Filter Content
- Principal's Report
- Student Services Report
- Year 12 Report
- Year 11 Report
- Year 10 Report
- Middle School Report
- Year 9 Report
- Year 8 Report
- Year 7 Report
- Meet our new career practitioner
- Mathematics Report
- Year 11 General Modern History Excursion
- Languages Report
- Vocational Education & Training
- Mental Health and Well-Being
- Kalamunda Dental Therapy Centre
- Kalahockey Summer Jockey Program 2022
- Lesmurdie Saints JFC
- GK Swimming
- Tell Your Story
Welcome to a new year with all the challenges and opportunities it brings. Our focus has been on safety for our school community and I thank everyone for the part they play in this. As we learned in 2020, we take each challenge in our stride, being flexible and agile as we do the very best we can.
Congratulations to our Class of 2021
Our Year 12s continue to do us proud and last year was no exception. Last year we had a 94% attainment rate (ATAR >=55 or Cert II) and WACE achievement of 94% (both measures well above state and like schools). We set high standards for our students and we are very proud of their achievement.
Our school was also listed with the highest performing students in Year 12 ATAR courses in Psychology.
14 of our students received a SCSA Award of Distinction or Merit and many of these students received the Principal’s Award at the end of 2021.
Certificates of Distinction went to Sophie Catchpole and Charlotte McCullen.
Certificates of Merit went to Aimee Bowers, Chloe Corfe, Sophie Eynaud, Sophia Ferrari, Bethany Francis, Hayleigh Kerr, Elizabeth Kingston, Jewel Pivac, Sophie Ries, Elise Thom, Myfawny Walster-Jones, Evie Williams.
Congratulations to all these students.
Uniform – new shorts
ed an option that would be suitable universally and with a microfibre fabric which is comfortable and easy to wear.
We were not expecting these to be available for the start of the 2022 school year, however we learned that Lowes did have these in stock. As always our policy is to allow students to continue to wear previous uniform items while there is a transition to the new style. These shorts are suitable for active sport and will replace the current black sport shorts as they are phased out.
Uniform – winter preparation
As you are aware with our COVID strategies in place, classrooms are required to be well ventilated. We encourage parents to ensure that students have appropriate uniform jumpers and jackets as non-uniform items will not be able to be worn during the colder months. Given delivery delays we encourage you to contact Lowes early to ensure you have orders in place so stock can be held for you. For your information Lowes have just had a new delivery of winter stock.
COVID update
As we move into a higher case load environment we encourage all families to closely monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and seek testing if symptoms develop. Our school remains open and we will provide updated information as it becomes available or is applicable.
New guidelines for close contacts came into effect on 10 March and we continue to follow WA Health advice. These details were emailed to parents directly.
As a reminder - please do not send your child to school if they are unwell.
New build – turning of the sod
Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery, MLA Matthew Hughes and Director of Education Matthew Osborne attended the school on 20 February to turn the sod for the new building project at the school. They were welcomed by our Head Boy Rohan Harwood and Head Girl Lilly Hogg and Year 9 representatives of the KSESC and joined by School Board Chair Peter Rudolf and P&C President Heidi Jannetta. The $25.3 million project will include a new multi-storey block with 8 classrooms, new specialist Education Support facilities and a new four-studio visual arts building. We are looking forward to seeing the new buildings take shape over the next 18 months.
Hills high school upgrade begins (echonewspaper.com.au)
Road and carpark safety
As I have mentioned earlier this year, we ask parents to take care when dropping off or picking up students due to the reduced car parking on the site with the build. In particular, the main car park on Canning Rd is a staff only car park and parents are reminded not to use this park. I draw your attention to safer locations to drop off children:
- Cotherstone Rd – Students may be dropped off along the school side of this road. Please do not park during the morning and afternoon bus pick up times. Parents may park during the school day (9.00 – 2.30pm)
- Central Rd – Students may be dropped off along this road where they can access the school via the supervised crossing.
- Kalamunda Sporting Complex (Kostera Oval) – Students may be dropped off by the clubs rooms on Recreation Rd and access the school via the oval.
Leadership camp
Once again we are very proud of our student leadership group this year, who managed to slip in their camp before restrictions tightened at the beginning of the year. It was a wonderful time to plan for the year and forms strong bonds across the different year groups.
Year 7 Camp
We were very fortunate to be able to still hold our Year 7 camp with day activities at Bickley Camp site. This was a wonderful opportunity to get to know staff and students.
Welcome to our new and returning staff
This year we have some new staff joining our school and we welcome Ellen Bandarian (Maths), Shernai Walton (PE), Amanda Moreno-Diaz (Career Practitioner), Craig Roberts (Media), Monty Montgomery (Photography), Koren Bryan (Italian), Charles Macgregor (Humanities), Jacob Petit (Humanities), Nicholas O’Connor (D&T), Rosemary Omo (IT), Ashleigh Lustica (Year 7 team) and Jessica Baikie (Year 7 team). We also welcome two new school psychologists Beatrice Foong (M,T,Th) and Sarah Maiden (W,F) who will joining us this year.
