked for August 9, Interactors will be working hard towards our common goals over the next two and a half terms. Make sure to keep an eye on our upcoming events.

We are always seeking to welcome new members, those who are passionate about giving back to the world around them, want to connect with a network of compassionate and like-minded individuals, or are seeking different ways to be involved in community service. We meet Thursdays at recess in classroom F13 - bring your friends, passion and great ideas, and we can’t wait to see you there.

Jae Brieffies President

DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S INTERNATIONAL AWARD

The Duke of Ed program continues to exceed our expectations, with nearly 40 new registered participants this year. Welcome to our newcomers. There are some great activities in store to help participants complete their Awards including our annual Bronze Camp to Margaret River for a weekend of caving, hiking and bush-based camping. Silver and Gold participants will be off to hike the Bibbulmun Track in July holidays and Gold participants will again get the opportunity to journey to Monkey Mia in December to complete their Residential Project with the Dolphins. Physical Education staff have also secured a fantastic opportunity for senior students to go on expedition to Vietnam in 2020, which will benefit several Gold Award participants.

With so many students in the program, I rely heavily on the support of Year Coordinators and other staff to assist in keeping tabs on students and to help provide supervision and leadership at our school-based camps. Thanks particularly to teachers, Hamish McLean (Gold recipient, 2018) who has assisted with our Silver Award hikes over the past three years, Mike Forsyth who has co coordinated the Bronze Award camp for the past nine years and Darren Hamley for his assistance in helping to arrange and attending Residential Project to Monkey Mia both last and this year. Thanks also to the numerous staff who have taken on the role of assessors for participants.

Duke of Ed is available to any student over the age of 13. Regular support time is offered at school in H202 at recess each Wednesday or via contact with Year Coordinators in Student Services. Current Year 8s will have the opportunity to join the program later in the year. More information is available at www.dukeofed.com

Judy Gauci School Coordinator

Congratulations

Congratulations to the following students who have achieved an award since November 2018.

Gold Award

(Certificates presented at a civic ceremony, Government House, October)

Silver Award

Bronze Award

Class of 2018 – Lara Scarcella

Finally, congratulations to five Bronze Award participants for completing their Adventurous Journey during Term 1 on the Leeuwin – Thomas Stearne, Navleen Dhamy, Georgia Shearer, Leilah Warlik and Justine Kim. Enjoy their stories and photos.

LEEUWIN OCEAN ADVENTURE

On February 22, I went on a two-night sailing course called the Leeuwin Ocean Adventure as a part of my Duke of Ed Award. This voyage was without a doubt one of the best and most memorable experiences I have ever had. I met so many amazing people who were doing the course with me, and we really became a team and developed true friendships. I also worked with supportive leaders who made every second on the boat fun and worthwhile as I experienced so much about sailing, from climbing the sails and working them, to navigation, engineering and just looking at the stars at night. The whole experience was also totally hands-on, and the fact that it was challenging, and everyone made mistakes as a team was the best part. I absolutely loved everything we did on the Leeuwin and would definitely go again. I recommend it to everyone.

Justine Kim Year 10

If you haven’t gone on this ship on you haven’t lived! The STS LEEUWIN II has been commercially active since 1986. The Leeuwin has been doing sails to Geraldton, Monkey Mia and Albany, but they also do day sails which you won’t want to get off.

Everyone who goes on the Leeuwin loves the experience. It doesn’t matter what age and capability you have, there will always be something for you to do. I went on the Leeuwin for the Duke of Edinburgh program, for two nights. On the first day of all voyages you learn to coil ropes, tie knots, climb the mast and about ship and its history. You don’t need to be in the Duke of Ed program to go on the Leeuwin but it was great the voyage could count towards my Bronze Award. There are sponsorship opportunities for anyone who wants to attend.

Thomas Stearne Year 9

PIPE BAND

We have four new band members this year. Welcome to Stefanie Irons, Year 7, our youngest tenor drummer, Abdullah Ali, Year 7, our newest snare and bass drummer. Preston Ferguson, Year 7 and Satjeendhran Vijendhran, Year 8 join our piping ranks. Congratulations to Jack Killoh and Milasi Amarasingha of Year 11, who are sharing the role of band captain and Lou Lee of Year 12 who is lead tip for the drum corp.

Pipe Band has performed at three events so far this year. Our senior band members performed as a mini band at Burrendah Primary School’s Harmony Day celebration late last term, then again at our school’s Anzac ceremony early in term 2. All band members turned out for the latest performance at Mr Booth’s retirement party, acknowledging and thanking him for the ongoing role he has played in helping to found and support the Band over the past eight years.

