2023 Term 3 Week 5

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

CONNECTION AND BELONGING

In recent years, we’ve been working hard to build connection and belonging.  Our aim is to create a place where everyone feels important and supported.  That’s why we’re really excited by the 11% improvement we saw in the Well Being and Engagement survey completed by students in Term 2.  Here are some of the things we are doing:

Mentoring:  This year we’ve introduced morning ‘check-ins’ three times a week and added two longer mentoring sessions on the other days.  The idea is to build strong relationships within classes and also with our mentor teachers – adults that can be counted on for support at school.

Celebrating Diversity:  Embracing the different cultures in our school is super important.  We have a range of groups and activities that allow students to celebrate their culture, develop a deep sense of belonging and learn about others. Currently we are working with the Australian Refugee Association, our Community Liaison Officers and the Abraham Institute.

Team Spirit: Our extensive sporting program is more than physical activity – it’s about coming together as a team, supporting one another and celebrating other’s achievements. On the horizon is an expanded House competition.

Recess and Lunchtime Program:  Students have the opportunity to connect with others who have similar interests through a range of activities offered at break-times. It’s a time to hang out, have fun and make new friends.

Prioritising Well-Being:  A strong sense of belonging goes hand in hand with well-being. Our school offers a range of well-being programs, both within our mentoring program and also small group and individual interventions.

Empowering Futures:  We collaborate with Youth Opportunities and Raise Mentoring to provide our students with external opportunities for growth and development.

Celebrating Success: We make sure to acknowledge and celebrate students’ achievements.  Our regular year-level assemblies not only recognise academic accomplishments but also shine a light on students who ‘live’ the school values.

Special Days:  Throughout the school year, we come together to celebrate various special days that highlight important events and causes.  It’s a chance for us to feel like we belong to a bigger community and learn about the world around us.

EXCITING ADDITIONS TO OUR SCHOOL UNIFORM:  MORE CHOICES, SAME VALUE

We believe that school uniform helps create a sense of identity and belonging, and we’re always striving to make it better.  Uniform also supports students’ safety as it helps our staff quickly identify who belongs.

Over the past year, we have been working with Student Voice and our Governing Council to review our uniform items and uniform supplier.

In the warmer months, compliance is very strong, however, in the cooler months we find that 10-20% of students do not consistently wear a uniform jacket.

From later this year, we will be partnering with Lowes as our new supplier, conveniently located at the Ingle Farm Shopping Centre.

We’re introducing some new uniform items to offer students more choices to support them to meet expectations – especially in the cooler months.

Most items, such as the polo shirt and school dress will remain unchanged.  There will also be a school track pant and two styles of school shorts (one shorter and one longer).  These are similar to current options.

There will be a new school jacket, a school rugby jumper and a school hooded jumper [‘hoodie’ will need to be worn down at school].  We believe that these additional options will make it easier for everyone to comply with uniform expectations.

All current items will remain acceptable for school and in that context, remind you that our current supplier, Devon Clothing, is holding a fantastic 50% sale on all items.

Overall, full prices between the two companies are similar.  However, Lowes over 20% off days several times per year – something that we will promote heavily ahead of time.

NAPLAN RESULTS

NAPLAN results have been mailed home to parents of Year 7 and 9 students in recent weeks.

NAPLAN stands for National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy.  The results give a snapshot of a student’s proficiency in key areas of learning, helping you understand where they are doing well and where they might need additional support.

In some cases, students have performed better than anticipated, while on other occasions, they may have had a bad day.  If you have any questions, concerns or simply want to discuss your child’s NAPLAN results in more detail, we encourage you to get in touch with their English or Mathematics teachers.

You can reach out to the teachers through Daymap, email or phone and they will be more than happy to schedule a convenient time for a discussion.

NEW BUILDINGS – NEARLY THERE!

Most of the work has been completed in our new buildings next to the gym.  These will be the ‘home’ for our Supported Learning Classes (SLC) and also Salisbury East Alternative Learning (SEAL).

Classes will be commencing in the new buildings over the next few weeks but grassed areas will be out of bounds for a little while longer as we wait for the turf to ‘take’.