We also welcome back Debbie Yeoh from leave.
We would especially like to welcome Stevannie Santosa, Miska Duri Suryanita and Mai Fung who are joining us as Language assistants this year in Indonesian and Japanese respectively. We are very fortunate to have them working with us to enrich the learning for our Language students.
Helen Deacon
Principal
Celebrating Semester 2 Achievements
Our final assembly for 2021 was an opportunity to celebrate students who excelled through the semester.
AWARD |
YEAR |
WINNERS |
John Owen Incentive Award |
Year 10 |
Erin Aitken |
Steilberger Literature Award |
Year 10 |
Felix Brown |
Steilberger Literature Award |
Year 10 |
Isabel Jeffreys |
Steilburger Musical Award |
Year 10 |
Isabella Martignoli |
Australian Defense Award - Long Tan Youth |
Year 10 |
Noah Gowland |
Australian Defense Award - Future Innovator |
Year 10 |
Sharlini Hollier |
Matthew Hughes Citizenship Award |
Year 10 |
Talia Hobson |
Year 7, 8, 9and 10 Lions Club of Kalamunda Citizenship Award |
Year 7 |
Sienna Stidwell |
Year 8 |
Jonathan Bigelow |
|
Year 9 |
Georgia Stidwell |
|
Sportsperson Awards: Year 7, 8,9 and 10 |
Year 7 |
Summer Adjuk/Lachlan Crosbie |
Year 8 |
Lilly Adjuk |
|
Year 9 |
Sienna Jones |
|
Year 10 |
Mackenzie Coupland |
|
Soccer Awards Year 8 and 9 |
Year 8 |
Luka Korlat |
Year 9 |
Sophia Korlat |
|
Outdoor Ed Awards: Year 7, 8,9 and 10 |
Year 7 |
Hayden Parker |
Year 8 |
Freya Pivac |
|
Year 9 |
Joshua Rogers |
|
Year 10 |
Noah Gowland |
|
Dux Awards: Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 |
Year 7 |
Audrey Coetzee |
Year 8 |
Tilda Bennett |
|
Year 9 |
Marc Rouillard |
|
Year 10 |
Nishakorn ( Anisha) Sullivan |
|
Advanced Good Standing |
Year 9 |
Marc Rouillard |
Year 10 |
Gemma Challis |
Gold Commendation Winners
Year 7 | Lily Oorschot, Chelsea Condipodero |
Year 8 | Tayla Renouf, Quienten Dyson |
Year 9 | Priya Faulds-Jaiswal, Ashley Mancini, |
Year 10 | Mitchell Riley, Nikki Reinholdsten |
Year 11 | Lily Hindle, Stella Pryde |
100% Attendance Winners
Year 7 | Owen Baker,Tyson Ball-Geier, Baxter Brincat, Mia Grime, Emily Munninger, Hayden Parker, Jayla Perry, Lucas Rogers, Lawrance Sauoaiga |
Year 8 | Christina Clemesha, Joel Gowland, Noah Lynam, Lucas Manser, Jaxon Ozanne, Guy Robers, Milla Sinfield |
Year 9 | Phillip Blurton, Marc Rouillard, Amberly Sieczka, Gabriel Stevens, TobyTrent |
Year 10 | Maya Bird, Noah Chambers, William Dewrance3, Sharlini Hollier, Siobhan Sudholz |
Year 11 | Olivia Haines, Veronica Stevens |
Congratulations to all the winners.
The Class of 2022 are fast coming to terms with the rigor of being in their final year of school and have settled in quite well. All students should now have access to their course outlines and be aware of task and assignment due dates for each course. It is vital to be familiar with the current Senior School Assessment Policy, please take the time to read through policy thoroughly, particularly the need for Medical Certificates to be presented if assessments, tests, exams or deadlines are missed.
Our year 12 students are provided with some essential skills necessary to support them in achieving the best results possible, by workshops and seminars run during the year, relating to relevant WACE information, skills for productive study and preparation of a study plan that fits each individual, along with strategies for time and stress management. Information pertaining to these sessions is distributed through Mentor and via Connect.
Please be advised OLNA testing is happening in Term 1 and a number of our Year 12 students may be required to sit any of the three tests. It is important to remember students will have to pass the OLNA in order to achieve their WACE. We have in place a number of support programs, Friday period 1 sessions and specialist teachers to work with those students needing to pass the OLNA.
I would like to just remind everybody that this is one of the most demanding times of the students' lives, so as well as working to the best of their ability, it is crucial to have a good life balance to remain both mentally and physically healthy in order to best manage the demands of Year 12. To source additional information regarding universities, TAFE and revision courses, please check Connect regularly and do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further assistance.