2019 Pipe Band

With so many band members, all at different stages of development, I rely heavily on support offered through local bands. I acknowledge Sarah Satie, June Corcoron, Patrick Allioux and Peter Fallon, Shauna Bruce (Class of 2018) and Vishnu Aramugum (Class of 2016) from City of Cockburn Pipe Band. Hamish Cotton from Coastal’s Pipe Band. Also, Ian Stewart, James Murray and Danny Bowles from the WA Police Pipe Band. These individuals have all assisted by either tutoring or performing with the band recently while I am recovering from frozen shoulder.

We look forward to our future performances in 2019 at Year 12 Graduation, Armadale Highland Games and our second band workshop and school concert with the WA Police Pipe Band.

We welcome new band members at any time. Students interested in trialling any of our instruments should contact me at school or by email at judy.gauci@education.wa.edu.au.

Judy Gauci Coordinating Teacher, Pipe Band

2019 BAND MEMBERS

PIPERS

Year 11: Milasi Amarasingha, Jack Killoh, Sashini Liyanage
Year 10: David Kuppers, Year 9 – Jack McKay
Year 8: Lara Colleran, Satjeendhran Vijendhran
Year 7: Preston Ferguson

STAFF

Liz Thomas, Judy Gauci

SNARE DRUMMERS

Year 12: Lou Lee
Year 11: Haarsini Harish Perumal
Year 10: Alex Lee
Year 9: Edward Kammermann
Year 7: Abdullah Ali

TENOR DRUMMERS

Vishnu Aramugum (Class of 2016)
Year 7: Stefanie Irons

THE STARLIGHT HOTEL CHOIR VISITS WILLETTON SHS

For the third year in a row, the Starlight Hotel Choir helped us celebrate Multi Cultural Week with performances at assembly and recess. The choir are from St Pat’s Community Support Centre in Fremantle. The Centre works with homeless and disadvantaged people and the choir gives a sense of community, purpose and fun to people’s lives.

Our students supported St Pat’s with a gold coin donation and dozens of pairs of socks to support Fremantle’s homeless as the colder months approach.

Many thanks to the choir for their lively entertainment.

Marg Hale HaSS Teacher

Starlight Choir performing at Multicultural Week

RESOURCE FOR PARENTS

Learning Potential is a website and app provided by the Australian Government Department of Education and Training.

Learning Potential has hundreds of articles on all aspects of learning and development, from the early years to the end of high school, with more articles added all the time!

SENIOR SCHOOL ASSESSMENT POLICY

Success at school is achieved through teamwork and a good partnership between students, parents and teachers. We are very grateful at Willetton for the support parents give their students. Term 2 is always busy with examinations in Years 10, 11 and 12 and formal reporting in all year groups.

This is a good time to draw our attention to the Senior School Assessment Policy. This policy is provided to all senior secondary students at Willetton Senior High School and is based on School Curriculum and Standards Authority requirements. It has been developed so that students, parents and staff are aware of their responsibilities in the assessment and reporting process.

Student responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the student to;

• complete all in-class assessment tasks on the scheduled date and submit all out-of-class assessment tasks by the due date
• maintain an assessment file for each course studied which contains completed, returned written assessments for study and revision purposes
• initiate contact with teachers concerning absence from class, missed in-class assessment tasks, request extension of the due date for out-of-class assessment tasks and other issues relating to assessment.

Should a course establish individual student assessment files and retain tasks at school, students will be provided with detailed Post-Task Outlines for annotation purposes. Students may request supervised access to their assessment file at a time suitable to the teacher and student. The only exception to the provision of Post-Task Outlines is Maths Investigations and Practical Applications Tasks and Science Practical Laboratory Assessment

Parent/Carer Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the parent/carer to;

• contact the teacher in the first instance (then the appropriate Head of Learning Area) if there are concerns about performance in a specific course
• contact Student Services if there is a general academic, social or emotional problems that could affect assessment or achievement.
• inform the Deputy Principal responsible for Assessment and Reporting (for 2019 Ms Christine Petersen Christine.Petersen@education.wa.edu.au) of any disability, learning difficulty, injury or cultural belief that may affect their child’s learning and/or assessment performance.
• provide evidence for absence when their child is absent from an assessment or test such as Medical Certificate

Nathan Harvey Deputy Principal

SCHOOL TOURS

School tours can be booked through the school website

FORMER STUDENTS

ALUMNI NEWS – MARCUS WONG

Congratulations to Alumni Class of 2015 Marcus Wong who was recently announced the 2019 WA Youth Volunteer of the Year.

Marcus is an inspiring individual with a heart and passion to serve others by using his skills of graphic design, film making and photography as tools of mass communication to tell stories from around the world to help the fight for social justice.

