Principals Report
Dear Parents, Carers, Students and School Supporters.
The 2022 school year has been an interesting one at Lynwood Senior High School with many challenges thrown in along the way to keep people on their toes! Semester 1 brought with it the very unwelcome impact of COVID19, Omicron, a variant that we knew nothing about when we closed the school in December the previous year. This severely impacted student attendance and the ability of the school to fully operate with all the teaching contingent available. I would like to commend my teachers and allied professionals, school leaders including Acting Principal during that time, Ms Kelly Summers, Deputy Principals Mr Andrew Symington and Ms Robyn Cleaver and Acting Deputy Principal during Term 1, Mr Roneil Billimoria as they undertook teaching duties with little respite from normal duties to ensure that students had access to as many of their regular classes as possible.
The challenges of COVID, shocking weather leading to floods and collapsed ceilings, and a building program which rendered much of the site unusable has now ended with sunshine, smiling faces, the promise of a much-needed break and buildings quickly taking shape into the recognisable forms that we are so excited to see completed in the new year. We are currently on track to see the new gymnasium and fitness centre completed in Term 1, followed by the Student Services wing and the Performing and Visual Arts block by mid-year. Our gardens will be landscaped upon building completion and there is no doubt the school site will take on a whole new personality once this is all completed.
Term 4 has enabled our students to engage in many activities to celebrate their achievements. In the last few days, the Specialist Soccer Academy and the Specialist Environment and Life Sciences (EALS) Program have held wonderful events to acknowledge the participation and success of their students, and just last night our wonderful AIEO Wayne McNamara hosted the Aboriginal Education Awards night to celebrate with families the successes of our Aboriginal students. Participating in these occasions gives me the privilege first-hand of seeing how hard our students and staff work, how much enjoyment they get out of these programs and events, and how much they are valued by the school community.
We say farewell to several teachers who are spreading their wings with new challenges in 2023.
- Craig Foster HOLA Science - moving to Penrhos College
- John Townley HOLA Technologies - moving to Southern River College
- Teachers Wayne Capes, Derek Lau, Krystal-Jade Brooke, Oscar King, Tanya Brooks, Nancy Liu, Sophie Wang, Tommy Ton and Sylvia Wernicke moving to various locations.
- Retiring from Lynwood Senior High School: gardener Freddie Marie (21 years) and Learning Support Coordinator Joyce Michael who has been at our school for 23 years.
The contribution of these staff has been enormous, and whilst it is always sad to see people move on, we are excited to welcome new staff in 2023. We wish all of these staff happiness and success in their new roles.
It is time now for students, staff and their families to take some well-deserved holiday time together. I wish all students and their families a relaxing school break, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and I look forward to working with our community next year.
Geraldine Hardy Principal
50th Anniversary 2024
If you have been considering joining the P&C, now is the time as we have an exciting event coming up, the 50th Anniversary of the school in 2024! The P&C are seeking support from current and former students, parents and community members to help us plan this momentous celebration.
If you would like to support the P&C and be part of the team that creates this historic event please contact the P&C President, Bruce Henderson through Lynwood Senior High School reception 9354 0600.
Student Achievement
Congratulations to Year 10 Student Maciesha Robinson for her selection in the under 16s Western Heat Team playing in the Budgies Indigenous Netball Competition held in the Gold Coast.
Congratulations to Harry Gordon Year 8 for his recent outstanding performance at the 2022 WA All Schools Championships.
- U14 400m - Gold
- U14 Triple Jump - Silver
- U14 100m - 4th place
- U14 200m - 4th place
- U15 200m Hurdles - 5th place
Harry has been selected to represent the WA State Team in the Under 14 100m, 200m 400m and Triple Jump at the 2022 Australian All Schools Track and Field Championships taking place in South Australia in December.
We wish Harry all the best for his events!
Aboriginal Awards Evening
The annual Aboriginals Awards Evening was held Wednesday 13 December at the Lynwood Football Club. It was a wonderful evening organised by AIEO Wayne McNamara to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of our students in front of their families and peers.