Sharon Andrews
Program Coordinator Student Support
2022 has started off positively for our Year 11 students despite some challenging circumstances. I commend the students on their resilience shown and I am proud of the way they are learning to adjust to the pace, expectations and additional responsibilities that come with the move into Year 11.
Responsibilities include meeting our school values, especially Respect and Pride as they step into a year of leadership in our school community. Students who demonstrated pride and self respect on the first day back of term by wearing their correct KSHS uniform were entered into a raffle draw to win cafeteria vouchers. Four lucky students were drawn out and enjoyed spending their vouchers (almost immediately!). Correct uniform, following the mobile phone policy and attendance at Mentor Period will be the focus of the next reward) scheduled for end of Term 1). To receive an invite students will need to demonstrate that they are consistently meeting the school expectations in the afore mentioned areas.
With increased responsibilities, comes many more opportunities. One such opportunity is Work Place Learning where General pathway students can complete two blocks of work experience over the year. Meredith Rubery (VET Coordinator) has been working hard to encourage students to start completing paperwork and requirement modules for their first round of Work Place Learning which is occurring Term 2.
Students have now completed assessments in their new senior school courses. Although stressful, they also provide a wonderful opportunity for students begin a more mature relationship with their teachers, actively seeking feedback and ways to improve so that they can achieve their chosen pathway.
Speaking of pathways; many of our Year 11 students have been taking advantage of our passionate Career Practitioner Amanda Moreno-Diaz. Year 11s who are feeling unsure of what careers there are on offer or would like to explore how their interests and skills can tie in with certain careers are encouraged to book in for a chat with Ms Moreno Diaz.
Reminders:
- Year 11 Connect page is full of great resources to help with organisation, study and pathways. Connect will be the key place for students to find targeted announcements regarding opportunities over the year.
- Year 11 Study Club runs every Tuesday (Term 1) from 3-4pm in C4. I encourage students to attend to develop a regular study routine, or to recieve teacher support to complete any unfished work or assessments.
- Round 1 of OLNA for the year is winding down. OLNA is important and directly contributes to WACE (Western Australian Certificate of Education) achievement. I encourage students and their guardians to reach out if they have any concerns about OLNA achievement as the school has many supports available to help students.
I hope all parents and guardians received my introductory email via Connect and I thank those who have already reached out to touch base regarding their child’s progress. Should you have any questions or concerns regarding your student please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to working with parents, guardians, and students to make 2022 the best possible experience for this wonderful cohort of students.
My name is Amber Bullock and I am the Year 10 Coordinator for Semester 1. I hope you have had a fantastic start to 2022. This is a big year for our Year 10 students as later this semester students will be selecting their subjects for Year 11. This is the start of their journey into further training and preparation for their transition to tertiary education or a workplace. This can be a difficult and stressful time. It is vital that students are starting to explore their career options and are proactive in their learning. Course selections will be decided based on Semester 1 results, so it is important that students are trying their best in class and attending school regularly. Don’t forget to check our Connect page for information and resources.
Now that we are all back in the routine of school I want to say a huge thank you to all of the staff who have helped settle everyone in to start the year off in a positive manner. From my perspective, there are some key people that I want to introduce and they are the Mentor Teachers for Years 7 to 9.
Year 7 Year Coordinator | Courtney Hanson |
MG7.01AE |
Kelly Walker, Karen Bryan |
MG7.02 |
Jason Lei |
MG7.03 |
Andrew Smith |
MG7.04 |
Jessica Baikie |
MG7.05 |
Emma Potts |
MG7.06 |
Ashleigh Lustica |
MG7.07 |
Sebastian Jay, Leanne O'Malley |
MG7.08 |
Victoria Thornton |
Year 8 Year Coordinator |
Gemma Laskey |
MG8.01AE |
Orietta Stokes |
MG8.02 |
Ellen Bandarian |
MG8.03 |
Kuldeep Kaler |
MG8.04 |
Natasha Hawkes |
MG8.05 |
Craig Roberts |
MG8.06 |
Scott Henry |
MG8.07 |
Rosemarie Omo, Vanessa Barrable |
MG8.08 |
Nicolee McNally |
MG8.09 |
Mark Petit |
MG8.10 |
Richard Guthrie |
MG8.11 |
Karen Stuart |
Year 9 Year Coordinator |
Alana Stanbrook |
MG9.01AE |
Alanna Webb |
MG9.02 |
Nicole Yeend |
MG9.03 |
Mitchell Winstanley |
MG9.04 |
Claire Eden |
MG9.05 |
Reece Young |
MG9.06 |
Charles Macgregor |
MG9.07 |
Shelley Swithenbank |
MG9.08 |
Dale Watson |
MG9.09 |
Shernai Walton |
MG9.10 |
Lukasz Sijka |
MG9.11 |
Grace Oorschot |
If you have an issue or question, then the first person to contact would be the Mentor Teacher as they see the student at the start of each day. An entry into their Student Planner is a quick way for you to make contact or you can contact teachers through Connect. The Mentor Teacher can then ensure that the information is passed on to the correct person.
