28 June 2024

From the Principal’s Desk

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Welcome to the Term 2 edition of The Muse.

It has been a terrific term with an extensive number of exciting activities and opportunities available to students as outlined in this edition of the newsletter. I also hope you keep an eye on the Kelmscott SHS Facebook page as we post all of the daily activities regularly.

There are exciting times ahead as we begin building the new gym and performing arts centre. It is possible the new gym will be completed within one year if all goes to plan. We are also introducing a more contemporary, hard wearing, and warmer new uniform next year which the students are very excited about. In addition, there is an ongoing and continuous effort underway to improve buildings and grounds, teaching and learning and relationships and partnerships so that everyone can flourish at the school.  

I want to thank all parents, students and staff for the incredible effort that goes into ensuring students feel safe, achieve their goals and experience good health and a sense of belonging and wellbeing at Kelmscott SHS. We will continue to leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of these goals and from all of us, we wish you a safe and happy holiday break.

Board Talk

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the former board members for their invaluable efforts over the years. I look forward to working with the new members of the board and continuing the great efforts in supporting our school community. The Board members for 2024 are as follows:

The school board's Term 2 meeting was held on 21 May 2024. Mr Jeffrey opened the meeting, welcomed the board members, and congratulated the Chairperson and Secretary on their appointments.

The principal’s report included the union action update, student tracking and support, a successful parent-teacher night, the three yearly Education Ministers Meeting hosted by our school and changes to the school uniform.

Other reports presented to the board included the Music, Agriculture, and Finance reports.

The next Board meeting will be held on 15th August at 5:30 pm in the School Board Room.

If you have any questions about the work of the Board or wish to know more about what we do to support the school and your children or if you want to contact the board, our dedicated email address is kelmscottshsboard@gmail.com

Cher Gomes
Board Chair

2024 Important School Events for Term Three

Student News

Students out and About

Congratulations to two Kelmscott students, Stephanie Daniels and Jessica Duggin, for winning the Mounted Games Association Pairs State Championships on May 26, 2024.

Leos Club is a youth organisation of Lions Club International. Leos Club encourages youths to develop leadership qualities by participating in social service activities. Leos is an acronym that stands for leadership, experience and opportunity.

I had the opportunity to compete against members of the WA Leos in the state final and was privileged to win and represent WA in the national final in Darwin. This experience provided me with valuable learning opportunities. I gained a different perspective on the projects that the Lions and Leos club have achieved, such as Lions Diabetes, childhood cancer research, vision, as well as many other projects including Lions Hearing Dog. These projects have raised awareness and funds totalling millions of dollars to support various aspects of improvement. My involvement in Leos has allowed me to give back to the community and has helped me succeed in areas outside of school.

In Darwin, I participated in a two-step competition. First, I had to go through an interview. Where I discussed what I would like to improve, what I have accomplished through Leos and the club, and what I will continue to work on. After the interview, I had to prepare a speech. that I presented in front of around 1000 people. During my speech, I talked about the importance of mental health and shared my experiences through high school, including opening up about my struggles. I also discussed statistics about mental health and highlighted Australian icons who have faced similar challenges. I aimed to emphasise the importance of addressing mental health issues promptly rather than delaying them. In my eyes, my speech represents the personal journey I'm on and shows that no matter how many obstacles I face, there is always a way to overcome them.

School News

Ministers Visit

Thanks to Mr Tony Buti, we hosted the National Education Ministers Meeting here at Kelmscott Senior High School.

The Federal Minister, Jason Clare, and up to 40 state Ministers of Education, as well as their Directors General and staff, attended the school to discuss important matters relating to education.

All delegates were particularly impressed by our amazing students who did the Welcome to Country, played background music and catered to the event through our CERT II in Hospitality. In addition, our student councillors met delegates and showed them to their seats. A farm tour was also on the agenda and students led the tour and spoke beautifully.

Agriculture News

Kelmscott High School Farm

At the school farm, we took our Saanen goats, Nigerian Dwarf goats, and alpacas for a walk when the weather finally cleared up. It was a refreshing change from the usual routine of tending to them in their pens. As we led them out, the goats' playful bleats echoed through the farmyard, and the alpacas walked gracefully beside us, their soft woolly coats shimmering in the sunlight. It was a sight to behold - a mix of curiosity and excitement among the students and the animals alike. Walking them gave us a chance to bond with our gentle creatures and appreciate the beauty of our farm in a whole new way.

