2023 Term 2 Week 6

FROM OUR PRINCIPAL

WINTER, ATTENDANCE AND RESILIENCE

As we approach the shortest day of the year, it can be really tough to get out of bed in the mornings. 

But did you know that going to school regularly and from the beginning of the day is super important for future job opportunities?  Australian studies have shown that young people who attend school regularly have better chances of finding good jobs.  They even make more money than those who miss a lot of school.

When students make the effort to show up at school every day, learning is not just restricted to their subjects of English, Maths, Science, etc.  They’re also building a great quality called resilience – one of our school values. Resilience is like a superpower that helps us to face challenges, bounce back from tough times, and keep moving forward.  Employers really like to see this in people they employ because it shows that someone can handle whatever comes their way.

Someone once compared education like an enormous jigsaw puzzle.  Each day of school is like a puzzle piece that fits into the whole picture. But when students miss school, it’s like a missing puzzle piece, leaving gaps in your learning.

At the end of last year, our Head of Senior School, Mr Jules Peck, looked at correlation between attendance rates and achievement levels of our Year 12 class of 2022.  The results were striking.  The students who performed best consistently had attendance rates of 90% or higher.

This year, our Leader of Data Analysis, Mr Pete Phillips has also been looking at the link between Attendance and Grade Point Average (GPA) and there is the same message.

If you are having trouble getting your child to school regularly, we’re here to help!  Our Well-Being Leaders, Amelia Molnar (Middle School) and Sarah Afshin-Pour (Senior School) are ready to support you and give you guidance.  Just reach out to them if you need any assistance.

CAREERS EXPO – WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14

Our much-anticipated SEHS Careers Expo is just around the corner, providing a fantastic opportunity for students to explore various career paths, gain valuable insights and discover their interests and passions.

At the Careers Expo, students will have the chance to interact with representatives from various industries, ask questions, and gather crucial information about potential career choices. 

By attending the Careers Expo, students can broaden their horizons and explore career possibilities they may not have considered before. The journey to a fulfilling career starts with knowledge and exploration and the expo is a great chance for students of all ages to begin this process.

END OF SEMESTER – FRIDAY, JUNE 23

We change semesters two weeks before the end of the term to support South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) timelines – which can seem a bit unusual for middle school students and their families.

While a number of core subjects such as English, Maths, Science and HASS will continue across the year, the change of semester will also mean some timetable changes.

Completing all assessment tasks by the end of the semester is very important.  You can assist your child by guiding them to make a check-list, prioritise tasks and create a study schedule.  Remember you also have access to the Daymap Parent Portal which enables you to see class notes and assessment tasks.

PROGRESS WITH OUR NEW BUILDINGS

Exciting news!  All three new modular buildings have now arrived on site with work continuing both internally and externally to prepare them for occupation early next term.

These buildings will house our new Supported Learning Centre (two Special Options classes) and Salisbury East Alternative Learning (SEAL).  The Supported Learning Centre will provide a dedicated and inclusive environment for students with diverse learning needs while the SEAL facility will provide an alternative learning setting to support students’ individual growth.

These modern modular buildings will enhance our school community and provide even more opportunities for students to achieve their personal best and thrive.

REMINDER:  STUDENT FREE DAY ON FRIDAY, JUNE 9

Just a friendly reminder that Friday, June 9 is a student-free day.  Teaching staff will be engaged in a session on Student Agency before spending most of the day on Curriculum Mapping in Area of Study teams.

With the King’s Birthday holiday on Monday, June 12, school will resume on Tuesday, June 13.

Kristen Masters, Principal

FINANCE INFORMATION

2023 Material and Services Charges are now OVERDUE.

If you are having difficulty paying these and would like to organise payment via instalments, please contact our Finance Officer for an Agreement to Pay.

If you feel you are eligible for School Card, you can make an application online at SA.GOV.AU - School Card scheme (www.sa.gov.au). There are a number of different applications depending on your situation. Alternatively, hard copies of the School Card Application are available from the Front office.

School Card amounts are determined by your 2021-2022 financial year combined gross family income.

To qualify for School Card, your family’s gross income must be below a certain limit.  This limit depends on how many children you have and whether your child attends a government, independent, or Catholic School.

You will need to provide proof of income – such as payslips or Centrelink information.

(See table below for Government Schools).

Payment Option information can be found at Finance - Salisbury East High School (sehs.sa.edu.au)

Jo Mibus, Finance Officer

YEAR 9 SCIENCE

We have recently started the topic of Chemistry with our Year 9 students! We began the term by building atomic models of elements using recyclable materials. The atom building activities were fun and helped the students visualise the atomic structure of different elements.  We ended up with some very creative and colourful designs, which are on display in M11.  In our recent Year 9 Science classes, we have had some very exciting and fun chemical demonstrations as well!

Our lab technician Ms Megan Rowe worked with Ms Kay Chand to arrange for some fun demonstrations such as the Elephant toothpaste, Screaming jelly beans, Potassium, Sodium, calcium carbide reaction with water and the Mighty Carbon snake. These fun demonstrations not only captured the attention of our students but also helped them understand concepts related to chemical reactions, in an engaging and memorable way. The demonstrations enabled us to see the principles of chemistry in action and develop an appreciation for the wonders of science. Some of our students benefitted by being helpers of our lab technician and this helped develop some personal growth and exposure to possible career pathways.

We are grateful to Ms Rowe for her continued efforts in ensuring that all demonstrations and activities ran smoothly.  At SEHS we are also thankful to our leadership team such as Ms Masters and Ms Schlein for their unwavering support of Science Education. We hope to bring more fun and enriching science demonstrations and activities for students in the future.

Ms Kay Chand, Teacher

PATHWAYS TO EMPLOYMENT

In our Supported Learning Class Pathways to Employment program, Year 10, 11 and 12 students are undertaking weekly or fortnightly work experience placements either individually or in a group. Photos show students working in Electrical recycling, kitchen/café or packaging positions. This program aims to build employability skills and student confidence in real life work environments. Huge thanks goes to SA Group Enterprises and Clovercrest Baptist Church for providing us with these opportunities in the community.

Michele Sboro. SLC Teacher

CAREERS EXPO

On Friday May the 12^th almost 80 students from our year 10, 11 and SEAL classes attended the Careers & Employment Expo at the Wayville Showgrounds. The event included over 160 employers and gave the students an opportunity to speak with industry experts about apprenticeships, University degrees, employment opportunities and much more. Students participated in a range of activities and challenges, such as VR driving experience, Makita hammering challenge, resume and interview advice and a fitness rowing machine challenge.

Students were thrilled to speak with people from industry to answer all of their questions as well as building some great contacts for future employment and apprenticeships options.

Michele Malonagos, SACE/ VET/ Pathways Coordinator