Congratulations to all award winners on their outstanding achievements:
- Best Attendance Lower School - Aysiah Brennan
- Best Attendance Middle School - Charlyiah Punch
- Best Attendance Senior School - Taj Frazier
- Most Improved - Brandon Garlett Perkins
- Sportsperson Award - Maciesha Hill
- Community Award - Alissa Kickett
- Overall Best Year 7 - Derrell Price
- Overall Best Year 8 - Aysiah Brennan
- Overall Best Year 9 - Keanan Hill
- Overall Best Year 10 - Braedi Hayden
- Overall Best Year 11 - Jayda Bobongie
- Overall Best Year 12 - Shontanae Hill
- AIEO Award - Charlyiah Punch
- All Rounder (Phys Ed) - Tahlia Buck
- Nanna Pat Websdale Most Outstanding Student Award - Braedi Hayden
Congratulations to our ‘Lynwood Tech Tips’ FIRST Lego League (FLL) Challenge team who won the Innovation Project Award and an invitation to the Curtin University Perth District National Finals on Saturday 3rd December and then won the Engineering Excellence Award and ranked 4th of 48 teams in the Robot Game at the Perth District West National FLL Finals at Curtin University on December 10th.
The Lynwood Tech Tips are Captains - Claire Folvig (Year 9) and Yash Saini (Year 9) and Layla Machlouch (Year 11), Krrish Saini (Year 9), Sora Shabita (Year 9), Dana Qutteineh (Year 9) and Ryan Chen (Year 8). These students have won 7 awards and trophies in state and national Robotics competitions in the past 2 years!
Our amazing new Year 7 team – ‘The Lynwood Circuit Breakers’ did a great job in their first tournament and showed that they have huge potential for next year. Their Innovation project was presented very well, and much was learned about how to excel at an FLL tournament. The Circuit Breakers ranked 11th out of 20 teams at regional competition. The Circuit Breakers were Captain Aryanandh Ajith, Anderson Lee, Dylan Sly, Isaac Foong, Paul Kim and Zac Worth.
Several teachers and EAs and parents have contributed to supporting Robotics Club over the past 2 years. We thank them and wish them and all the students and families a safe and happy holiday.
Australian Esports High School League
In early 2022 a Year 11 student mentioned that he was top ranked in WA for the online game Rocket League and asked if the school would support a high school team in a National Competition for that game called the Australian Esports League – High School Rocket League Tournaments.
Our Principal agreed to support the initiative, and the first team was formed and registered. In Term 1 the team – Matthew James (Year 11), Toby Steed, (Year 10) Angus Gold (Year 12) and Lachlan Calautti (Year 12) performed very well showing winning potential all the way to finals.
In Term 2 the team won the national tournament against 39 other schools and a prize of a $9000, 75” Viewsonic Interactive display panel for the school. We were so proud.
In Term 3 our Year 12s were focussed on finishing their studies and the team became Matthew, Matthias Tode (Year 11) and Xavier Sampson (Year8). Once again the team performance was outstanding all the way to the finals.
In Term 4 the same team took out the championship again winning another Viewsonic Flat Panel interactive display for the school!
Well done boys for this outstanding effort!
Mr Townley, Technologies HOLA
Lower School Deputies Report
Another difficult year draws to a close, one in which pretty much everyone had a close encounter with the dreaded virus. We’ve seen another cohort of year 12 students finish and after 6 years they are off to scale new heights, tackle the challenges that the adult world will continually throw their way. I am hoping to hear some lovely success stories as they go out and forge their discrete careers.
We’ve also witnessed another cohort of Year 7 students enter Lynwood and complete their first year in trying circumstances. It has been tough, with what life has thrown at them. There have been several achievements, but likewise, there have been many challenges to face. I hope that all our students will use the holiday break to reflect on what they have achieved this year and use it, upon review, as a continual growth opportunity. We’ve also witnessed the new cohort of 2023 Year 7 students come and experience their first day on school grounds; getting to know the school, getting to know each other, and becoming better prepared for what secondary schooling will bring. We hope that they will arrive next year ready to work hard.
Finally, we are continually asked to eschew a growth mindset, moving forwards and not looking back or becoming stagnant, to always be ready to take on new concepts, embrace new philosophies, tackle problems and find solutions, to search for answers and improve on what has gone before. Don’t spend the time looking in the rear-view mirror on what has been and can’t be changed, but focus on the oncoming life in front of you through the windscreen. So there may be personal growth; developing a better character, being able to socially deal with our peers in mature and adult ways. It may involve educational growth, which as we become more aware of our personal career directions, we realise what is needed and challenge ourselves to rise to those higher levels. It may be, taking a greater interest in our environment, and seeking solutions to the ever-increasing demands of a digital world.
What it will include, is being able to be flexible and dynamic, able to be creative in a world which desires innovation and initiative. Further, it necessitates the ability to communicate face to face with each other, to solve problems by verbally and maturely discussing issues in close proximity to each other, not via Facebook or Instagram, which removes one from direct interaction. To realise that we need to consider other people, their opinions and points of view, and not adopt a ‘I don’t care attitude’, to be considerate and kind.