Shearing at Hillside Farm

Our first round of shearing at Hillside Farm is complete. The students watched the process and examined the different types of fleeces.

Big Picture News

Armadale-Gosnells Landcare Group

On Wednesday, 22 May, some Year 11/12 Big Picture students assisted the Armadale-Gosnells Landcare Group in planting 300 sedges at the Champion Lakes Rowing Centre. This event allowed students to have a positive impact on their local environment. Planting vegetation along the lake shores helped to restore the ecosystems, enhancing the habitats for marine and terrestrial flora and fauna. The photo shows the students with the 'snake' created from the 300 plant pots.

Baby Lambs

On Friday, 24 May, some of our Big Picture students assisted Sue Neal, Agricultural Technical Officer at the school Farm, to bottle-feed lambs. The lambs had been brought down from Hillside Farm because they were underweight at birth (each is a twin). The students fed a bottle of milk mixed with yoghurt to each lamb. The yoghurt is to introduce good gut bacteria, which is vital for the lamb's healthy development.

The Arts News

Meta Art Exhibition

Two of our wonderful year 11 Art students, Faareha Farooqi and Vivienne Gallagher, have had their artwork chosen for META, a massive state-wide exhibition.

Both girls entered portraits, which were very different from each other and were amazing.

Faareha Farooqi (graphite drawing) or Vivienne Gallagher (mixed media)

Congratulations on your achievement!

Staedtler Artist of the Year

Check out our wonderful entry, for the Staedtler Artist of the Year competition. "Reflection" was created by Gray Harper of year 12. Gray has used layers of wash, and mixed media in this thoughtful piece.  Good luck Gray!

Melanie Richards
Program Coordinator, Visual & Performing Arts

School of Rock

We had a blast in the music department when Voyager and our sponsors came together to unbox our new music gear and discuss the school’s music program.

Kelmscott Year 12 Rock Band students are fortunate to have Perth band Voyager as their mentors. Voyager is an internationally renowned band with a live album, a Blu-ray, and countless national and international tours. They are also Australia’s successful entry for the 2023 Eurovision Competition, in which they achieved 9th place and increased popularity.

We would like to thank Armadale City Council for giving us a $5000 grant to hire Voyager, thereby providing our students with this amazing opportunity to learn first-hand from professionals working in the music industry. Thank you, Armadale Rotary Club, for supporting us by agreeing to auspice the grant.

We would also like to thank Bendigo Community Bank Roleystone-Karragullen for donating $12000 of musical instruments. Our students are delighted to use new drum kits, microphones, keyboards, guitars and more. This generous donation enhances students’ learning and ability to perform confidently at community events.

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Rehearsals for "Spamalot" are currently underway, and even at this early stage, the students are demonstrating their enthusiasm and talent. Performances will be held in August. Stay tuned for more information on this fantastic performance.

Careers

Passion for Fashion

A lucky group of year 9 students participated in Bentley TAFE's fashion workshop, designing Beyonce-style outfits and making a textural wall hanging. Check out some of the awesome designs the students came up with! 

Bentley TAFE offers a range of future pathways and courses in the fashion industry. Further information can be found by contacting Ms Rawlins.

Medical Students

Curtin Medical Students

During the past two weeks, Will Ranger and Ahmed Mohamed, Curtin Medical Students, spent four days at Kelmscott Senior High School. Today, the GAT year 7 and GAT year 9 students had an informal session with the speakers involving asking and answering many questions. We discussed ATAR scores, university exams, study habits, etc. The year 9s had a quick math problem competition (a do-now warm-up activity I do with them) with the med students, and I am proud to say that Jothi beat them in time. It was awesome! Ahmed was very engaging and gave the students a lot of good advice. Our upper school students had the opportunity to attend a highly informative presentation by Will and Ahmed during lunchtime. They gained invaluable insights into medicine, greatly enhancing their understanding and perspective.

