Term 2 | Week 2 | 12 May 2017

Principal’s WelcomeThank you for the wonderful welcome to Blackwood High School. I was delighted to be appointed as the Principal of the school. I have been very impressed by the students’ friendliness, helpfulness and manners as I found my way around the school in Week 1 and 2, and appreciated the hello’s and informal conversations along the way. Through my induction, it has been evident that the school values of Care, Respect and Achieve underpin relationships with students, staff and families.

As Principal of Blackwood High School, what drives me is my moral purpose, ‘to ensure that every student is provided with quality teaching and learning to achieve their personal best.’

As such, my passions for a long time as leader have been working with staff to develop teacher capacity and improve student learning outcomes, with a drive towards excellence. As the new Principal, I acknowledge that Blackwood High School is a high performing school and this was acknowledged through the DECD external review last year.

Blackwood High School has:• a proud reputation of academic success and

specialty programs • many excellent and highly experienced teachers

and support staff• strong and valued traditions • great relationships with the community and strong

partnerships with local schools, universities, industry and businesses.

However, I believe there is an opportunity to lead the school from a high performing school to a school of excellent performance – and this is what excites me. The school is already focused on the culture of improvement; therefore, early in my appointment, it will be important for me to learn about the narrative of the school by connecting with students, staff, families

and the community. This will involve visiting classrooms and learning spaces to see/hear teaching and learning ‘in action’ and meeting with staff, students and Governing Council to discuss/learn about the strengths of the school and the opportunities for improvement.

Site leaders across our local educational partnership, Mitcham Hills, will also add to the narrative of the school.

My learning from this process will inform the future directions for the school. It is important to ensure that all stakeholders have an opportunity to contribute to this process and that we are in agreement about the strategies to be taken. I look forward to working with all stakeholders to continue the improvement journey so that Blackwood High School is a school of excellence.

Finally, I would like to thank David Garrett for his leadership of the school while Principal in Term 1. David led the school admirably so that students and staff started the year positively with a focus on the core business of teaching and learning.

Principal ToursThe first Principal tour for the term was on Tuesday 2 May. It was wonderful to meet with prospective parents/caregivers and students. As this was my second day at Blackwood High School, David Garrett, Deputy Principal, led the information session with families, and I tagged along to learn with them.

However, parent/caregivers appreciated the opportunity to meet with me and to hear about my previous leadership experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to tour the school with families who were most impressed by the school facilities, the opportunity to see teaching and learning ‘in action’ and the behaviour of students.

Sharon Goldman, Principal

Inspiring Achievement and Respect2

• Congratulations to Gracie Wadham in Year 8 who has been selected for the Gymnastics SA State Team Level 7 Womens Artisic Gymnastics. Gracie will be competing in the National Championships in Melbourne on 23 May 2017.

• Congratulations to Willow Homersham and Brieanna Medder in Year 9 who have been selected in the SASSSA Under 15 State Football team of 30. All 30 girls will train towards a final selection of 25 players to travel to Perth in July for the Nationals. Willow and Brie are members of the new Special Interest Girls football class that has been running this semester. They also play club football for Blackwood Football Club.

• Congratulations again to Brieanna Medder in Year 9 who is also representing South Australia in Indoor Cricket and has been selected for the U17 State Squad.

• Congratulations to Kye Dean (Year 10), Cooper Gilbert (Year 9) and Taine Mitchell (Year 9), who have been selected in the SASSSA Under 15 State Football team of 30. All 30 boys will train towards a final selection of 25 players to travel to Perth in July for the Nationals. The three students are all members of Blackwood High School’s Special Interest Football class.

• Congratulations to Emily Lauritsen, who graduated in 2016. She has been awarded the 2017 Principal’s Scholarship with the University of Adelaide.

