17 December 2019

Editor: Jenny LeSouef
Technology: Nola Regan

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

As the end of 2019 approaches, I reflect on my first semester as Principal of Willetton Senior High School. I have spent time investigating how this large, complex and dynamic school works and have been impressed by the quality of involvement from the community and teachers to support the learning experiences of all students. Together, we embrace the Willo Way and I thank all involved for their dedication and commitment. We hope you enjoy the record of the year in our 2019 Yearbook.

An important change in policy, commencing at the beginning of 2020 concerns the students’ use of mobile devices at school. The policy is a state-wide requirement by the WA Department of Education for all public schools and is outlined further in this newsletter. The policy is also available on the school website

A reminder for the commencement of the 2020 school year. All students are encouraged to bring their laptops to school every day. When a teacher uses electronic devices to enhance a lesson, learning can be disrupted if some of students fail to bring their device to school. Our students are fortunate to have excellent facilities here and we need to work together to maximise their learning potential.

We have been informed by the City of Canning that there will be considerable work undertaken on Pinetree Gully Road between Castlereagh Close and Wainwright Close during the December-January School Holidays. This work is designed to improve the safety for students when crossing the road to and from school. It will involve such changes as creating bus embayments, road resurfacing, widening cross walks and a barrier to prevent crossing at points other than the designated cross walks. There will also be the introduction of a crossing warden directly outside the entrance to the school. The City of Canning aims to have all this in place for the beginning of the school year. No doubt these changes will take students and drivers a little time to get used to but we share the hope that this will improve the safety of all the children using this area to come and go from the school.

The challenging task of timetabling is complete and we are ready to begin teaching and learning programs on day 1, 2020. Many thanks to Christine Petersen and her team for their completion of this massive task.

Staff changes for 2020 are still fluid but I can share information with you as of today. We are filling three Program Coordinator positions, one is to support the excellent work in Student Services replacing Donna Gardiner, this position is being backfilled by Andrea Wheeler, others are a second program coordinator in Student Services won by Lana Warner- Gillon and the third a year-long contract to support the work of the Operations Team. Nathan Harvey will continue in his shared role in Administration and Head of Languages with special duties in our Business Plan implementation and review. Staff retiring are Shelley Banner and Keith Burridge, both have made a significant impact over 25 years’ service to our school. Staff who are leaving us, some forever and some for all of 2020, are Hamish Mclean, Amy Yost, David Johnson, Laura Del Rosario, John Sobkowiak, Jude Fapani, Sharee Seebruth, Sam Swain, Hayley Poller, Deb Lievense, Jo Lello, Nigel Dutton and Lisa Harding. To those other staff leaving us this year, I thank each of you for your valuable contributions to our school and wish you every success in the future.

On behalf of all the staff, I wish all our community safe and happy holidays and we look forward to welcoming students back to school on Monday February 3.

CONGRATULATIONS

JAPANESE LANGUAGE TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Congratulations to Japanese Language Teacher, Haruko Nomoto, on winning the 2019 WA Japanese Language Teacher of the Year Award. This is the highest accolade in WA for teachers of Japanese. Haruko is a truly committed educator and the award recognizes her dedication and professionalism

Haruko Nomoto with Hyogo PGCC Director Mr Matt Onishi (left) and JLTAWA President Mrs Roseanne Jacobs

McMAHON SHIELD

Congratulations to our outstanding Physical and Health Education team for again receiving the ultimate accolade as best performing school across the School Sport WA endorsed sports competitions.

The shield was inaugurated in 2016 and Willetton has won it three out of the four years since then. Truly a testament to staff and student enthusiasm and commitment.

Principal Trevor Hunter and Head of HPE Wayne Baseden with the McMahon Shield

DUKE OF EDINBURGH GOLD AWARD CEREMONY

At a recent ceremony, seven of our students were presented with their Gold Awards by Hon. Kerry Sanderson AC, Chancellor of Edith Cowan University.

Our Year 12 cohort had 47 participants in the Duke of Edinburgh program over the past three years. Of these, nine students achieved their Gold award. Bianca Stevenson (who had earlier received the Award) opened the ceremony with a brilliant performance on the piano and Mihan De Silva delivered an excellent speech on behalf of all awardees.

Congratulations to all recipients of the prestigious Gold Duke of Edinburgh International award.

Alexandra Le
Nigel Lee
Rebecca Ayre
Mihan De Silva
Jae Brieffies
Kelvin Lim
Duli Jayalath
Brielle Mc Kinlay
Kanhav Goyal

Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award Ceremony Night

GENERAL

YEAR 7 – 10 AWARD WINNERS SEMESTER 2, 2019

YEAR 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Year 7-10 Awards Ceremony

PERSONAL USE OF MOBILE ELECTRONIC DEVICES

Mobile electronic devices are an integral part of everyday life. The inappropriate use of these devices however is disruptive to the learning environment and may also impact on the wellbeing of students.

Changes announced to the Education Department of Western Australia’s “Student Mobile Phones in Public Schools Policy” are mandated to come into effect as of February 3, 2020. These policy changes are reflected within this document for implementation.