REMINDER – SCHOOL CLOSURE AND STUDENT FREE DAY

A reminder that school will be closed on Monday, September 4 – Royal Adelaide Show.

Additionally, there is a Student Free Day on Tuesday, September 5 for staff professional learning.  Staff will be engaged in Child Protection Curriculum (CPC) training.

Kristen Masters, Principal

WEAR IT PURPLE DAY - FRIDAY AUGUST 25th

This Friday August 25^th is 'Wear it Purple Day' and is based on the theme, 'Write Your Story'. This day is widely recognised across schools, universities and workplaces and celebrates LGBTQIA+ people and allies as well as raising awareness within our communities. Together with our own GSA (Gender, Sexuality Alliance) group, our school will be promoting inclusion and ensuring a safe, caring environment for our school community.

'Wear it Purple day' was first recognised back in 2010, following the death of several young people who were bullied and harassed about their sexuality or gender identity. By wearing purple, this shows LGBTQIA+ people that they are seen, supported and respected. As a school, this is our collaborative effort to send a clear message to students and the local community: we accept students for who they are and believe all students should feel a sense of belonging in our community. We invite our school community to wear purple on Friday, but please note that this is not a casual day.

Thank you for your support and we look forward to recognising SEHS' first 'Wear it Purple day'.

Sarah Afshin-Pour, Senior School Wellbeing Co-ordinator

SCIENCE WEEK

Students embraced the theme of 'Innovation' during this year's Science Week. The Year 9 students had an eye-opening experience at Science Alive, exploring exciting advancements across different fields. This was followed by a school-wide celebration of Science Week, where students engaged in a Science Fair, which included a diverse range of science activities and competitions. 

Bethany Schlein, Science Co-ordinator

VET & CAREERS AT SEHS

The end of term 2 and beginning of term 3 have seen a number of industry immersion events held at Salisbury East High School.

These opportunities give students an insight into the ways business work, the skills and requirements needed for certain jobs, as well as students building networks with industry professionals.

MTA PIT STOP CHALLENGE

During term 2 students in years 10 and 11 who are interested in Automotive trades had the opportunity to hear from 2 employees from the Motor Trade Association. Students gained invaluable knowledge about careers in the automotive trades as well as learning about apprenticeships. The students then took part in the “Pit Stop Challenge” where they were timed in changing tyres. It was a great experience for students to test their skills.

GIRLS TRADE UP

In June, a group of girls met with Paula and Jacqui from MAS National Apprenticeship Network. They learnt about females working in the trade industry and hear from females currently working in a range of trades. Tradie Lady Amanda from Born To Build then spoke with the students about the different trades on offer and what it is like working in a male dominated industry. The insights into these careers were awesome and allowed students to consider jobs that they had never heard of before. The girls then got to try out a range of tools.

THE SMITH FAMILY WORK INSPIRATIONS - INDUSTRY VISITS

In week 10 of Term 2, a group of 15 students from Year 9 and 10 had an amazing chance, thanks to The Smith Family, to engage in the Work Inspiration, an Australia wide, employer-led program that ensures young Australians' first experience of the world of work is positive, meaningful and inspiring. Work Inspiration provides a way for young people to find out more about themselves and engage with employers firsthand.

The 2 day Work Inspirations Program took the students to a range of local business, including the Salisbury Council, Cavpower, Komplete Care and CMV Truck Centre where students learnt in-depth information about how the different workplaces and industries work. Students had hands on experiences in each business through engaging in ‘real life’ work tasks that industry professionals would do in their daily work.

ABCN  - MY CAREER RULES PROGRAM - ERNST & YOUNG

Earlier in August, students travelled to Ernst & Young in the Adelaide CBD as part of the Australian Business and Community Networks My Career Rules Program. My Career Rules gives students the opportunity to prepare questions and interact with a panel of corporate mentors from specific jobs and industries, opening their minds to careers that reflect the current workplace. Providing a link between classroom learning and the real world of work, it aims to reinforce messages about the skills and mindsets needed to make a successful career in the future workplace.

Students Said:

“ I got lots out of the program and would believe others will get lots out of it.”