Blackwood High School High Achievers

In loving memory of Phil ColesIt was with the greatest sadness that Blackwood High School learnt of the passing of a former teacher, mentor and leader. Phil Coles was Science Coordinator from 2002 - 2008. Phil was a leader in Science education in the state and gave outstanding service in both country and city schools. He helped introduce the IB to Science at Blackwood and had the philosophy that you didn’t just study science but you lived it. Phil involved the school with universities and the local primary schools to ensure maximum exposure to science for our school and our feeder primary schools. Phil and his fellow science teachers were the leaders in STEM before it gained the universal popularity that it now has.Phil was full of school pride and respect for the environment. He hated rubbish in the yard as much as he loved recycling. He had unusual but very effective ways of keeping everyone aware of their responsibilities. Rubbish rap songs and dumping bins of rubbish in staff meetings that he had collected in the yard were favourite strategies that he used. Phil was a great friend as well as leader to many teachers and working together to make things better was always the way that things got done.After he left Blackwood Phil was excited to be in charge of the Urrbrae Wetlands Project that has given so much enjoyment and hands on science to students and teachers in SA.The Blackwood High School community offer their condolences to Phil’s family and want them to know that his legacy as scientist, teacher and friend continues at our school. Written by Denis Orell

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Urgent ReminderThis year, Year 10 Work Experience is taking place in Week 8, June 19 to 23.

All Work Experience Agreement Forms must be completed and signed by the end of Week 3. Due to risk assessment and checking processes required by DECD regulations, agreements cannot be accepted after this time.

Students undertaking Work Experience are required to complete a minimum of 5 hours of Work Preparation. This preparation has been delivered through the Pastoral Care program. For Year 10 students this preparation is their PLP 1 Assessment which was due at the conclusion of Term 1. Each student must have their evidence signed off by the Care Group teacher and Workplace Learning Coordinator before they are able to commence their placements. As part of this process, the school will also assess each student’s suitability for the placement that they have arranged.

Students who have not organised their placement, had their Workplace Agreement Forms signed by the end of Week 3, and completed their Work Preparation will be required to attend school during Work Experience Week.

Just a final reminder, any students undertaking a placement that requires either a DCSI clearance or White Card, need to have made arrangements for these to take place prior to submitting their forms.

Students requiring DCSI Clearance should see Ben Dening or Luke Northcote to have an application started ASAP. A White Card training session will be run on site in Week 4. If students have not already done so they need to see Luke Northcote to register interest and obtain payment information.

Ben Dening, Year 10 Coordinator

Year 10 Work Experience

Many parents would probably be aware of the media coverage about the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why. Blackwood High School parents have received a letter from DECD outlining concerns for young people viewing this series as there has been a great deal of criticism about the way it deals with the topic of teenage suicide.

Geoffrey Ahern, the senior mental health clinician with Victoria Police published a blog that was picked up by Huffington Post in which he discusses what happens in the series and ways for parents to approach it if their children have been watching it. He suggests that it is highly likely that teenagers in families using Netflix have been exposed to the show, and are either watching it, or having it put in front of them as a trending show. He found that his own son was part way through and that Netflix had suggested it to his daughter. A staff member at Blackwood reported that he has been approached by a small number of students who felt disturbed after watching the series.

Ahern takes a level headed view and suggests that parents should not panic if their children have been watching the series. He suggests that it provides an opportunity to have a calm and rational conversation, and that children need to know that it’s okay to talk to their parents about the concept of suicide.

Ahern provides a link to a useful resources page to help parents talk about the series and the topic of suicide with their children. It contains possible discussion points about the show, a summary of the plot and explanation of what material may be distressing for vulnerable young people.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/geoffrey-ahern/if-your-kids-are-watching-13-reasons-why-you-should-too_a_22055651/

If you have any ongoing concerns about your child’s wellbeing please contact the relevant health professionals including your GP, counselling services such as Kids Helpline or Lifeline or school counsellors to ensure your child has the support they require. Lee Knight, Assistant Principal, Wellbeing

Talking to your children: 13 Reasons Why

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I have always been struck by the willingness of Blackwood High School students to take a step beyond themselves and engage with their community. This willingness was once again evident on the evening of Monday 24 April, the eve of ANZAC Day. I was fortunate to be given the opportunity of joining Misa Hirahara (11F) and Damon Gray (11F) at the ANZAC Eve Youth Vigil Ceremony at the Blackwood War Memorial. Misa and Damon did the school proud, participating with respect and reverence and presenting flowers at the culmination of the ceremony, in the process conveying our school community’s recognition of the sacrifice made by Australian service personnel.

The most poignant moment for me was the reciting of the words of Kemal Atatürk, the commander of the Turkish forces at Gallipoli and, subsequently, the founder of modern Turkey.

Students Commit to their Community

Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives ... You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours ... You, the mothers who sent their sons from faraway countries, wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.