Welcome back to the new school year. I hope that you all had a relaxing and refreshing summer break. The term is beginning to get very busy. There are many opportunities for the Year 9 students to be part of the Kalamunda Community including the upcoming Swimming Carnival. I encourage all students to continue to involve themselves in our community and display our school values to receive points for their Houses. The Triple Challenge also begins this term with the School Chaplain – Desi Chapman.
An important date to take note of is the NAPLAN assessment which will take place in Term 2. Students who have achieved Band 8 or higher in any of the three components of reading, writing and numeracy in their Year 9 NAPLAN will not be required to sit the corresponding OLNA component. OLNA (Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment) is designed to enable students to successfully meet the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) requirement of demonstrating the minimum standard of literacy and numeracy.
Should you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me at alana.stanbrook@education.wa.edu.au.
Alana StanbrookWelcome back Year 8 students! With the new Year 7 cohort, you are no longer the youngest in the school. We started the year with Leadership Camp so that our Year 8 leaders could get into their roles straight away and start learning about the importance of being a House Leader or Student Councillor from our upper school leadership team. But, it is important to remember that every member of the Year 8 cohort has a responsibility as a role model to our new Year 7s. The highest level of behaviour, uniform and respect is expected. I hope that you have all now settled into your new classes and shown your new teachers what an amazing group of students you are!
This is an important year to develop your individuality, so get involved in the things you love. Also remember that one day you will be sharing the stage with the rest of your cohort as you graduate together, so support each other on your shared journey.
Let’s have a great year!
Gemma LaskeyWelcome to all of our new Year 7s for 2022! Much like the last couple of years, the start to our school term has presented some new challenges for our students, like wearing masks and changes to classroom operations. However, the new Year 7 group have taken on these challenges and presented themselves amazingly. Our values activity week at Bickley Outdoor Recreation Camp in Week 2 went extremely well, with students participating in raft building, canoeing, flying fox, catapults and vertical height climbing. During this week they worked in groups and teams to meet these challenges and make new friends, all whilst still following the correct regulations and wearing masks. They have been showing respect and resilience, especially during our activities week.
On Thursday Week 6, the Year 7 cohort will be participating in a Water Corporation water wise incursion on the oval. This will allow students to see where households get their water from and how water moves around the Perth region. It should be a great eye opener to the students and a fun morning.
We are very appreciative to our staff, Year 7 family member and everyone else who has been involved in the Year 7s journey and transition to high school. We value the support of our school community, which is the key to success and we encourage all families to take the opportunity to get involved!
Meet our new career practitioner
My name is Amanda Moreno Diaz. I am the career practitioner working at the school. I feel very privileged to be working in this school to enhance the curriculum and deliver more career focus content in the subjects with the teaching staff. I will be providing career counselling to students and parents/carers and working with the executive team on career development strategies across the school.
Why career focus? Work plays a central role in most people’s lives, successful pursuit of work activities is crucial to psychological well- being (Swanson&Fouda 2020 p.3 Career Theory and Practice). Research shows that the earlier that we (teachers, parents and carers) start talking to our students about career goals and opportunities, the better outcomes they will have.
As I am new to the school, I am currently spending a lot of time meeting teachers and students, in addition to carrying out an audit to assess how to best implement career development strategies in the curriculum and the business plan
Last week I was invited to Maria Pennington Italian classes where I introduced myself and spoke about the importance of learning a language to aid in pursuing student career pathways. I spoke about my personal and professional journey of using languages to achieve my chosen career. Furthermore, students had the opportunity to reflect on their careers goals and dreams.
To be able to succeed in your career, it is important to get to know yourself and reflect on your interest, skills and motivation, students had that time to do that which will empower them to take the right decision for themselves.
In addition, I also met with the City of Kalamunda and the Chamber of Commerce to learn how we can collaborate and provide opportunities for our students to experience the world of working by hands on opportunities outside school, bringing local guest speakers to school to share their knowledge and their career journeys…. Watch this space!
I am located in student services, you can book an appointment Monday-Thursday. You can contact me on Amanda.morenodiaz@education.wa.edu.au .
I am looking forward to working with you.
Career News ( Extract from In focus Career News March 2002)
WA Jobs Vacancies are Still Booming
Labour Force Data from National Skills Commission
WA continues to have the greatest demand for workers in Australia.
- Since COVID, the main growth has been in those jobs requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher.
- The greatest increase in Projected employment growth to November 2025 is in Accommodation with an increase of 30.9%, Health Care and Social Assistance are strong on 14.2% and Adult, Community and Other Education are on 22.7%.