At the age of 20, Marcus has already clocked up five months in Africa, having worked with a number of NGOs in Uganda and Ethiopia, recording their stories, and being the voice for those unheard or forgotten.

Marcus lives his life following the words of Gandhi Live simply, so that others may simply live.

Marcus will hold an exhibition in July, to share these untold stories. For updates on his exhibition,

Marcus Wong Class of 2015

Marcus Wong with Hon. Kim Beazley, Governor of WA

HARRISON FRY

Harrison has just been selected to appear in a new film produced by VisAbility. The film will help those facing disabilities and tough times. Harrison was a student at Willetton 2010 – 2015.

There is an article about Harrison at:

GIFTED AND TALENTED

ELEMENTAL VIDEO

Year 10 Gifted and Talented students were given an opportunity to exploit their creativity when they produced videos for one of their assessments in chemistry.

Mrs Mita Munshi Science Teacher

Arsenic and Lead by Eillie Shi and Samantha Douglas-Whisson

Xenon and Chromium by Sharna Ratnayaka and Rohan Kumar

MATHEMATICS

The Year 7 Mathematics classes investigating linear functions and their graphs this term and have enjoyed playing a few rounds of golf in the process. Students have become experts in lining up the path of the ball so that it falls with a hole in one. Here’s a glimpse of our challenges from desmos.com.

Here are some of the Year 7s obviously enjoying playing a round of golf.

Sarina Hashemi and Yasmin Cheung

Giriindra Gounder and Yanchen Du

Imogen Elson and Madison Evans

Toby Hunt, Matthew Langford, Thavis Cung and Caleb Rochester

All students thoroughly enjoy “working” on desmos.com. It is a fantastic resource to reinforce mathematical concepts.

Mrs Kerri Kalotay Mathematics Teacher

SENIOR GIFTED AND TALENTED

We have just finished three weeks of revision for our Year 11 and 12 students. Our sessions ran every week day, often late into the afternoon and I congratulate those students who showed commitment to their learning attending all available subjects.

Student feedback about the presenters from Master Mind Australia was positive as was presenters’ feedback about students, who they described as intellectually engaged and genuinely appreciative.

This was a wonderful opportunity and I am pleased that so many students took up the challenge. I hope their examination results bear the fruit of their labour and wish them well for their exams over the next few weeks.

Our study group will commence again in Semester Two and I encourage students to attend and access the help from last year’s top-performers. A commitment to study group and the peer tutoring that takes place here looks very good on scholarship and university applications.

Julie Hind Senior Gifted and Talented Coordinator

THE ARTS

DANCE

BHARATANATYAM WORKSHOP

Miss Goldsmith’s Year 7 Dance Class had the opportunity to learn Bharatanatyam, a form of traditional Indian dance from Krishni Balakisten mother of Dharini Balakisten. The style is fast, energetic and detailed and challenged the students to explore a new form of movement as a part of their Cultural Dance studies. A huge thank you to Krishni for volunteering her time and bringing her wealth of knowledge and experience to our dance class.

IMPROVISATION PRACTICE WORKSHOPS

Our Year 11/12 ATAR and General Dance Students worked with Melbourne based Independent Contemporary Dance Artist Hillary Goldsmith on Improvisation practise techniques. The students explored energy qualities, authentic movement and challenged their perceptions of good and bad dance. This workshop allowed the students valuable exposure to improvisation techniques in preparation for their practical examinations.

MULTICULTURAL WEEK

During Multicultural week the Willetton Dance Club, which meets on Tuesday afternoons, performed an upbeat and energetic piece that incorporated Bollywood and Hip-Hop styles. Student choreographers Bianca Harle and Stefania Paliu created and taught the Hip-Hop piece and Cheryl Venter and McKenzie Goldsmith brought their love for Bollywood dance together to celebrate our different cultural backgrounds. Students from Years 7 – 9 performed on the quad at lunchtime in a flashmob that was thoroughly entertaining. Thanks to all students involved.

YOUTH ON HEALTH FESTIVAL 2019

Preparations for this year’s YOH Fest have begun with the Dance Club preparing to present their piece around the theme of belonging. Students must plan, create and execute a dance piece that explores the theme and connects with their own experiences. The student led process is being facilitated by Cheryl Venter and McKenzie Goldsmith and encourages the act belong connect message. Rehearsals continue through Term 2 and 3 with the final performance held in Term 4 at the Mandurah Performing Arts Center.