To my surprise, I then encountered a number of other students who had chosen to contribute their time in order to commemorate the sacrifice of Australian and New Zealand troops during World Wars I and II, in Korea and Vietnam, and in numerous other engagements and actions. Jordon Cock (9F) and Victoria McCluskey (11F), representing the Country Fire Service along with Daniel Whitaker (12A) and Jesse Whitaker (12C), representing St. John Ambulance Service, stood vigil for a number of hours in what turned out to be a cold and damp evening. There may well have been other students who I didn’t have the opportunity to see. Their thoughtful and sombre representations brought credit to the organisations they represent, and the school community of which they form a part.

Raphael Zadey, Senior Leader English and Humanities

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I would like to echo Raphael Zadey’s comments on the previous page. Blackwood High School students are indeed highly connected with our community. SRC Presidents Hiromi Hill and Ryan Williams joined the hundreds of other community members, including Blackwood students and their families, who stood together silently to remember the service and sacrifices of past and current members of our defence forces.

At the Dawn Service we come together to recognise what other people have done for us and to express our gratitude for what they have given. The simple gesture of our SRC Presidents laying a wreath in the name of our school alongside of representatives from other schools, organisations and federal, state and local governments, connects our school with our community’s action to recognise and be thankful. It is heartening that our staff, students and families see this as being important.David Garrett, Deputy Principal

Laying the wreath at the Blackwood ANZAC Day vigil was a great way for me to not only represent Blackwood High School but to personally pay my respects for those who lost their lives for my freedom. It was an experience that I will always cherish. Ryan Williams, Year 12 Student

In the early hours of ANZAC Day, as dawn began to break, Ryan and I joined members of the local community in laying a wreath on the Blackwood War Memorial in order to commemorate the Australian and New Zealand soldiers who served and died in war and on operational services. We felt extremely grateful to be representing Blackwood High School in honouring the Australian men and women, many not much older than ourselves, for the courage they showed and the sacrifices they made to ensure that Australia would be a place of freedom for all future generations to come.Hiromi Hill, Year 12 Student

ANZAC Day Dawn Service

ICAS TestingOn 1 August we will provide interested students with the opportunity to participate in the national English ICAS test. The test, an information and diagnostic tool, will provide students with an indication of their language skills and capabilities, as measured against students from around the country. There will be no cost.

If students would like to participate, please contact me on raphael.zadey@bhs.sa.edu.au

Raphael Zadey

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RSPCA Leadership SummitOn Wednesday 5 April members of the SRC attended the RSPCA Youth Leaders’ Summit. At the summit, we heard lots of speakers such as Matt Tarrant, finalist on Survivor 2016, Erin Bell, captain of the Adelaide Thunderbirds and Thomas King, Young Victorian of the Year 2015.

The first speaker was Matt Tarrant. He spoke about his time on Survivor and how it changed his perspective on animals. He has had animals since he was born and loves them. He currently has a cat named Chester, a rabbit named Svengali and a dog. Survivor was an experience that he will never forget. When he was on Survivor he befriended, looked after and named a chicken – Chester after his cat at home. This showed him that as much as we love animals they are a lot more like us than you think.

Next we heard from Erin Bell. She has a dog named Harry who didn’t get to continue the Guide Dog Program due to his overbite. This is a condition that means his two bottom canine teeth create holes in his top gums. The reason she could get Harry was because once she started playing for the Thunderbirds the Royal Society for the Blind approached her about being an ambassador. She has been an RSB ambassador for 6 years now.

Hon. Ian Hunter, Minister for the Environment in SA, spoke to us about his dog which he and his husband Leith adopted from the RSPCA. Bailey has only three legs and is the third rescue dog they have adopted. He believes in environmental education and LGBT rights.

When Thomas King was 13 he saw a video of Kessie an orangutan walking through her previous home which was then a logging site. That was in 2010. After that Thomas created SayNoToPalmOil.org, because such farming was harming our environment. In 2015 Thomas became Young Victorian of the Year at the age of 19. His morals and values opened opportunities for him such as working with Jane Goodall who spent her life studying orangutans, meeting scientists who are creating plant based products and playing with a refugee boy across Europe on a train. If it weren’t for him seeing Kessie he wouldn’t have asked himself ‘Is this right?’ And done what he did.

