FinNewsFinNewsFinNews “PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS”

June 25, 2015 Volume 1, Issue 4

Inside this issue:

From the Principal

1

Yr 10 Careers Choice

Day excursion—

Microsoft

1

Youth Expo 2

BYOD Update 2

UniSA STEM Program 2

Yr 11 Legal Studies

Courts Excursion

2

Woolworths Earn &

Learn

2

Mid-Year Concert

Findon Through the

Decades

3

Principal’s Tour 3

Report Update 3

Communication 3

Sue Burtenshaw Principal

Important Dates

Celebration Assembly Wednesday July 1

Reports go home Thursday July 2

End of Term 2, 2pm Friday July 3

Term 3 commences Monday July 20

Year 12 Exams Week 1 Tuesday - Friday

Parent/Caregiver/Student Course Information Evening Monday Aug 3 Week 3

Year 11 Subject Selection Week 4

Year 10 Subject Selection Week 5

Findon High School

Drummond Avenue

Findon SA 5023

Ph: 08 8445 7944

Fax: 08 8345 5401 Email:

dl.0805_info@schools.sa.edu.au

Web: www.findonhs.sa.edu.au

The focus for our recent Staff Professional Development Day was Intellectual Challenge and Task Design. How can we get students ‘doing the thinking'. Teachers also had the opportunity to continue to collaborate on work in planning and documenting the Australian Curriculum. Our mid-year Findon through the Decades 60th Birthday concert was an outstanding showcase of talent. Our students and Ms Natalie Stanco performed with heart and soul making us all very proud. There are already requests for a return performance of the staff band! The year 11 camp organised by Mr Steve Atsalas and his team of helpers was a valuable experience for students and staff . I was fortunate to be able to attend again this year and always enjoy the opportunity to talk at length with so many students in a relaxed environment. Plans are already underway for our next Connecting Spirits trip in

November 2016. Students will soon be invited to attend a meeting to

express interest in being part of this unique event. A parent information

evening will be held early in term 4.

From

The Principal

Year 10 Careers Choice Day Excursion – Microsoft On Tuesday the 16th of June, a group of Year 10 students attended the Careers Choice Day at Microsoft. The day involved watching various Microsoft employees present information about their lives, and what it is like to work for a big corporate company such as Microsoft. We had a tour of their offices and were shown the facilities their workplace has on offer, such as a swimming pool, gym, and rooftop entertaining area. It was a phenomenal experience that I was very fortunate to participate in. It thoroughly broadened my understanding of IT and some of the jobs Microsoft offers. As well as learning about various aspects of Microsoft, we were also given the opportunity to experience things for the first time. For some this can include; getting the chance to network and talk to professionals, playing Xbox, or even observing the corporate life . Throughout the day we were also informed of future projects and upgraded software, which was very exciting and intriguing. This event has shown me the possibilities and multiple pathways that Microsoft can lead to, most of which I wasn’t aware of. Many students, including myself , liked the working environment and the friendly staff. Overall, it was a fantastic day that future participants can look forward to.

Shaina Prodan

On the 11th of March, the Year 11 Legal Studies class took a trip to the District and Supreme Court within the Sir Samuel Way Building. The purpose of this excursion was to gain a better understanding about how the Australian legal system works . While at the courts we witnessed three cases including one which involved a 60 year old man who pleaded guilty to two counts of selling heroin. The defendant had managed to overcome years of neglect and depression and physical disease resulting from drugs to turn his life around. Despite being convicted of drug trafficking, the judge saw his potential and allowed him the opportunity to live amongst other citizens and spend the little time he has left with his daughters and grandchildren. In cases such as this, the court usually offers a four year sentence with a non-parole period of two years. However, the judge recognised that the defendant had recovered from his drug use since 2002 and actually wanted to reform and be happy for the remainder of his life. The defendant was diagnosed as HIV positive and had contracted hepatitis C resulting in his reliance on a disability support pension. In light of these difficulties he offered the accused a $500 good behaviour bond for two years. This is an outstanding example of how the Australian Legal System offers its citizens a chance to rehabilitate and proves that there is always a better choice than reoffending. Going on this excursion gave us an active opportunity to experience the atmosphere of the Supreme and District Courts, one that cannot be replicated in a classroom environment. We also had the opportunity to ask Peter Cavouras, the Courts Education Officer, questions. He was very informative and was able to give us some insight into the behind the scenes world of a court room.