“The most useful thing I learnt was that it’s okay to not know what you want to do as a future job; most people change career paths and it comes down to what you enjoy.”

“I learnt to be yourself and follow your work. Listen to your mind about what you want to do and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.”

VET

WHAT IS VET?   VET stands for Vocational Education Training.

VET is a way to experience the world of work in a range of occupations while still at school.  Students develop industry specific related skills through off the job learning at school or with another training provider and, on the job learning at one or more workplaces (work experience).  Credit for completion counts towards the VET Certificate and completing your SACE.

WHY WOULD I DO A VET COURSE?  Students might choose to do a VET course because:

• They are interested in a trade such as carpentry, tiling, automotive mechanic, diesel mechanic, hospitality, hairdressing, electrician etc.
• They are looking to get an apprenticeship in the next 2-3 years

WHAT DOES VET LOOK LIKE?

If students successfully apply for a VET course, they will start in 2024.  The VET course will be for one day per week at another Northern Area school or training organization such as TAFE or PEER.  Students will be at school the other 4 days of the week. 

HOW DOES VET HELP ME ACHIEVE MY SACE?

Students will gain SACE credits for the successful completion of a VET course. Certificate III Courses will earn students credit towards Year 12, and a Certificate II will earn Year 11 credits. A completed Certificate III can also contribute to an ATAR to gain University entry.

I encourage you to visit the NASSSA website Vocational Education and Training (VET) - NASSSA to find information about your interested VET area. Here you will find everything you need to know about courses including videos and course information.

The VET application process is currently underway for students looking to enter a course in 2024. 

If you would like more information regarding the VET program and application process, please contact Michele Malonagos, Senior Leader – VET, SACE & Careers.

QKR! IS HERE!

Qkr! is now available at Salisbury East High School.

You will now be able to make payments for:

• Excursions
• Sport
• Yr 7 camp
• Yr 8 Aquatics Camp
• Outstanding Material and Services Charges

Information on how to download and set up the app are available by clicking the link 

Jo Mibus, Finance Officer

GUEST SPEAKER

On Tuesday 15^th August, we were fortunate enough to be visited by Mr Tom Dewar who worked as a Criminal Defence Lawyer in South Australia for over 10 years. He came in to talk to some of our Year senior school students about what it is like to be a Lawyer. He shared with us what his job as a criminal lawyer entailed, as well as sharing some of his more well-known cases which ended up in the media. The students were very interested in the stories and insight he had to share and went away with clearer understanding of the steps needed to become a Lawyer in South Australia and about what the job may entail.

Shari Bray, HASS Co-ordinator

COMING UP: YEAR 10 IMMERSION WEEK

In Week 9 of this Term (September 18-22), our Year 10 student’s will be undergoing a range of exciting learning opportunities. As part of the 2023 HASS Curriculum, students had the opportunity of choosing a subject that best suits their interests. Depending on their choice, students will be participating in the following activities:

• Society and Environment – students will be attending a number of excursions and getting some extensive workshops in how to develop a realistic television/online video segment for a travel/news program.
• Workplace Practices – Students will be participating in a week of Work experiences where they will gain understanding of various industries and employment expectations.
• Law and Business – Students will be participating in Australian Business Week. We are excited to bring this program to SEHS and hope that the students find it just as fun and rewarding as thousands of other students around the state.

What is Australian Business Week?

• An enterprise education program that engages ‘emerging adults’ into a virtual world of business for a week.
• Participants are grouped into teams of 10 or more and assume management roles to run a virtual company, making important business decisions as they compete against other participating teams.

We would love you to come check it out!

On Friday 22^nd September at 10:00am, participating students will be creating a ‘trade expo display’ in the school gym. We would love if parents and community members choose to attend.

Shari Bray, HASS Co-ordinator

SCHOOL CARD APPLICATIONS

Low-income families who attend government school can get financial help with school fees – materials and services charges – through the School Card scheme.

School Card is available to:

• families with children aged four years and over who attend a school full-time
• independent full-time students studying year 10, 11 or 12
• adult re-entry students who are completing their SACE.

For more information please go to