ENGLISH

YEAR 12 PERSUASIVE SPEECHES

With the Year 12 ATAR Exams around the corner, the students have been sharpening their writing skills through persuasive speeches. Across classes, the voices of our young people have been heard discussing important Australian issues. Please enjoy a snippet of some of these students’ hard work.

Miss McCauley English Teacher

SABI THE THERAPY DOG

What’s short for wasabi, has four legs and can be found in a classroom near you? Sabi the therapy dog!

Earlier this month, Sabi, with her lovely handler Ms Steer, visited our Year 7 English class and stole the show. She was patiently petted and won smiles with her wonderful, wagging tail and soft and silky coat.

During the session students learned about advertising while Sabi gave them the best form of encouragement: an ear to rub and a winning smile. It was a fabulous lesson where students were able to focus keenly on their work, aware that they were doing it not just for them, but for Sabi. By the end of the session, students created advertisements for Sabi and her availability so everyone can enjoy the wonderful doggie joy she brings to the classroom. We look forward to welcoming Sabi back to our classroom soon.

Miss McCauley English Teacher

Jacinta Ellis and Sabi

Advertisement: Created by Stefanie Crossley Year 7

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION

WA SECONDARY SCHOOL SPORT SOFTBALL CARNIVAL

On the last Tuesday of term one, the Willetton Senior High School girls’ softball team participated in the Secondary School Softball Championships at the Mirrabooka International Softball Stadium. It was an absolute scorcher of a day, with the temperature reaching a high of 36 degrees but I am sure it was a lot hotter on the diamond. The girls started on fire beating Butler convincingly but had stiff competition against Melville and Southern River. We made it to the grand final, and all were quite nervous as it was against Southern River, who were quite over-powering, but we definitely gave them a run for their money, only losing to them by a single run.

Our Willetton girls team came second which is an extraordinary effort, considering we are not a softball specialist school. I am extremely proud of each and every one of the girls - we had never played together before and had limited training as a team. In the end we had a great time and I am very proud to say that I was able to represent the school in softball in my final year.

Danielle Barnes Year 12

In the last week of term 1 Willetton Senior High School competed in a Softball carnival against schools like Melville, Bulter and Southern River. I played in the Boys A team and we ended up winning the boys competition. As most teams didn't have pitchers that were accurate and consistent, big hits were seen throughout the day. We won all games over the day except for one which we tied, but ended up beating that team (Melville) in the Grand Final. Overall, we had a great day and personally, it was great to be able to represent the school.

Willetton also fielded a Boys B Team that consisted of many students who had never played softball before. They played with gusto and learnt a lot about the game after playing five rounds.

Well done to all players and thanks to our coaches Ms Fapani and Mr Ranford for taking all three teams to the Carnival.

Oben McHoull Year 12

YEAR 10 BOYS AFL A DIVISION LIGHTNING CARNIVAL

Congratulations to the Year 10 Boys AFL team who were the winners of the A Division AFL Lightning Carnival held at Santich Park on Wednesday April 10. The boys had a few training sessions prior to the carnival to try and finish better than last year’s result of second place. Willetton played amazing football all day and were able to defeat Rossmoyne SHS, Gilmore College, Applecross SHS and Leeming SHS to go undefeated and win the carnival.

Special thanks to our Year 10 helpers Ian D’Souza, Bailey Inglis and Callum Ainslie. A big thankyou to Hayden Saunders and Jarod Kosonen for umpiring all day and doing such a fantastic job.

Back Row: Mr Atterton, Bailey Inglis, Callum Ainslie, Brendan Slaughter, Kai Bailey, Kallum Penn, Tom Musumeci, Riley White, Jacob Heath, Noah Valentine, Hayden Harwood, Kade Denney, Tony Wang, Ian D’Souza
Front Row: Cooper Jefferyes, Cameron Mulvey, Sam Preece, Samuel Dias, Kalem Gourlay, Ben Henshall, Sean Dunn, Casey Houghton, Eric Lee, Mirron Nawarathne, Jasper Liew, Sukhchain Singh
Absent: Daanyaal Parker missed the photo due to receiving an ankle injury on the day

Steven Atterton Coach

HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

MOCK TRIAL TEAM

Eleven Year 11 students of Politics and Law are competing in the Law Society of WA Mock Trial Competition. On Wednesday March 20, we competed in our first trial against Mandurah Catholic College’s Year 12 team who are in their third year of the competition. We lost by the narrowest of margins - I point. Our barristers, solicitor, court orderly and witnesses all put in a fine effort, demonstrating great potential for future trials. Thanks to the parents for assisting with transport and attending the trial.

The team also enjoyed an excursion to the Frances Burt Law Education Centre where they observed trials in the Magistrates and District Courts.