- WA Apprenticeship numbers soared 81% in WA in the 2020-21 financial year according to the National Council for Vocational Education Research (NCVER)
Career Conversations from Department of Education 2022
Career Conversations are a fabulous new initiative from the Department of Education. Sessions will be run across the Metropolitan area, some in the morning and some in the evening. They will then be rolled out across the State.
Parents and carers are the greatest influence on their child’s career decision making. Students and carers are invited to attend a Career Conversation to hear:
- what industry wants from young people
- what opportunities are on offer
- young people sharing their experiences
- where to find accurate, up-to-date career information.
Registration is required for each attendee.
Amanda Morendo Diaz
Career Practioner
Welcome to the Mathematics Learning Area for 2022!
This year we welcome Ellen Bandarian to the team and Debbie Yeoh has returned to us after her leave. The Mathematics teaching team is as follows:
Head of Learning Area |
Alanna Webb |
Senior Teacher |
Ellen Bandarian |
Senior Teacher |
Vanessa Barrable |
Teacher |
Laura Bell |
Teacher |
Sue Boase |
Teacher (Maths and D&T) |
Tom Byrne |
Teacher |
Richard Gibson |
Year 7 Team (Maths / Science) |
Katie Halder |
Year 8 Coordinator, Year 7 Team (Maths / Science) |
Gemma Laskey |
Teacher (Maths and Science) |
Jason Lei |
Teacher (Maths and Science) |
Ian McMullen |
Deputy Principal, Teacher |
Jessica Millar |
Year 7 Team (Maths / Science) |
Emma Potts |
L3 Classroom Teacher |
Rob Roper |
Year 7 Team (Maths / Science) |
Andrew Smith |
Year 7 Team (Maths / Science) |
Victoria Thornton |
Senior Teacher |
Nicole Yeend |
Senior Teacher |
Debbie Yeoh |
Now that students have started their various courses of study, I would like to remind you of the importance of checking in with Connect. All course information, including course content and assessment outlines, can be sourced in the Library section of Connect. Teachers will also use Connect to post notices regarding assessment tasks and upload relevant learning links. Given the ongoing impacts of COVID, it is important that students can access relevant course materials if they are unable to be in the classroom.
All students continue to have access to Mathspace [http://mathspace.co/] in 2022, and it has been great to see many taking advantage of this wonderful resource to assist with their learning. Within Mathspace, there is a lesson function and a textbook, which can be used by students to keep up with their courses of study. Please contact your child’s teacher if login details have been forgotten over the summer holidays.
Please feel free to contact your child’s teacher, or Head of Learning Area, if you have any concerns regarding your child’s learning program or progress throughout this year.
Alanna Webb
Head of Mathematics Learning Area
Year 11 General Modern History Excursion
As part of their Local History Study elective, the Year 11 General Modern History class visited the State Library of Western Australia and the Western Australia Museum Boola Bardip.
The excursion started with a special tour of the State Library led by Tricia McKenzie, who explained that the State Library is more than just a place to access books. Students visited an exhibition of photographs by Abraham ‘Izzy’ Orloff, a photographer based in Fremantle who captured local sights and faces between the wars. It was a perfect starting point for thinking about change and continuity in our area.
Tricia then led us to the J S Battye Library where much of Western Australia’s historical records and original publications are kept. She showed us how we can identify change and continuity in the local area by looking at newspapers, maps, photographs, and even ephemera such as bus tickets and cordial labels. Tricia also showed us how we could use a microfiche reader to look at the newspaper printed on the day we were born. We finished our State Library visit with a seminar on how to research local history using Trove and the SLWA website.
After a break for lunch in the beautiful Cultural Centre, we made our way to WAM Boola Bardip. For many, this would be their first visit to the new museum – very exciting! Our focus was on the Changes gallery which exhibits the different impacts that people have had upon the landscapes of Western Australia. Students could see how industries such as logging and agriculture may have changed their own local area. They also saw evidence of the contrast between Noongar perspectives and European colonial perspectives of the land. The Changes gallery gave many students inspiration for their local history project.
With half an hour to spare, we visited two more galleries. It was a fantastic opportunity for students to get a sense of the depth and breadth of our state collection with many commenting that they would love to come back. It was wonderful to hear students get excited about an artefact they had spotted or make a connection between an exhibit and their own history and experiences. Students are now working on their local history projects in which they are investigating change and continuity in the City of Kalamunda area.
The Year 11 General Modern History class would like to extend their thanks to Tricia McKenzie and the staff at the SLWA, as well as the staff at WAM Boola Bardip. We also thank Mr Charles Macgregor and Mr Julian Spencer-Greyling for joining our excursion.
Ainsley Cusman
Humanities Teacher
Languages: So what’s the point?