Roy Hill

On Friday, May 24, a group of Year 9 students visited the Roy Hill Operations Centre to learn about the mining industry and potential careers at Roy Hill. Upon arrival, they were greeted by Calvin, who provided them with access passes and safety equipment. The students learned about the mine site near Tom Price and the process of mining, processing, and selling iron ore. They participated in various activities, including exploring the mine site using virtual reality, competing in a mining process simulator game, operating simulated automated trucks, and engaging in strategic planning exercises. The students also had the opportunity to hear from different members of the Roy Hill team, including individuals from engineering, sales, and the control team responsible for operating on-site trains. The students asked insightful questions and received positive feedback, with one member of the Roy Hill team mentioning that Kelmscott was one of the best schools they had hosted. Our students represented KSHS admirably. We sincerely thank the Roy Hill team for sharing their expertise and KSHS’s career practitioner, Della Smith-Rawlins, for organizing this valuable experience for our students.

Della Smith-Rawlins
Career Practitioner

English News

In English, three of our Year 7 Indigenous students, Susan  Garlett , Priscilla Alone, and Allira Johannesen, worked together to create this traditional artwork and share their stories for Reconciliation Week. Nothing is better than authentic artwork to understand our First Nations culture and perspective!  The students were very kind and excited to donate this masterpiece to our 'Follow the Dream' room.

Word Up

Throughout Term 2, our Year 7 Literacy Focus students were prompted to participate in several discussions regarding the inspiring stories they heard on Fridays. 'Word Up' is an oral storytelling program designed by the Centre for Stories to empower students to be comfortable and confident in themselves. These workshops were built on developing the values of empathy and understanding.

The trainer, Ryan Steed, created an environment where our students felt safe and open to discussions. Students also worked on creating their own true stories and came up with the most interesting, funny, and brave stories, which they shared with their peers and the trainer. 

The Centre for Stories is inviting the same bunch of enthusiastic students to visit their storytelling Centre in Northbridge and participate in their Spark program during the upcoming school holidays. They will be encouraged to participate in discussions, workshops, and mentoring opportunities. The English teacher will email further details to the families of these students.

Premiers Reading Challenge

It has been a month since the launch of the Premier's Reading Challenge, and we have some inspiring stories to share. Kye Malpass from Year 9 strongly advocates for this year's slogan—' Reading Can Take You Anywhere'. He is now a regular visitor to our school library, and the books offer him an escape from the routine. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid is his favourite book, and he tries to read at least 3 books a week.

It's not too late! Join Kye and the other one hundred students who have registered for this year's Premier's Reading Challenge at our school. It runs until September 6th.

Nisha Joseph-English Teacher

Curtin University

Our Year 12 English and Literature students attended the English & English Literature Conference 2024 at Curtin University along with students from several other schools.

The conference, held annually at Curtin University, is a series of lectures aimed at Year 12 English & Literature ATAR students. It is structured to support and challenge secondary students preparing for WACE exams, with a focus on examination techniques and discussions of different texts and text types.

The program included sessions on Understanding Perspective, Writing Essays: Responding, Investigating Postcolonial Perspectives, Examination Techniques and Analysing Drama, among many other topics for the upcoming WACE exams.

Our students who attended the conference found the sessions and the day beneficial.

Idroz Shah
English Literature ATAR Teacher
Student Services Manager (SSM) | Years 7 & 8

German as a Second Language

Here are some photos of the Luna Palace Cinema, Leederville German Film Festival Excursion, Years 8-10. We watched "Das fliegende Klassenzimmer" (The Flying Classroom) and took a photo with some teachers and students from Byford Secondary College.

Jessica Hird-German Teacher

Debating Teams

Congratulations to our Debate teams. All our teams (yes, all of them!) won their debates during the final round. One team, KSHS1, remained undefeated throughout the season and will progress to the finals. While we are still waiting to find out if any of our other teams will qualify, it is very exciting to know that KSHS will be well-represented in the final rounds of the competition.

KSHS debated against teams from Wesley, Aquinas, and All Saints’ College last night, proving that expensive tuition is no match for our student's hard work and dedication.

Lily Elsing - English Teacher

GAT Gifted and Talented

Our Illuminate Challenge team has their certificates today. Congratulations, Willow, William, Jaymon, Jamie, and Riley, on your outstanding teamwork and for being proud ambassadors for Kelmscott SHS and the GAT Program.

We are very proud of our team's achievements—we are the only public school in Western Australia to have represented Western Australia in the competition finals!

Academic Academy   

Six year 10 Kelmscott Academic Academy students represented Western Australia at the ASEAN Youth Summit. The Australia-ASEAN Youth Summit offers a unique platform for high school students across Australia and Southeast Asia to walk in the shoes of leaders and debate complex regional issues.