Marg Hale HaSS Teacher

MOCK TRIAL COMPETITION ROUND 2

One of the extra skills we’ve had to learn!

Much work goes into the preparation of every trial, writing opening and closing addresses, preparing examination in chief and cross examination, learning witness statements and preparing case theory. Students have to have a good understanding of the law as it applies to each case, and the rules of evidence so that they can advocate well for their client, and know when to object to the other side. It is certainly a steep learning curve and takes a lot of time and commitment from the students, their coach, Astrid Sweeney and myself.

The team at one of our many meetings with Astrid

Going into battle against our adversary at Supreme Court, Perth

Marg Hale HaSS Teacher

SYDNEY – CANBERRA TOUR 2019

The preparations for the Tour to Sydney and Canberra 2019, are being finalized. A group of 23 Year 11 Willetton Senior High School students will be undertaking an educational tour of Sydney and the national capital at the end of Term 2. Students will be given the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs that focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage and democracy. We will visit the pinnacles of the Australian political and legal system, the Commonwealth Parliament and the High Court. Exciting additions this year will be the Art Gallery of NSW and an opportunity to try our hands at snow shoeing. We are pleased to be visiting the Sydney Jewish Museum again, as this was a sobering and very informative addition to the tour last year.

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the costs of the excursion the Australian Government is contributing funding of $310 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon the completion of the excursion.

Pictured below are some of this year’s excited attendees.

Ms Hale HaSS Teacher

LANGUAGES

INTRODUCING

ITALIAN TEACHER ASSISTANTS

GIAN LUCA FUGAZZA

Hello everyone! My name is Gian Luca Fugazza and I was one of the two Italian assistant teachers for the first term. I am 24 and I come from a small town that is located 60 kilometres far from Milan, in Lombardy, Northern Italy. I am attending my last year at university. I study Foreign Languages and Literature. My languages are English and Spanish. I had a great time here at Willetton and in Australia. I enjoyed every single moment I lived so far, both with teachers and with students. I learnt a lot of things and I will treasure them. I feel that I grew up not only as a teacher but also as a person. I have been hosted by two different families, both from Italian background, so that the food was really good. Just kidding. Thanks to these two amazing families I could live and authentic Australian adventure and I learnt how ordinary Aussie people live here. I helped their children with their Italian pieces of homework. They made me feel at home and part of their own family. I could say that they have adopted me. The only thing I can do is just to say thanks to them.

I must say thank you very much to the Principal, to Bianca, Kylie, Pia, Luisa and to all other teachers for being so kind with me and for helping me improve my skills. If I learnt a lot, it’s just thanks to you. My time is almost over, and I feel that Australia and its people have a part of my heart. This is not a farewell, I hope, but just a goodbye. See you soon!

CINZIA CHIAROLINI

Hello everyone! My name is Cinzia Chiarolini and I was one of the two Italian assistant teachers for the first term. I’m 22 and I come from Brescia, a city one hour from Milan, in the North of Italy. I’m a university student of Languages and Foreign Literature. I really enjoyed this time here in Willetton Senior High School and in Australia in general. I had a great experience in the school with all the teachers and the students and I learnt a lot not only from the professional point of view, but also from the personal one. I was hosted by two different families and I could know how the authentic Australian lifestyle is and I helped the kids with their Italian. Thanks to them, I felt like I was at home.

Thank you so much to the Principal and to all the school teachers of the Language Department for welcoming me from the first day and for giving me the opportunity to join their team. I will never forgive this experience and I hope I will be back in Australia in the future!

JAPANESE TEACHER ASSISTANTS

KANA MIYAWAKI

Hello, my name is Kana Miyawaki.

I will be a Japanese language assistant at Willetton Senior High School from February to December 2019. I am currently attending Kagoshima Immaculate Heart University in Kagoshima. I major in teaching Japanese and English. I want to be a Japanese teacher for foreigners after graduating from university. During my time here, I would like to help 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 coming here. I want to experience various things such as the daily lifestyle of Australians. On top of that, I would like to improve my English during my time here. I love Perth because of its beautiful scenery and birds. However, the biggest reason is Willetton Senior High School! I am very happy to be here! I am sure experiencing Australian life will be precious. Thank you.

YOKO YAMAMOTO

Hello. My name is Yoko Yamamoto.

I’m the new Japanese language teacher assistant at Willetton Senior High School for 2019.

I’m from Hyogo prefecture which is the sister city of Western Australia. I’m a third year university student. My main area of study is economics but I am taking a specialized class in local economy at the University of Hyogo.

Fortunately, I was given an opportunity to work here as a Japanese language teacher assistant by Hyogo Prefectural Government Cultural Centre.