- It boosts your memory
- Links to literacy
- Increased analytical skills
- You become better at multi -tasking and decision making
- More cognitive flexibility- Grey matter
- Increased attention
- Improve your ENGLISH and all macro skills- reading, writing, speaking & listening
- Brain growth
- Become interculturally competent
- Staying connected- ½ of the world’s population speak 2 or more languages
Other advantages
- Languages are a life skill
- Languages teach you communication skills and adaptability
- Cultural awareness
- A social skill
- Studies show that a person with another language makes 20% more money than someone who does not know another language
- Greater opportunities to travel and work overseas
- Languages and cultural knowledge links to all subjects
- Employers are seeking the “bi-cultural” worker
Lets think about languages, culture and life!
Language influences culture, so learning a language helps you to understand how other people think, and it also helps you to get a general understanding of our world and the many people and cultures that inhabit it.
To better understand the rest of humankind (from Philip Lightfoot)
Language is an aspect of humanity and learning what a fellow human speaks teaches you more about humankind as a whole. The more languages you know, the more you understand our species, and that is beneficial no matter what the situation is…
Improved Career Prospects through languages (Certificate II and III Language Students)
Studying languages and their cultures will provide you with important job-related knowledge and skills that can give you a competitive edge. Certificate II and III students of Italian, Japanese and Indonesian learn real-life skills that will enable them to communicate verbally and non -verbally in a variety of social and workplace settings. Other skills that our language students develop include the ability to solve problems and to think analytically and creatively, to communicate effectively and confidently in writing and in person, and to act with versatility and flexibility.
Linguistic and cultural knowledge is essential to meeting these challenges. Because you can communicate and connect with people of other cultures and nationalities, you will be able to establish and maintain personal and professional contacts. In business, any cross-cultural effort for cooperation, sales, or negotiation will benefit t from your experience of other languages and their communities. To be an effective professional, such as a doctor, lawyer, educator, artist, or scientist, communicating and investigating new knowledge in other languages as well as in English are essential in the increasingly international workplace.
The International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022-2032
The United Nations has agreed that more work is needed to protect, revitalise, preserve and promote Indigenous languages.
It has designated the period between 2022 and 2032 as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages.
In a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on 18 December last year, the UN calls upon the world to ‘take urgent steps at the national and international levels’.
The resolution came at the close of the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages over which the UN presided and recognised that one year was not enough time to put in place the necessary programs and processes to ensure success.
The Decade provides an important platform to celebrate the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ languages for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
Did you know that many First Languages do not translate into the written word? This means that Community Elders and linguists need to collaborate and agree on the most appropriate translation that is contextual, relevant and appropriate.
Welcome to our new Language Assistants for 2022!
As a Lead Language school, the Languages Department seek authentic and relevant learning experiences for all of our students at Kalamunda SHS. This will be the fifth consecutive year of being successful with the Language Assistant Program applications. This opportunity not only allows our students to gain more linguistic and cultural knowledge about Italy, Japan and Indonesia but also strengthens our collaboration and partnerships with surrounding primary schools. It is with great pleasure, we welcome Ibu Stevvanie, Ibu Miska and Mai Sensei to Kalamunda SHS. Cooking, conversation groups, one-one tutorials and conversation, dance and cultural presentations are just some of the wonderful opportunities that are students will experience.
Konnichiwa!
My name is Mai (means “Dancing” in Kanji. Also, same sound as “My”). I am a Japanese language assistant for this year.
I was born in Japan and my hometown is in Yamagata. It is a countryside located in a North part of main island, and take 1h from Tokyo by Aeroplane or 5hours by Shinkansen (Bullet train) to get there. As a rural area, the town is surrounded by abundant nature (a bit like Kalamunda!) and beautiful ocean were blessed with delicious ingredients, such as fresh seafoods, rice, fruits, and meats, too. It snows a lot in winter, so it is famous as one of the popular ski resorts in Japan.
As much as skiing, I like windsurfing at Swan River and Kyudo (Japanese Archery). I also like wearing Kimono as well as watching anime! It would be my great pleasure to share the Japanese culture and give the opportunities to students to enjoy the experiences as well as learning language.
I have been working for Japanese community language school for 7 years and doing home tutor. Looking forward to meeting all of you and go through this journey together!
Miska Duri Suryanita (Ibu Miska)
Halo! Apa kabar semua?
My Name is Miska Duri Suryanita. You can call me IBU MISKA. I’ve just joined in The Languages program as an Indonesia Language Assistant. I come from Java and Lombok Island, Indonesia. I have been in Australia almost 16 Years. I love dancing and music. I hope in this year I can teach some dance and music traditional. If you are interesting in learning more about Indonesia, please come to see me in the Languages Office. If you see a new face around. Well , that’s me J . I am will be on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. See you around at KSH TERIMA KASIH (THANK YOU)J
Hi everyone,
Salam kenal (nice to meet you).