After lunch, we did an activity where we were split into three groups of puppy dogs: those in puppy farms, puppies from backyard breeders and dogs who were in an RSPCA shelter. Each group of dogs were treated differently. Some were rescued and sent to the shelter but others ended up withdrawn. To help with saving more animals the RSPCA has started a challenge, The Youth Leaders’ Challenge. Every day for thirty days you must walk for thirty minutes. You gather sponsors and the money raised goes towards the RSPCA, and their cause. The money we raised on casual day and sports day went to caring for the rescued animals at the RSPCA.

Amanda Aulert, SRC Leader

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SRC Leadership DayOn Monday 8 May, the Student Representative Council (SRC) held a Blackwood High School leadership day for all SRC members and teachers. The day included the presence of several guest speakers who (by representing themselves or organisations) the SRC work closely with. This included an interactive session with Sharon Goldman, our new Principal who shared her thoughts and plan of action for Blackwood High School. Throughout the day, we also heard from our Pastoral Care Worker, Sam Thomson, on the 40-Hour Famine, Anne from Fauna Rescue SA and Caroline who spoke more about the Sea Shepard Organisation; each of these presentations provided us with detailed insight into how our donations can assist, allowing us to further consolidate our future donation actions.

SRC student leaders and members organised a range of activities for the day such as ice-breakers in order to get to know each other, and leadership-based activities focusing on applying good leadership skills. We were lucky enough to have a special presentation on Positive Education, run by Amber Halliday, PhD candidate from Adelaide University who has been working closely with Blackwood High over the last few years. The SRC was enlightened about the years of research and evidence, focusing on student well-being and ill-being, and how the information has been interpreted with the vision of maintaining positivity and increasing student well-being. The presentation opened my eyes and has shown me (and the SRC) that Blackwood High is in very good hands and will continue to grow and prosper in the following years ahead under the guidance of Positive Education.

The SRC is comprised of students from Years 8 to 12, which allowed a diverse range of opinions and thoughts to surface and be considered throughout the day. In the long run, it is in our best interest to provide for everyone; choosing outcomes that support Blackwood High. In various activities, we talked about Positive Education learning approaches, new fundraising ideas and broke off into our delegated committees and focused on brainstorming new approaches, but also considered plans for 2017 and beyond. The Leadership Day proved to be extremely beneficial, allowing the SRC to prepare and plan for our future actions. We are excited to have the opportunity to communicate our ideas with students and teachers over the coming weeks. Together, we will continue being devoted to promoting our positive outlooks and keeping Blackwood High a safe and happy place to be involved in.Yoshi Aranibar Sabag, SRC Year 12 Student

This year the SRC have been to various leadership days. The SRC spent a day at the Blackwood Community Centre to share, reflect and discuss what had been learnt. We looked at some challenges that can arise where leadership is involved as well as strategies to combat specific situations. We took part in activities which were designed to put us out of our comfort zones and take control of the situation. Sam Thomson and Emma from World Vision came and talked to us about participating in the 40 Hour Famine as well as the changes which have been made to this year’s program. If you want more information about the 40 Hour Famine or wish to participate this year please don’t hesitate to contact Sam. The RSPCA could not attend the day so instead we took part in an activity designed by two of the students to demonstrate what the RSPCA’s role is and how they help in cases of extreme neglect. Emma Johnston, SRC Student

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Interschool AthleticsFollowing our successful school based Athletics Carnival in March the Physical Education staff began preparing for the Interschool Athletics Carnival. In the weeks leading up to the day, lunchtime training sessions were held for all of our athletes across both track and field events. On Wednesday 12 April 100 Blackwood athletes boarded the buses to SA Athletics Stadium with enthusiasm and a readiness to compete against some of the best athletic schools in the state.

All the hard work and effort paid off with the Blackwood boys’ team finishing the day in first position in the A2 Division with 17 first placings and 355 points. The girls’ team placed ninth overall with a total of 172 points. In the combined competition Blackwood scored 527 points to finish in seventh position. A pleasing aspect of the day was our students’ willingness to strive to achieve their personal best and play their part for the team. Of particular importance was the efforts of our students who stepped up at short notice, due to injuries on the day, to compete in an event. Congratulations to all students who participated on the day.