This is my second visit to Perth and Willetton Senior High School. I’m very happy to come back to such a wonderful place as a language teacher assistant

I will do my best to improve the students’ Japanese skills and would like them to have fun while learning Japanese. During my stay here, I would like to understand the cultural similarities and differences between Australia and Japan and I hope the students here will become more interested in Japanese culture. I also hope that some students will visit Japan (especially Hyogo prefecture) someday.

FRENCH TEACHER ASSISTANT

JORDAN ROLLAND

Bonjour tout le monde!

My name is Jordan Rolland. Not the typical French name like Bertrand or Pierre I know.

I am the Language Assistant in French classes for the first semester, and after that I’ll be going up north to Paraburdoo where I'll be teaching French in a primary school for the second semester. Then, a colleague of mine will fill in. Her name is Manon, she's also French, she's a fantastic human being and I'm sure she'll do a terrific job.

Now, a few things about me.

I come from Brittany (la Bretagne), a popular region located in the north west of France. This region has a Celtic background, and I have to admit I feel more attached to my Welsh, Scottish and Irish fellows compared to the Parisians.

Fun fact: it's in Brittany that crepes and cider were invented.

I grew up near Brest, by the beach, spending my weekends surfing, sailing with my grandfather and enjoying fest noz.

For my studies, I moved out to Lyon, the most populated city in France after Paris and Marseille. Lyon is known for its gastronomy and its historical and architectural landmarks. It's also where the Lumière brothers invented the first cinematograph. And their main event of the year is la fête des lumières.

After that, I moved out to the UK, in Swansea, Wales to finish my bachelor degree. There I rediscovered the life by the ocean that I missed a lot. That's when I began assisting a French teacher at the university, helping out the students for their final year speaking assessment. And that's when I realized teaching French as a foreign language was something I really enjoyed doing.

Focusing on that, I applied to go and work as a teaching assistant in the United States and ended up in the Beaver State of Oregon. I spent a wonderful year in the very relaxed city of Portland, working in classes of 4th and 5th grade, in a French Immersion school. I was teaching French to American students, but also teaching the maths and sciences, all in French.

And now, as a logical next step to my learning process: Australia here I come! How excited I was to hear they accepted my application to work in Western Australia.

After gaining experience working in a university and in an elementary school, it is a huge honour to be joining Willetton staff, and rest assured I always give my maximum for the success of each student as I always did in the past.

And as we say in Breton, kenavo!. À bientôt!

Home : Pontusval lighthouse, Brignogan-Plage

LANGUAGE CHAMPIONS

During Multicultural Week, the Year 10 language students attended an incursion where three former Willetton students talked about how learning a language has impacted on their lives and careers. As language students, it was very interesting and inspiring to listen to their stories and hear about their studies of languages in senior school, university and onto their lives outside of school.

Jesse Tucek, Head Boy from class of 2015, is doing a double major in Chemistry and Japanese at Curtin University and has spent the last two years living and studying in Japan. He was able to continue his love of surf lifesaving by joining Surf Life Saving in Japan.

Seyma Kaya, class of 2013, studied a double degree in Engineering and Italian at UWA and is now completing a Master’s Degree. She talked about how her passion for Italian fueled her motivation at university.

Jackie Wong, class of 2009, completed a double degree in Japanese and Engineering and travelled throughout Japan, undertaking various internships. He now works for Mitsubishi Corporation in Perth and loves the fact that he can use Japanese in his daily work.

They all had very different career paths, but were all connected by their love of learning languages. It helped us understand that languages can assist you in whichever path you make take in life. It was a great experience and encouraged all to continue our language studies into the future. It helped with decision making for Years 11 and 12.

Nathan Harvey Deputy Principal

HYOGO CULTURAL CENTRE VISIT

In February, the Year 9 Japanese classes had the privilege of going the Hyogo Cultural Prefecture to learn about Hyogo, Western Australia’s sister state. The staff were very welcoming and told us about various famous locations in Hyogo through entertaining games and fun activities.

In our assigned groups, we played a fun game to help us name some of the places in Hyogo. For lunch, we were each given a special Japanese obento and after lunch each group created their own advertisement, did a role play to convince tourists (the teachers) to visit Hyogo. We had to use our enthusiasm and charisma to entice people to our posters and we were then required to receive a signature from each person. I think that this opportunity showed us several appealing places to visit during the Japanese exchange travel in Year 11. Overall, this was a great learning experience and I would definitely love to go back for another visit.

Annika Soo Year 9

KOREAN UWA EXCURSION

On the March 25, the Year 10 Korean class went on an excursion to the University of Western Australia.