By Nicole Fernandes, Haylee Nielsen and Emily Wurfel

Year 11 Legal Studies Courts Excursion

Page 2

Youth Expo 2015 Youth Expo 2015 was held again this year and the students in the Mentoring Program spent a few hours having lots of fun participating in all the activities on offer and talking to people running the stalls about the services they offer to young people in the western suburbs. There are many different services available to help young people navigate through the many situations which can present as difficult. ‘I enjoyed the Instagram hole that you could put your face and take a selfie. I think Karen and I en-joyed watching the jump-ing castle. You had a rope around you and you had to try to pull against the rope to get to some bean bags. If you didn’t get them you would be pulled backwards. It was really cool.’

Fatima Year 8

BYOD - Update

ICT News - Findon’s bring-your-own-device (BYOD) programme for 2016 and beyond

BYOD allows students to use personal devices within the school. We have been exploring a variety of options to adopt a BYOD programme at Findon. Students were surveyed and over 70% of them wanted a laptop to support their education. The governing council was presented with a proposal and they were unanimous in their support. Findon’s BYOD programme will ena-ble students to be prepared for the 21st Century. More detail will be presented to parents/caregivers in the coming weeks.

Dr Richard Leach Assistant Principal

UniSA STEM Program On the 16th March, three Yr 10 students, Parham, Rinta and Shaina, attended the STEM program (The Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics program) at UniSA, Mawson Lakes. The day consisted of a range of activities, including measuring distances using infra-red light and ultrasonic sounds. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and found using the technology phenomenally rewarding. Following the activities we were taken on a tour, viewing what the campus offers and had the opportunity to observe and explore the outstanding inventions that have been developed at UniSA. The next visit, on the 15th May, we participated in a range of activities revolving around GPS mapping. Ambassadors spoke about the popularity of geocaching and allowed us to experience it for ourselves. After lunch, provided by the university, we were introduced to the Planetarium. The dome room replicates the night skies in the present and into the future. The specially designed chairs, and the soothing music completed the spectacular experience. The STEM program provides the opportunity to interact with students from other schools and experience uni life. We encourage anyone who is offered the opportunity to participate in this program as it can be a useful stepping stone into your future. - Parham Mohammad Karimi, Rinta Isac and Shaina Prodan.

It’s simple to participate

From Wednesday July 15, to Tuesday September 8, when you shop at Wool-worths you can collect Woolworths Earn & Learn Stickers from the checkout operator. Place them on the Woolworths Earn & Learn Sticker Sheet. Once completed, simply place the Sticker Sheet in the Collection Box, either at your school or your local Woolworths.

Page 3 Volume 1, Issue 4

Principal’s Tour

The first Findon High School

2015 Principal’s Tour

was conducted on Friday

May 29.

Our next Principal’s Tour

will be held on Friday

July 31, 9:15am—10:30am.

Please contact Ms Kate

Gow on ph: 8445 7944

for bookings or more

information.

Communication Update

At Findon High School we strive to keep our parent/caregiver community as up to date as possible. With this in mind in 2015 w e w i l l b e m o v i n g t o w a r d s

Electronic Communication. This means we will be forwarding updates, letters and communication via email where possible. To help us in this transition we ask that you advise us of or update your email address with the Front Office. In the interim you will still receive a paper copy as well as email. Thank you for your assistance in this transition period.