We wish to acknowledge the following students who placed first in their event, an exceptional achievement given the high standard of competition on the day. Ryan Williams Open 100m (11.39s) Open 200m (23.01s)

Jordan Spells U/16 100m (12.06) U/16 Long Jump (5.66m)

Josh Chigwidden U/15 100m (11.60s)

Cameron Clohesy Open 800m (2m 02.43s) Open 1500m (4m 25.07s)

Jordon Cock U/15 400m (55.78s) U/15 800m (2m 15.59s)

Bailey Dyer Open 2000m Steeplechase (6m 46.78s)

James Hackett U/14 90m Hurdles (14.27s) U/15 Triple Jump (12.03m) U/14 Triple Jump (11.93m)

Ben Burbridge U/14 Long Jump (5.38m)

Greg Edwards Open Pole Vault (2.60m) U/15 Pole Vault (2.60m)

Emil Nachazel U/14 Javelin (33.44m)

Sports News

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Congratulations to the following students who also achieved a standard (in the top five percent based on event results across all divisions). The thirteen standards achieved highlighted the outstanding performances and strengths of our 2017 team.

Ryan Williams Open 100m and Open 200mJosh Chigwidden U/15 100mJordon Cock U/15 400m and U/15 800mCameron Clohesy Open 800m and Open 1500mBailey Dyer Open 2000m SteeplechaseJames Hackett U/14 90m Hurdles, U/15 and U/14 Triple JumpBen Burbridge U/14 Long JumpGreg Edwards U/15 Pole Vault

All individual placings and school scores can be found at, https://www.decd.sa.gov.au/sites/g/files/net691/f/2017-ssssa-track-and-field-a-grade-individual-results.pdf

A big thankyou to the Physical Education staff (Glen Little, Steve Aulert, Dan Smith, Janet Bradley, Peta Maher and Chris Olenich) for all their hard work leading up to the event and on the day.

Glen Little, Leader Health and Physical Education

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Year 9 Specialist FootballAdelaide Oval Tour

On Monday 3 April the Year 9 Specialist Football class visited Adelaide Oval. The tour consisted of a behind the scenes look at all aspects of the oval’s facilities. The class enjoyed gaining an understanding of the enormity and complexities of managing a sporting stadium.

In particular, they enjoyed visiting the iconic scoreboard and viewing the simplicity of its operations. Another highlight was gaining a perspective of what happens on an AFL match day.

The tour also outlined the many different careers that are involved in the elite sporting environment ranging from media, hospitality, tourism, grounds staff, curator and some of the sport related fields (professional athletes and coaches, medical staff and support staff).

The tour concluded with a self-directed viewing of the Sir Donald Bradman Collection.

Thank you to Dan Smith who assisted with this excursion.

Glen Little, Leader Health and Physical Education

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Year 8 and 9 Specialist Football – Auskick Coaching

As part of the Specialist Football Program the Year 8 and 9 classes recently conducted Auskick coaching clinics at both Blackwood Primary School and Bellevue Heights Primary School. The clinics were run on a large scale with 120 junior primary students attending each clinic. With such a large number of students participating it was essential that our coaches were well planned and that they used activities that were suitable and relevant to the participants.

Congratulations to all students who coached during the clinics. Our students; demonstrated and developed their coaching and leadership skills, promoted football to the local community, enabled junior primary students the opportunity to participate in fun physically active activities and helped improve students’ football skills.

Thank you to Daniel Joyce (SANFL Development Officer) for his work both prior to and on the day and Simon Herreen for his work with the Year 8 class.

Glen Little, Leader Health and Physical Education

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With Term 1 now behind us, it was time to celebrate the achievement of those students who demonstrated a high level of commitment to their own personal development, studies and academic achievement during our Term 1 Awards Assembly. Each of the awards celebrates a different aspect of student achievement.

Firstly, the AAA Culture of Respect Award is chosen by Care Croup teacher and is presented to students who exemplify a positive attitude to all aspects of their schooling life. The recipients include:

Year 11 11A: Saxon Burnard 11B: Madeline Locke 11C: Arielle Hipper 11D: Geena Funnell 11E: Kathryn Kendall 11F: Jai Brown 11G: Saffron Raynor 11H: Victoria McCluskey

Year 1212A: Cameron Crawshaw12B: Cale Nagle12C: Celia Rouvenaz12D: Aedan Ramage12E: Dominique Contreras-Gonzalez12F: River Moore