The prohibition of the use of mobile phones for all students from the time they arrive to the conclusion of the school day (“off and away all day”) unless the student has been granted an exemption for the following uses of mobile phones:

• to monitor a health condition as part of a school approved documented health care plan;
• or for a particular educational purpose under the direct instruction of a teacher;
• or with permission of a teacher for a specified purpose.

The prohibition and exemptions stated above also apply to school organised excursions, events and camps.

Mobile electronic devices include a range of devices including smartphones, smart watches, tablets and laptops.

The rules regarding the use of mobile electronic devices at Willetton SHS are in keeping with the code of conduct and departmental policy.

For a breach of these rules the Principal may;

• revoke rights for use
• make a report through the Online Incident Notification System
• refer to police or Department of Child Protection if the material is sexually explicit and involves a minor
• report to police any illegal activity
• suspend the students involved for a period of time commensurate with the seriousness of the breach

MOBILE PHONES

It is understood that for communication and safety reasons, students may wish to have a mobile phone with them while travelling and during the school day. Students must ensure that their phones switched off and are always stored in a safe and secure place.

LAPTOPS

Laptops are to be used in an appropriate manner. Accessing any website or social networking sites for non-curricular purpose is not permitted. Laptops;

• can be removed from a student if conditions of use are breached.
• are only to be used for activities directly related to the Learning Area curriculum and used only when directed by the classroom teacher.
• are not to be used to record, distribute, display or upload images or videos of staff, students, or parents on school premises unless this is part of an activity supervised by a teacher or other staff member. Any breach of this rule may result in suspension.

CONSEQUENCES

Where a student breaches any of the above conditions, the device;

• First Transgression – student instructed to turn it off and put it away their mobile device
• Second Transgression - the mobile device will be confiscated by the teacher and passed onto Student Services.
• Third Transgression – the device may be required to be collected by the student at the end of the school day, except where the breach of rules has seriously affected another student or staff member. Should a device be confiscated on more than one occasion from a student, the device may be required to be collected by a parent/carer.
• Where the breach is of a serious nature, parents will be contacted and the offending student/s may be prohibited from bringing the device to school, parents may be required to collect it and a suspension may result.

Parents/carers and students are reminded that no liability will be accepted by the school in the event of loss, theft or damage of any electronic device.

STUDENTS: DAY 1, 2020 – MONDAY FEBRUARY 3

On day 1, Year 7 students meet on the front lawn. Student Peer Group leaders will greet them and accompany them to The Arts courtyard.

Year 8 to 12 students will meet in the central quadrangle with Year 8 students at the front through to Year 12 students at the back near the library.

Year 7s will be introduced to the rest of the school and be seated. This will be followed by Welcome to Country and Principal’s address.

Students then separate into year groups with their Year Coordinator and then into their tutor groups where timetables will be distributed. First class will commence around 9.45am

FINANCE OFFICE

Finance Office will be closed from 10am on Friday December 20 and will reopen at 10am on Tuesday January 29, 2020. Queries can be emailed to willetton.shs.finance@education.wa.edu.au and will be attended to when office re-opens on January 29. Online payments can continue to be made during the school break.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE (SECONDARY ASSISTANCE SCHEME) - Secondary Assistance in the form of financial subsidies is available to holders of Health Care and Pensioner Benefit cards who meet the eligibility criteria. Application forms will be available from the school at the commencement of 2020 school year or by downloading from the school website below Applications close 9 April 9, 2020. Applications for secondary assistance must be made in person at the school by the cardholder as it is mandatory the cardholder’s signature is witnessed by a Willetton SHS Finance Officer. For detailed information including eligibility criteria please refer to the school website.

NEW SCHOOL UNIFORM – UNIFORM CONCEPTS

Our uniforms are available from UNIFORM CONCEPTS, 30 Kembla Way, Willetton.

The store is closed from December 19 to January 2. To avoid long queues, an appointment for fitting can be made at the link below or by phoning 9270 4669

SECOND-HAND BOOKSHOP

Year 11 and 12 students wishing to sell their textbooks may bring in their books to the second-hand bookshop during trading hours or drop them off at the front office. Please ensure you fill in the required bookshop form before dropping your books off. Forms are available from the front office, School Board office and bookshop, or may be downloaded from the school website below:

Students are encouraged to bring in their books as early as possible, in order to have them catalogued and on the shelves ready to be sold when the demand is highest. Please do not bring in books that are no longer on the booklist, as we are unable to sell them or have the facility to store them.

We also stock a range of lower school resource material, calculators, class pads, math-o-matts and language dictionaries.

SECOND-HAND UNIFORM SHOP

The uniform shop will gladly accept uniforms. Uniforms are accepted on a donation basis. Proceeds from sales go towards funding projects around the school.

SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS AND ANNUAL PUBLIC MEETING (APM)

Information and nominations for parent and staff representatives to the School Board will open from early February 2020, and the Board’s APM will be held on Monday March 23 2020 at 5.30pm in the staff room. All members of the school community are welcome.

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 an easy way for you to support the school. To date, nearly $850 has been raised just from supporters shopping at Gilbert’s.

You can still be supporting the school throughout the summer holidays.