My name is Stevannie Santosa. I will assist Ibu Kaler in her Indonesian class this year. I was born and raised in Central Java and moved to Australia 20 years ago as a student. Australia was the first foreign country I visited. I was at year 7 at that time and I was very impressed with the country that I told myself that I would be back here. A few years later, I called Australia my home.
As its name suggests, Central Java is located in the middle of Java Island, about 1.5 hours flight from Bali. It prides itself as the centre of Javanese culture. The province is blessed with beautiful landmarks, such as Dieng Plateau, Merapi Volcano, Borobudur Temple, Karimunjawa Island, and many more. So, do not forget to include Central Java to your travel itinerary to Indonesia.
Bahasa Indonesia is fun to learn. My kids are learning the language too! Knowing some phrases will be handy when you visit the country and the locals will love you more. I cannot wait to share with you my culture that I grew up with.
Sampai jumpa di kelas.
Ibu Stevannie
Welcome to Prof Moreno-Diaz!
Amanda Moreno-Diaz is Kalamunda SHS’s new Career Practitioner. During Week 3, she visited our Certificate II and III Language students to discuss her role within the school. Prof Moreno-Diaz’s role includes working with students to help them imagine and connect with their future career aspirations as well as provide them with direction and tertiary pathways in order to obtain their desired career. Prof Moreno Diaz will be able to liaise with and share information easily with students, staff, parents, training providers, employers and industry.
Prof Moreno-Diaz originates from Spain and is multilingual. She shared her own learning experiences about working in different roles and countries and emphasised the importance of having cultural understanding in the workplace. She encouraged students to live a “multilingual” life and explained the many different types of job roles a person can endeavour with linguistic and cultural knowledge. Some of these included
- Customs
- Immigration officer
- Interpreter
- Translator
- Archaeologist
- Tour guide
- Museum curator
- Flight attendant
- Exporter/importer
- Historian
- Advertising
Students really enjoyed hearing Prof Moreno-Diaz speak Spanish throughout the lesson and listen to her read Don Quijote de la Mancha, a 500 year old Spanish story. The Languages Department looks forward to collaborating with Prof Moreno-Diaz all things language and culture!
DID YOU KNOW:
Product Localization Manager
Did you know that McDonald’s, the world’s biggest seller of burgers, doesn’t even have a Big Mac on their menu in India? They instead have the Maharaja Mac, a beef-less variation. This is because cows are venerated in India and the company doesn’t want to insult the religious beliefs of the people they serve.
It may not be obvious, but even a highly standardized company like McDonald’s specializes their products according to location. Israel has had the McShawarma and Japan the Mega Teriyaki Mac, for example.
A localization manager is needed in order to roll out these products correctly—which includes product research and development, labelling and marketing. A bilingual who not only speaks the language but also intimately understands the sensibilities of the people in a particular country can be excellent at this job.
Product localization managers ensure that the good intentions of the company are properly translated, lest the whole thing look over-patronizing and backfire.
How to be a successful language student: Tips!
Check Connect Library and Content three times a week to check for updates and refer to lessons and resources
- Repetition and rehearsal strengthen memories
- Utilise Languagenut for basic online revision
- Record a small paragraph about yourself or a telephone conversation. Collate recordings of your voice!
- Change the language on your favourite Netflix show. Use subtitles to enhance reading and analytical skills or audio for listening skills
- Use sticky notes- go crazy! Learn new vocabulary or phrases. Stick the notes in places that you go regularly eg the fridge
- Create Pinterest boards about different topics
- After each lesson, when you get home, roll out butchers paper and write down what you remember in class using coloured pens
- Online newspapers in the target language- read one article a week out aloud and in your head. Highlight words that you recognise.
- Watch VLOGS and podcasts. See your teacher for a list of great ones!
- Quiz yourself! This enhances your memory. Muscle memories become stronger and are more efficiently retrieved when you rehearse a skill
- Use plenty of strong retrieval cues! the right cue can trigger your memory Eg: a gesture, a clapping beat for verb conjugations, a rhyming word
- Invest in a cheap whiteboard to make a checklist of your language goals
- Check out the books in other languages in our own or local library. Read these out aloud. Dr Seuss books are an excellent way to perfect your pronunciation and intonation.
- Add music to your playlist from Italy’s/Japan’s/Indonesia’s Top 40 Music Chart
Benvenuta alla Professoressa Koren Bryan!
I would like to welcome Prof Bryan who will be teaching Year 7 and 8 Italian classes. Prof is very enthusiastic and passionate about the Italian language and culture and is really excited to be part of the Kalamunda SHS community. If you see Prof Bryan, please make her feel welcome and say ciao and come sta?
My name is Koren Bryan and I am new to Kalamunda SHS this year. I currently teach Italian and English, having come from Eastern Hills
SHS where I taught HaSS. I am a secondary trained Languages teacher who has previously taught as a Specialist Languages teacher in Primary. I have been teaching for ten or so years in predominately government schools. I am enjoying being part of the Kalamunda SHS community. I live with my Italian background husband (Nunzio), two school aged children, Zara (14yo) and Orlando (8yo), where we speak Italian a casa (at home).