The award for Academic Achievement is presented to students who receive four A grade and one B grade on their Term 1 report, which is a fantastic accomplishment. The recipients include:

Year 11 • Eve Denner • Emma Gawronski • Hannah Goldman • Cheyenne Kolyn • Nathan Laity • Mariah Logronio • Aishwarya Manumari • Chelsea Roper • Cassandra Shannon • Ella Watts • Hannah Wilmshurst

Year 12 • Jaehoon Bae • Ella Burton • D’arcy Mitchell• Manuela Cokara

Year 11 and 12 Awards Assembly

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The third award for Academic Excellence is presented to students who received all A grades on their Term 1 reports and demonstrated a high level of academic ability in their chosen subjects. The recipients were:

Year 11 Year 12• Yunchu Dong • Dominique Contreras-Gonzalez • Shaya Hipper • Deqhlan Files• Daisy Macarasig • Molly McCarthy • Jaidyn Maidment • Jesse McKinnon• Tabitha Mcloughney • Martin Nachazel• Ashleigh Stain • Hattie Waters• Yaqi Wei

We would like to congratulate all of our award winners for their exemplary start to the year and also highlight the positive start made to the 2017 school year by many of our students.

Luke Northcote, Leader Year 11 and 12

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On the last day of Term 1, Thursday 13 April, 35 students from Year 8 and 9 had the privilege of attending Flinders University for the campus visit day.

This day aimed to support, motivate and inform students about the possibilities and opportunities that higher education may provide.

Some of the activities that our students had the opportunity to participate in included Finding Nemo, Court of Law, Amazing Chase, Flash Mentoring, Creative Writing and the App Development tutorial.

Feedback from the students was extremely positive with comments like, “this was even better than I thought it would be!”

The University provided the students with lunch and a tour around the site and really gave them a taste of what uni life could be like for them in the future.

Shauna Thompson, Year 8 and 9 Leader

Flinders University Excursion

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The beginning of the year has once again seen the Food Technology areas ‘A hive of activity’.

Open night was a huge success with the Year 12 Food Technology students hosting an espresso bar in our new courtyard. A fantastic range of biscuits were created by a variety of classes and were definitely appreciated by all that attended. We were very lucky to also have the support of Mr Alan Holroyd from Regency TAFE on the night, to assist the students in the art of coffee making.

The Year 12 Food and Hospitality students have also just completed their first assignment into ‘high risk foods’ by creating a contemporary dessert using these ingredients. The standard was very high and would not be out of place in many of the up market restaurants in Adelaide. Deconstruction was a theme this year as many of the students re-worked old favorites into new exciting presentations. Their next big challenge is hosting the Rotary Dinner on 30 May. Preparations are well under way and we look forward to sharing the photos in the next newsletter.

Mrs Holroyd’s Year 10 Food Tech classes have been working on an industry led folio task set by The Australian Pork Association. This saw students designing and creating innovative pork and non-pork dishes that met the industry brief to hero pork. The range of creations was quite inspiring.

The Year 8 compulsory Technology class have been expanding their understanding of the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating whilst re- creating a classic fast food burger into an explosion of taste and colour, using healthy ingredients. The prevalence of beetroot, yoghurt dressings, spices and avocado featured highly on a lot of the designs, which shows our students have an appreciation of more interesting flavour combinations.

Inside the classroom:Food and Hospitality

The Year 10 Child Studies class have been looking into the health and wellbeing of children by creating an appealing and nutritious meal suitable to be served to a child aged 4-5 years. The purpose of this task is to enable students to learn about the nutritional requirements of children and portion sizing as well as developing their cooking and hygiene skills.

The Year 12 Child Studies students will be collaborating with Blackwood Primary School in Week 5 to plan and prepare a game or activity that assists in promoting and encouraging a development that meets the safety regulations for an R/1 class. Students are currently working through their planning stages of the activity/toy and will complete an individual reflection once the activity has taken place. The aim of working with the primary school is to put students in real life situations so they can see their products and ideas in practice.

The Year 9 Food Tech classes are in the midst of making their extravagant Showstopper/Centre piece, made out of gingerbread or sugar cookie dough. They have been practicing over the previous weeks making various dough, practicing icing techniques, joining pieces together and making a simple template. They have the next four weeks to make their Showstopper/Centre piece.