Findon Through the Decades

Mid-Year Concert 17th June, 2015 After months of rehearsals, the day finally arrived. Our more than fifty student performers were extremely excited to share what they had been working on for the performance at the Parks Recreation and Sport Centre. Everyone put in a tremendous effort to produce a very entertaining show. The students responded most favourably to the concept of celebrating the school’s 60th Birthday with a reflective, retrospective journey through time, going decade by decade. Introductory speeches outlining significant world, music and school events for each decade set the scene for the musical items. The students also prepared decade appropriate accompanying images and graphics and had a lot of fun researching and finding suitable clothes to perform in. I believe a few parents’ wardrobes were raided for this purpose, as well as trips to various op-shops. The end result was a colourful and attractive representation of decades gone by. Apart from every class band working on music from a selected decade, special mention must be made of the extra items especially prepared for the concert. Thanks and congratulations to: guitarist/vocalist Daniel Ninnes in Year 10 for his 2000’s solo, the Year 10 Band “The Gate Crashers” for their 1980’s song, the Year 12 1980’s band for “Footloose” and Mason Durnell for his outstanding guitar solo in “Sweet Child o’ Mine”. Also thanks and congratulations to: Taylah Williams and Adrian Marschall for their 1970’s duet, the 1960’s mixed vocal ensemble including Year 8 and 9 students and the Year 10 Vocal group with their rendition of “Stop in the Name of Love“ from the 1960’s. The students were very interested to see the staff perform “Hound Dog”, a very courageous effort! My sincere gratitude to all our student performers for their enthusiastic performance and to my colleagues for their invaluable support. We certainly couldn’t have done it without the generous contribution of their time. A special thank you to Claye Hutchens for, not only his drumming in the staff band, but the extra technical support he provided during the setup, rehearsal and on the night of the performance. This was a case of going above and beyond to get the job done! It was a great night overall and a fitting celebration of our school’s significant milestone.

Natalie Stanco Music teacher

Report Update

We are pleased to announce

there will be a new look to

our school report in term 3.

We are in the final phases of

development with a focus on

improving parent/caregiver

understanding of student

performance. This will

complement and enhance

an increase in home school

communication.

“Attendance = Success”

We ask families to please call the Front Office, or write a note in your child's diary if there is a legitimate reason for their absence.

FINDON HIGH SCHOOL Uniform Washing Instructions

Washing instructions for school garments for ma-roon and white Colours should be washed separately eg. Do not wash white garments with maroon garments and visa versa, also wash in cold water Warm water makes dyes move more quickly To remove any excess dye you put a handful of salt in with the wash and it will remove any excess dye

FAME TRAIN PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL PLATFORM 56 - 56 WOODVILLE RD At Fame Train kids learn to Sing, Act and Dance in a fun environment whilst making friends & building confidence in themselves and the arts!

FREE TRAIL CLASS

Mini Stars - 2-3 year olds Wed - 9:30am - 10:am, Friday - 10:45am- 11-15am Rising Stars - 4- 6 year olds Tuesdays - 4:00pm- 4:40pm NEW CLASS! Wednesday - 4:00pm- 4:40pm Super Stars - 7-9 year olds Tuesdays - 5:00pm- 6:00pm Wednesday - 5:00pm- 6:00pm All Stars - 10-11 year olds Wednesday - 6:00pm- 7:00pm Top Stars - 12- 15 year olds NEW CLASS! Tuesday - 6:00 – 7:30

www.fametrain.com.au Register your child at info@fametrain.com.au

Absent from school? Parents are advised that if their child will be absent or late for school for any reason, they are asked to contact the school by 9.30 am. Phone: 8445 7944.

Student Records To ensure that all student records are accurate and up to date, could you please ensure that the school is notified of any changes to ad-dress, phone number, emergency contact, etc.

SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE All babies, children and young people under 18

years are welcome to attend the School Dental

Service. Dental care is FREE for most school-

aged children and ALL preschool children. SA Dental Service participates in the Child Dental

Benefits Schedule. A small fee may apply for children

who are not eligible for the Child Dental Benefits

Schedule.

To locate your local School Dental Clinic, or for more information about

the Child Dental Benefits Schedule, please phone 8222 8222 or visit

www.sadental.sa.gov.au

Talkin Road Safety School Edition,

Issue 14, May 2015 This latest newsletter is now pub-lished on the South Australia Po-lice Internet page under Road Safety. The edition discusses:-

I-tunes voucher winner

Crash Statistics 2014

Keep Left overtaking rule

explained

Thirty Lives

Drink Driving Penalties

Hitting a solid object when you leave the road Courtesy on the Road – Kindness Counts Here is the link : https://www.police.sa.gov.au/services-and-events/community-programs/road-safety-education