In delegations of 12, six Australian students, in collaboration with six students from each of the represented nations, researched the perspectives of their allocated ASEAN countries and discussed key regional topics. Students formulate recommendations captured in a summit Youth Declaration through negotiation and consensus-building. 

Guest speakers contribute insights into ASEAN-Australia relations, enhancing students’ regional knowledge. The initiative spans two virtual summits and one hybrid summit (the remainder will happen next term). It allows students to immerse themselves in the complexities of regional dynamics and develop digital skills and global capabilities essential for their future study and career paths. Connecting throughout 2024, students build cross-cultural relationships, gaining insights into contemporary Australian and Southeast Asian life.

The Australia-ASEAN Youth Summit is funded by the Australia-ASEAN Council at the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and implemented by the Asia Education Foundation, part of Asialink at the University of Melbourne.

Congratulations on your great work today:

• Cade Clarkson
• Vaughan Johnstone
• Devanandha Kannankari
• Samuel Mburu
• Jacinta Puar
• Clancy Sutherland

Below are some quotes from our student ambassadors.

• Samuel Mburu—I found the ASEAN summit interesting because we could hear different perspectives from like-minded peers across Southeast Asia.
• Vaughn Johnstone—The ASEAN Youth Summit was a fun and unique way to collaborate with other people globally, talking about issues in a way we had never learned before.
• Cade Clarkson—I found this Youth Summit a gateway into seeing what other countries learn and do while also teaching me about Singapore, the country we were representing.
• Clancy Sutherland—Meeting all these students from Asia-Pacific expanded my views on global issues.
• Jacinta Puar—The ASEAN Summit was a great opportunity to learn about the perspectives of Southeast Asian countries on the problems we are currently facing.
• Devanandha Kannankari—The ASEAN Youth Summit was a great opportunity to socialize with other kids my age who share my mindset and dreams.

Each of you is a proud ambassador for our school and represented WA with aplomb! Congratulations

Jacquie Sandhu-Deputy Principal

HASS

Careers speed

On Monday, May 13, our HASS and Careers students in Year 10 had the opportunity to participate in a Speed Careers event hosted by the Careers and Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) departments. The event allowed our students to engage with professionals from various fields. Representatives from the Australian Border Force, helicopter pilots, law enforcement officers, Armadale Council members, South Metro TAFE instructors, flight attendants, professionals from the Construction and Training Fund, scientists, human resources specialists, computer scientists, Australian Army infantry, a chef from the Australian Navy, and a journalist were present at the event. We sincerely appreciate all the guests who spent valuable time with us and shared their expertise with our students. Your presence and insights have undoubtedly enriched our students' understanding of potential career paths, and we deeply appreciate your support. We also commend our students for their active participation and insightful questions.

After the sessions, our esteemed guests were treated to a sumptuous lunch expertly crafted by our talented Year 11 catering students, showcasing our students’ culinary skills and creativity. A helicopter pilot landed a helicopter on our school oval, inspiring our students to consider new career paths. This added an unforgettable touch to our event and sparked a sense of wonder and possibility.

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Colleen Morrison
Head of Learning Area: Humanities & Social Sciences

HOPE

Athletics

On a gorgeous, warm May Day, 18 Kelmscott students competed against all the elite Western Australian schools over the 3km, 4km, and 6km distances. With each race fielding between 200 and 300 starters, our students impressed with many personal bests achieved. Special mention goes to Emily Tjerkstra, who finished 48th, and Lincoln Wilson, who finished 55th in their age groups. Well done to all students who competed after five weeks of hard-core training. 

Ross Van Beek
Athletics Academy Coordinator
Physical and Health Education Teacher

Maths

Have Sum Fun

Year Seven and Eight teams competed in the Have Sum Fun Peel Region Competition. Congratulations to Team Delta, which secured fourth place, following All Saints and Frederick Irwin.

Senior Team Having Sum Fun at Trinity College in the Mathematical Association of WA, Maths quiz night.

Ms J Thomas
Mathematics Department

Technologies

Home Economics

Our Year 11 Hospitality students have been mastering their non-alcoholic drink-making skills over the last 4 weeks and have been producing drinks during simulated service sessions for staff and students. The hospitality students continue to refine and produce the highest quality drinks they can. This term, they have focused on mocktails - Cinderella and lemon lime and bitters, Smoothies - banana and berry, Milkshakes - assorted flavours, hot and iced chocolates and Tea. They are making themselves and Miss Scott extremely proud; well done, everyone.