Upon arrival, we were welcomed by a family of ducks and Professor Nicola, a lecturer at UWA, presented informative introduction to learning Asian languages.

After learning about the benefits, an ambassador of the university took us around for a tour. We were fascinated by the facilities, as well as, the variety of courses available.

We attended the Korean second year lecture after lunch, were given the opportunity to experience the life of university students.

Overall, it was a meaningful and fun excursion!

Jocasta Yap, Jasmine Yung, Yong Yan Xian Year 10

YEAR 10 JAPANESE EXCURSION TO UWA MARCH 26

The three Japanese classes went to UWA for transition excursion on March 26.

The whole experience at UWA was enjoyable, from all the plants and animals (peacock) we saw to the informative lecture and sit-down talks with the past Willetton students. The lecturers were engaging, and the chat with students helped answer or clear up our questions about university, along with the upcoming years in high school.

The students who lead the campus tour were friendly and communicated with us well. They made the experience fun for us and we learnt about so many interesting past events and stories about the university and how different aspects of it came to where they are now from them.

All the people we met there seemed friendly, responsible and approachable – they made the experience lively and fun for us. The different places we got to visit, such as one of the many libraries, science buildings and clock tower all were fascinating and looked so grand. It was truly awesome!

Yoon Creelman Year 10

MULTICULTURAL WEEK

Multicultural Week, a major highlight for our school community, occurred in Week 9 of last term. There were many activities over the week which included a Japanese drum performance, traditional dress-up opportunity, several musical and dance performances and food stalls as part of the week-long celebration of the different cultures, languages and ethnicities that coexist in our community. The latter proved to be very popular with Willetton students who enjoyed international specialties such as samosas, crêpes, yakisoba, bubble tea and bulgogi.

Students also engaged in different activities, including calligraphy, kendama, the martial arts as well as being introduced to traditional Japanese toys and games.

MATHS

JOHN MOORE

This term we welcome Mr Jonathan Moore into our Mathematics department. He is replacing Mrs Amie Yost who is on leave until the end of the year. Mr Moore is a mathematics teacher with years of experience. He is a team player who loves soccer and brings humour to the classroom. We are very fortunate to have him join our team for the remainder of the year.

AUSTRALIAN MATHEMATICAL OLYMPIAD RESULTS

The Australian Mathematical Olympiad is a two-day Olympiad-level contest designed to challenge mathematically gifted Year 11 and 12 students. The students are given four hours to solve four questions under exam conditions, on each of the two days.

This prestigious competition is an invitation only event with about 130 students from across Australia invited to participate each year. The contest is used to select students to compete in the Asian Pacific Mathematical Olympiad and be considered for participation in the International Mathematical Olympiad.

Hang Yi Law, Year 11 and Thyler Cung, Year 9 were among twenty students from Western Australia, who were invited by the Australian Mathematical Olympiad Committee to compete in this year’s competition. All students were given the same questions, regardless of their age, and their answers sent to Canberra to be marked and compared with entries from across Australia.

We are very proud to announce that both Hang Yi and Thyler received an Honourable Mention, indicating their achievement of a perfect score in at least one question of the paper. An extremely commendable result. Congratulations to both boys.

Hang Yi Law and Thyler Cung

Kerri Kalotay Maths Teacher

RESOURCE UNIT

RESOURCE UNIT STUDENTS – OUT AND ABOUT

Outdoor Education Year 11 Rottnest Snorkelling Camp.

Students enjoyed the two day snorkelling camp at Rotto.

They learnt to be more independent, to work with their peers, team building in a different environment, knowledge of all facets of snorkelling including, signals, the current weather conditions, safety and respect for the environment.

All students enjoyed themselves and are looking forward to the next adventure.

Learning and fun at Rottnest

Thank you to the Outdoor Education teachers and support staff for all their enthusiasm.

PHYSCIAL EDUCATION STUDIES YEAR 11 and 12 - SAILING

Students enjoyed the early morning starts. Learning the fundamentals of how to sail a catamaran, all safety requirements, how to tack, how to right your boat if they capsize, where the direction of the wind is coming from, how to skipper a boat.

We wish to acknowledge Mr Baseden and the South Perth Yatch club for making this learning experience a wonderful life opportunity.

SCIENCE

YEAR 12 TITRATIONS

Year 12 students (L to R) Rachel Soo and Linda Hong performing a titration when the power had gone out. The experiment must go on.

Year 12 students(L to R) Brian Lee, Matthew Yong, Jeevanpreet Singh, Jarrod Fong and Steven Hoang after getting the perfect methyl orange colour in their titrations.