Maria Pennington
Teacher in Charge of Languages
Vocational Education & Training
WORK PLACE LEARNING – SEMESTER 1, 2022
ALL Year 11 & Year 12 students on a General/VET pathway are expected to participate in our school's Work Place Learning program.
An Authority-developed endorsed program (ADWPL), work place learning provides students with opportunities to immerse themselves in the world of work, meet employers, learn new skills and gain confidence when interacting with others.
Many opportunities for casual or full-time employment, traineeships and apprenticeships have resulted from students participating in work place learning.
The following dates are made available by the school, for students to be released from class and to attend Work Place Learning (in place of ATAR exams).
WORK PLACE LEARNING DATES 2022
30 May to 10 June 2022 - Term 2 Year 11 & 12
07 Nov to 18 Nov 2022 - Term 4 Year 11
Check CONNECT (Year 11 Students – 2022) and (Year 12 2022) for notices regarding work place learning - forms, Worksafe SMARTMOVE Certificate and Work Readiness QUIZ.
Please complete all forms provided during Mentor/ Meeting Period or downloadable from CONNECT groups. Smart Move Certificates can be printed out and attached to forms or emailed to meredith.rubery@education.wa.edu.au
Spare/replacement forms are available from the VET Office in Student Services and must be completed and returned by the end of Term 2022.
Meridith Rubery
VET Coordinator
Whole School Wellbeing Program Launched in 2022!
After three years of extensive behind-the-scenes work, the KSHS Mental Health and Wellbeing Committee is proud to announce the launch of our whole-school Wellbeing Program. The process began with a National Education Initiative to promote the inclusion of MHWB as part of the school curriculum. In collaboration with Be You in 2019 we undertook surveys of staff, students and caregivers; the results of these surveys led to a series of discussions with staff on strengths identified and areas for improvement. The MHWB committee then combined this feedback with an audit of the pastoral care activities already in place at the school (over 70 each year!!) and an audit of specific year groups and targeted areas of need as identified by student services, staff and senior leadership. The committee was then able to write a curriculum targeting the specific needs of our students and using resources from ReachOut.com.
Parents and caregivers can sign up for free, to access some great resources such as: ‘how to help your teenager feel more confident’ ‘dealing with disturbing online content’ or identifying ‘your parenting superpower’.
Many studies have shown strong links between social and emotional wellbeing and learning outcomes for students. Our school has a unique structure in our Mentor (form) classes in that after settling into Year 7, students are with the same Mentor group and teacher from Year 8 through to Year 12. This allows us to build a strong rapport with our students, help them to build connections with each other and foster a sense of belonging in our school community.
The MHWB program is designed to have three activities per term, during our extended Mentor classes on Tuesday, to learn these skills. Each year group have a focus for the term, with the tasks increasing in complexity to suit their developmental needs. An overview of Term 1 and the focus for each year group can be seen below.
|
Term 1 FOCUS |
Skills to Develop |
Year 7 |
Belonging |
Ice-breakers and social skills to make new friends.
|
Year 8 |
Belonging |
Connecting to classmates and identifying sources of support for mental health issues. |
Year 9 |
Belonging |
Developing confidence in connecting with others and why it is so important for wellbeing. |
Year 10 |
Pathways |
Identifying existing skills, interests and talents. Linking these to finding their ideal job. |
Year 11 |
Self-Management |
Goal-setting, getting organised and how to prioritise tasks.
|
Year 12 |
Self-Management |
A focus on mindfulness, self-care and stress management skills. |
We are very excited about this pilot program and look forward to bringing you updates of the focus skills and progress for each term.
Aundraêa Stevens
Convenor of the MHWB Committee
Kalamunda Dental Therapy Centre
- Children still enrolled in school up to end of Year 11 or 17th birthday (which ever comes first) are eligible to attend the Clinic at no charge
- The Kalamunda Dental Therapy Center is their local but can attend any dental therapy center if they wish and records can be transferred
- We do all forms of general dental treatment and dental trauma
- Address and phone number
The Lesmurdie Saints JFC is a community club. We are proud to announce we are welcoming female players to the club, ages Yr 7-12.
Email: lsjfc.registrar@gmail.com
TELL YOUR STORY!
Is a free, two day performing arts course for young culturally and linguistically diverse people aged 14-17 years. You will have the opportunity to participate in improvisation, acting technique and movement workshops. You will explore how to create stories for an audience and meet people from other communities who share your passion for drama and performance.
Dates: 11 and 12April 2022
Time: 10am to 4pm
Where: Herb Graham Centre, Mirrabooka
Limited spots are available please contact: Edyll Ismail at tellyourstorypap@gmail.com for more information or check out the Website https://www.tellyourstoryarts.org