Our Year 12 Food Science & Technology classes have been learning various cookery methods and skills. Recently, they were given a two-part practical assessment. In the first session, students had to prepare and produce a risotto, and in the follow-up session, they used the risotto to create arancini balls. The students did an excellent job and should be proud of their work. Many also garnished their dishes with fresh herbs from our garden outside of Home Economics, generously provided by our School Farm.

Our students in year 12 Cert II Hospitality recently attended an excursion where they participated in various service activities, including event preparation, such as setting the tables, preparing the food on platters, and preparing tea and coffee supplies. - Serving patrons tea and coffee. - Cleaning duties include washing and drying cups and crockery, removing table waste, and replacing tablecloths. They also assisted and interacted with over 70 customers. Our students did a fantastic job representing themselves and the school. Congratulations.

Sinead Scott 
Home Economics Teacher 

VET News

Workplace Learning

Jonn Piper and Ahmed Sagaale, both in Year 11, are completing their workplace learning hours at K.A.R Automotive Services in Champion Drive.

Ahmed has only been at his placement for a couple of months, and Jonn has been there for a few months. It is often only with the support of local industry that many of our students can achieve success, gain exposure to an industry, and explore future possibilities.

Lizzi Wheldon, in Year 12, is in the final stages of completing her Certificate II Hospitality as a School-Based Trainee (SBT) in partnership with Hospitality Group Training and her host employer, Avocado.

Lizzi applied in the middle of year 11 for the SBT position and secured a position, transferring her school-based Certificate II to an industry-assessed qualification. With the support of the staff at Avocadoes and her HGT mentor, Sarah, Lizzi has been working towards completing her qualification whilst being paid as an employee and juggling her school demands and a further out-of-school-hours paid role in a local fast-food establishment. Lizzi’s exceptional time management skills and her dedication to maintaining excellent grades in her school subjects whilst completing the traineeship are the qualities that lead to success.

Well- done Lizzi

Finlay Wright, a Year 12 student, started his placement at B & J Catalano in Hazelmere during Term 1. His employer has been full of praise for Finlay’s ability and efforts, commenting that Finlay has displayed a commitment to his learning, works well with the team and is mature in his approach to his work.

Finlay located the host employer through persistence after several employers stated they were already committed to supporting placements from other schools and TAFE.

Finlay has commented that the job is challenging but would describe his experience as “mostly assisting the mechanics, experiencing new ways of doing things and learning lots. " Finlay says he learned about electrical and mechanical systems in Komatsu and Volvo trucks and excavators.

He’s been working from 6.30-8 am to 4.30 pm every Thursday as part of the Workplace Learning programme.

Well done, Finlay, for representing Kelmscott SHS positively in the industry and for your dedicated approach to on-the-job learning.

Thane Hancock has started Year 12 with a full load of study and training. He started his Certificate III in Retail Operations in Year 11 through a School-Based Traineeship at McDonald's at the Cockburn store and has this year moved to Anketell. Thane has already completed the full certificate months ahead of schedule. He used his Friday Workplace Learning Day to achieve this qualification whilst being paid—well done, Thane.

Apprentice Link Program

Local Industry Support.

Year 11 student Odin Smylie has just completed his two-week placement with Bourgault Industries in Gillam Drive.

The feedback from the staff at Bourgault Industries about Odin was fantastic. He has demonstrated a good attitude and willingness to learn and try new tasks, which has resulted in Odin's work placement being extended another week. Thanks to Darren and the team at Bourgault for their support.

Odin is part of the Apprenticeship Link Program, which is run at Kelmscott SHS specifically for Year 11 students who are looking at a pathway within a trade-based Industry. Students in the program complete three two-week blocks of industry placement throughout the year. Applications for the 2025 Year 11 program are currently open. Please contact Tracey.Ostle@Education.wa.edu.au for further information and access to the expression of interest form.

James Rogan
VET Coordinator

Uniform Shop

Opening Times

The school uniform shop is operated by Perm-a-Pleat, the supplier of school uniforms. It is located between the Canteen and Staffroom, adjacent to the main car park.

Monday 8 am to 11 am
Thursday 1 pm to 4 pm

Direct Shop Phone Line (08) 9495 7406
Elspeth Marshall
Relief Manager
Kelmscott SHS Uniform Shop
Email: Kelmscottshs.uniforms@permapleat.com.au