Carole Holroyd, Home Economics Teacher

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During the last week of Term 1, the Visual Arts department were fortunate to have Luke Thurgate, lecturer from Adelaide Central School of Art visit Blackwood HIgh School to deliver a drawing workshop with a group of our Year 10 and 11 students.

Luke shared with the group his techniques for developing ideas into a theme to unify a body of work ready for presentation in an exhibition. This will be useful to the students who participated as they develop their own concepts for SACE assessment.

The students involved in Luke’s session worked through a number of drawing tasks to warm up and explore media before undertaking a final portraiture task in charcoal.

Jennifer Remete, Visual Arts Teacher

Visit from Adelaide Central School of Art

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From 28 March to 9 April we hosted our seventh study tour group from Morioka Chuo High School. A heartfelt thank you to the families who opened their homes and hearts to the group of 16 Japanese students. Thank you also to the school buddies who made real connections with the visitors. Without our quality homestay families and friendly students, we wouldn’t have an international program.

I am confident the students have all grown as individuals and made memories that will stay with them forever.

Here are some of the comments made by the students at the end of the tour:

All of my family members were kind. I had lots of fun with them and I had an enjoyable time every day. I love them all.I enjoyed playing games with the family and outings. The most memorable things were a BBQ with the family and their friends, fishing and shopping.I was very happy that the host family welcomed me kindly. I enjoyed having meals outings together. It was like a real family.I could have a very fulfilling experience. I enjoyed the BBQ best, having many people around.I was really thankful to them they were very enthusiastic talking me. They gave us many nice memories. They talked to us passionately using easier English for us to understand.

Karyn Jones, Leader International Student programs

Morioka Study Tour

The next opportunity to host a short term visitor from Japan will be from 15 to 26 August, when we welcome a group of eight boys and six girls from Ushiku High School. It will be the school’s fifth visit to us. Ushiku is in a rural setting in Ibaraki Prefecture, about three hours by car from Tokyo. A homestay payment of $430 will be made to families to help defray costs. Please let me know if you are interested in hosting a student from this group or would like more information.

Karyn Jones, Leader International Student programs

Ushiku Study Tour

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During Term 1, Blackwood High School hosted three German exchange students from Bavaria. The girls, part of the SA German Exchange Program, will host their Blackwood counterparts for two months at the end of the year.

Here are some of their reflections of their time in South Australia:I’m an exchange student from Nürnberg, Germany and have been here, in Adelaide for 9 weeks. It has been an amazing experience and I definitely enjoyed it to be here, at your school. At first, I was really nervous, but I learnt you shouldn’t be afraid of talking to people if you need help. Everyone is so friendly and if you need anything, you just need to ask. I loved Australia from the first moment I got off the plane. Adelaide is the most beautiful city I’ve ever seen and I love the people here so much. I also went on an outback trip where I saw incredible things.Thanks for having me at your wonderful school and for the opportunity to experience an Australian high school. Alisa Baugut (photo, far right)

I came to Australia because I wanted to live in a warm country, where you speak English. It is an important experience to be alone in a foreign country. It helps you to find your identity and discover what you really want in life. I was not nervous before I arrived, but when I started to walk down the arrivals passage, I felt worried. However, my exchange family was just as excited as I was and welcomed me nicely. The teachers were not as strict as at home and my exchange partners’ friends involved me and took care of me. I was open to all experiences and had a wonderful time. Lea Nocker (photo, third from right)

I came to Australia because I wanted to improve my English, learn about the lifestyle and culture and experience school in another country. Before I arrived, I was really excited and was looking forward to meeting my host family. My first impression was that everyone was so nice and friendly. The lifestyle is interesting and school is different from ours in Germany. The outback trip I went on with the other German students and the trip to Kangaroo Island with my host family were the best memories. I’m thankful for the nice time at Blackwood High School and that everybody was so friendly and welcoming. Julia Schwinghammer (photo, second from right)

German Exchange Students

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On Tuesday 11 April my Year 9 German class, along with Sam Thomson, attended an excursion to the German Club in Adelaide. Students were very well behaved and used their German language skills to order their German inspired meals. It was a great day had by all, as you can see from the student comments below.Renee Daish, German Teacher

On 11 April our Year 9 German class ventured down to the German Club. We caught the train and then walked in an easterly direction towards the German Club. On arrival, most of us ordered the Schnitzel Special. This consisted of a schnitty, salad, and a drink. It was a very good excursion and we learnt a lot about German culture.Tyson Dyer, Year 9