Ms Grace Hamilton Science Teacher

TISSUE CULTURE

Dr Harris (right) delivering professional learning on tissue culture and plant propagation at CONSTAWA38.

Willetton Senior High School innovates novel and interesting activities such as our Tissue Culture Club We are also very generous in sharing our ideas with other schools. A group of teachers from different parts of Western Australia are learning some tips and tricks in cultivating native plants in tissue culture.

Dr Leon Harris Science Teacher

TECHNOLOGIES

Congratulations to Jonathan Chivers who received bronze in the International Invitational Informatics Olympiad. This is a computer programming competition and Jonathan was in the Top 20 in Australia.

YEAR 8

Year 8 students celebrated the end of term 1 in style attending a river cruise on the Swan River. Over 380 students attended the social and had an amazing night, full of fun, friendship and pizzas; 165 of them devoured in record time! Thanks to the 15 teachers who attended, making the evening possible and for the faultless behaviour of all students on the night.

Congratulations to our young sports stars who recently competed at the Year 8 lightning carnival. Despite the downpour throughout the day, everyone was in high spirits and played hard in true Willo style. A couple of teams even took out the pennant for their sport. Thanks to the PE and other staff, prac teachers and senior students who took the time to prepare the teams and take them to their respective events.

I am super happy with the way the Year 8 Cohort are growing up and going about their schooling. It is wonderful to see so many students achieving to the best of their ability and taking up extra-curricular activities in the form of school teams, clubs and bands. I get regular reports from teachers about their wonderful Year 8 classes and students. Please continue!

Judy Gauci Year 8 Coordinator

SCHOOL BOARD

SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS

The next School Board meeting will be held on Tuesday June 4, 2019 in the 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.

ENTERTAINMENT BOOK FUNDRAISER

The 2019/2020 Entertainment Books are now available to purchase through the School Board. For enquiries, please contact Helen Wong on helen.s.wong@education.wa.edu.au or 9334 7217 or make a purchase at the link below. Books are available for collection and use immediately, and digital memberships can also be activated for use immediately.

Use just a few offers and the savings made will very quickly pay for the cost of the membership. Offers include savings on restaurants, accommodation, car hire, gift cards and even for Bali!

Profits raised from the sale of these books will go towards a Student Leadership Development Program initiated by the Board – sending 50 students to attend the Halogen National Young Leaders Conference. Your support is very much appreciated.

SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS (SOS) PROGRAM

We have registered with Gilbert’s Fresh Market, Southlands to be part of the Support Our Schools Program. Please sign up with them and for every purchase you make in-store, 1% of your purchase spend will be donated to the school. It does not cost to sign up, and it’s a great way for you to support the school. Funds raised through this program will go towards projects around the school that enhance your child’s educational opportunities.

HOW TO CONTACT THE SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE

To find out more about the School Board or how you might get involved, please contact the School Board office on email helen.s.wong@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 the school. Suggestions for meetings are always welcome. For details of Willo Parent Group events, please contact helen.s.wong@education.wa.edu.au or refer to the school website.

MULTICULTURAL LUNCH

As an annual tradition, the multicultural lunch was hosted by the Willo Parent Group on April 11 to thank students and staff for their efforts in organising Multicultural Week. Students, staff and parents feasted on a delicious spread of home cooked meals and desserts from countries around the world! Several parents were unable to attend the lunch, but were happy to support it by sending in a plate of food. This was a wonderful way to finish Multicultural Week. Thank you to all the parents for your enthusiastic support and it was lovely to see the many who came dressed in traditional costume.

NEW PARENT SEMINARS COMING UP!

Teen Triple P Seminars

For our next Willo Parent event, we look forward to commencing the Teen Triple P seminars, to be conducted by school psychologist Nina Mastrantonio.

Is this you?

Your baby’s almost an adult, or at least that’s what he or she thinks. So life at home can be a little strained. Maybe your 13-year-old son grunts instead of speaking to you. Or your 14-year-old daughter wants to go to parties with people you don’t even know. It’s not that you’ve got a wild kid. You’d just like to make sure things don’t get out of hand.

The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program knows all parents have different needs, and the seminar is designed to deal with the most common parenting issues we all face, such as how to encourage responsible behavior, improve family relationships, deal with independence or manage problems at school or with friends. The seminars will help you to start positive parenting straight away, to get back on track with your teenager, or be ready for what’s ahead.

TEEN TRIPLE P SEMINARS

It is highly recommended that you attend all three seminars.

Please bring a plate of morning tea to share

Gold coin donation to cover coffee/tea

This is also a great way to meet other parents over an informal cuppa

Please RSVP your attendance to willoparent@gmail.com by June 4