Wir sind am Dienstage den elften April zum The German Club gegenagen. Ich haben einen Schnitzel gegessen. Ich habe Sprite getrunken. Ich mag die Musik.Kiera Mueller, Year 9

When going to the German club I liked the selection of foods. There were several German meals and deserts. I also liked how delicious the food was. In the German club, I liked how the company put German related objects to give the place a German feel. I also like how they had a TV playing the Bundesliga Soccer highlights that you could watch when waiting for your food.Emil Nachazel, Year 9

German Club Excursion

Inspiring Achievement and Respect20

‘The Big Day In’ is an invaluable opportunity for students to learn about careers in the Information Technology (IT) industry. This year, on 11 May, 10 students participated in ‘The Big Day In’ at Adelaide University.

The students, from Years 10 to 12, were exposed to a number of career pathways within the IT industry. Speakers were varied and entertaining and included representatives from IBM, WiseTech, the Department of Human Services and local virtual reality developer Novus Res. One of the most interesting presentations was delivered by cyber security expert Tom Stojanovic. Tom spoke, sometimes in terrifying detail, of the ways that physical infrastructure can be compromised by malicious cyber-attacks. Judging by the rapt attention Tom received there can be no doubt that more than a few conference attendees are now seriously considering a career in cyber security.

‘The Big Day In’ is an example of the breadth of resources and events available to students considering their future careers. Blackwood High School is proud of its commitment to ensuring that students continue to have access to the information they need to make informed career choices.

Jess Rogers, English and Humanities Teacher

The Big Day In

Misa Hirahara and I recently attended the Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment (RYPEN) 2017, a weekend long camp primarily focusing on leadership and meeting new people. Before going on the camp, I felt a little anxious because I had never gone on this camp and/or knew anybody that was going this year. During the weekend I learnt a lot of new things, from learning about finance, public speaking and world issues, to dancing, working together to solve puzzles and conquering challenge hill (a huge obstacle course on a hill). There were lots of diverse and enjoyable activities that I did on the camp, but my favourite activity had to be the bush dancing which was run by a local band called Eucalyptus. We had to partner up with different people constantly, whilst learning fun and enjoyable dances. Overall the RYPEN camp was extremely fun and enjoyable, I made lots of new friends that I will never forget, and I’m very grateful to both Blackwood High school and the Blackwood Rotary club for sponsoring me and allowing me to experience the camp.

Damon Gray, Year 11 Student

Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment

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Inspiring Achievement and Respect22

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Calendar DatesTerm 2 2017Friday 12 MayISCA Career Expo (Year 10s)School Photo Catch Up 9amNAPLAN Catchup

Tuesday 16 MayPrincipal’s Tour 9amGoverning Council Meeting 7pmYear 7 STEM Program

Monday 22 May to Friday 26 MayYear 8 Camp Week

Tuesday 23 MayYear 7 STEM Program

Wednesday 24 MayYear 7 Specialist Netball Program Trials 9am

Monday 29 MayYear 8 - 11 Netball Program Playoffs

Tuesday 30 MayPrincipal’s Tour 9amYear 7 STEM Program

Tuesday 30 May to 31 MayYear 10 Football Camp

Thursday 1 JuneStage 1 Drama Performance (TBC)

Monday 5 June to Friday 9 JuneYear 11 Exam Week

Tuesday 6 JuneYear 7 STEM Program

Monday 12 JuneQUEEN’S BIRTHDAY

Thursday 15 JuneMeningococcal B Immunisation (Year 12 only) TBC

Monday 19 June to Friday 23 JuneYear 10 Work Experience Week

Tuesday 20 JuneGoverning Council Meeting 7pmYear 7 STEM Program

Thursday 22 June to Thursday 29 JuneOperation Flinders

Monday 26 JuneSemester 2 Starts

Tuesday 27 JunePrincipal’s Tour 9amYear 7 STEM Program

Wednesday 28 June to 1 JulyYear 11 Football Camp

Monday 3 to Friday 7 JulyYear 10 and 11 Melbourne Netball Playoffs

Monday 3 to Friday 7 JulyYear 12 Exam Week

School ContactsStudent Absences: student.absence@bhs.sa.edu.auStudent Services: 8278 0900 or see website for staff email contacts