I hope all our students have absorbed a plethora of concepts this year from our teaching staff, and that they will continue to push their learning envelope in 2023. I wish everyone a safe holiday period, enjoy the relaxing time with family and friends, and I will see you all once again, in the new year, at Lynwood Senior High School.
Mr Symington, Deputy Principal
The Year 10 Super Chef Challenge!
The challenge arose following some friendly banter between Ms Melvin’s Café Food class and Mrs Webb’s General Food class which was on at the same time. Due to its popularity, the challenge was then extended to include other Year 10 Food classes.
The challenge was to create the cake in the same way represented on the recipe – a Victoria sponge filled with whipped cream and chopped strawberries, and topped with white chocolate ganache, chocolate shards and strawberries.
The competition was fiercely contested but was not without its challenges. Trying to prepare chocolate chards on a 38C day proved to be tricky! Some of the results were outstanding and the winners produced delicious cakes that would be admired by top pastry chefs! Congratulations to all involved.
Well done to all of our budding bakers, the results were delicious!
Access 10
The Access 10 Engagement program made its annual visit to Woodman Point Recreation Camp for 3 days of non-stop action. Students participated in six activities that may have put a few of them out of their comfort zones. They also enjoyed an extra special workshop that was presented by internationally acclaimed rapper, Marksman Lloyd.
From the Climbing Wall and Flying Fox, to Kayaking and Raft building, there was plenty for them to get stuck into and ultimately try new experiences. This Camp concluded what has been an excellent year for this Access 10 group, of whom many have made wonderful progression in their academic and personal development.
EaLS Presentation Evening
The Environment & Life Sciences Presentation evening at Murdoch University on Monday 12 December was very well attended by students and their families, and the quality of the two guest speakers was outstanding - former EaLS student and now lawyer Rhys James, and world Sustainability expert, Professor Peter Newman who had just returned from COP 27 in Egypt.
Congratulations to all award winners on your outstanding achievements.
Year 7
- English - Isaac Fong
- Mathematics - Isaac Fong
- Science - Sradha Sani
- HaSS - Isaac Fong
- EaLS Allrounder Isaac Fong
- EaLS Endeavour Danindu Karunanayake
- EaLS Citizenship Paul Chizengeni
Year 8
- English - Katrina Barnes
- Mathematics - Ryan Wong
- Science - Crystal Guo
- HaSS - Jordan Beaver
- EaLS Allrounder - Jingtian Zheng
- EaLS Endeavour - Katrina Barnes
- EaLS Citizenship - Sienna Duong
Year 9
- English - Kadie Fuller
- Mathematics - Fizah Khan
- Science - Charlotte Stromvall
- HaSS - Kadie Fuller
- EaLS Allrounder - Kadie Fuller
- EaLS Endeavour - Delina Gebrezgabher
- EaLS Citizenship - Madie Ross
Year 10
- English - Tze Lin Kueh
- Mathematics - Jackson Campbell
- Science - Zhenyang Liu
- HaSS - Zhenyang Liu
- EaLS Allrounder - Zhenyang Liu
- EaLS Endeavour -Tahsan Amin
- EaLS Citizenship - Kerryanne Low
- EaLS Student of the Program - Toby Steed
Soccer Academy of Excellence Awards Night 2022
On Wednesday December 7th the Soccer Academy held its annual gala awards evening at a new venue, the Pagoda Ballroom in South Perth. The students scrubbed up well and looked stunning in all their finery. The evening was well attended with 160 + students and parents. Mr Campbell was on form as usual with his wit and jokes, dressed in a very sparkly gold jacket which suits his personality to a tee.
There were plenty of awards presented on the evening including the Coaches awards, Fairest and Best, Year group Academy awards, Captains for 2023 and the overall pinnacle of the Soccer Academy Footballer of the Year, this year taken out by Jackson Campbell and Natalie Ng.
The 2023 Year 7 Captains and Soccer Academy scholarship winners, Amelie Gorman and Dannicha Healy-Soler were presented with their Captains armbands and scholarship by Mrs Hardy.
The students all represented the school well and had a great evening.
Mrs Gourley and Mr Campbell
IEC Graduation
On Monday 12 December the class of 2022 graduated from the IEC, led by Master of Ceremonies Ehsan Mohammadi. Qistina Binti Amirul Syafiq gave an eloquent speech, reflecting on her time in the IEC.
Eighteen students were presented with their Graduation certificates and special awards. At the conclusion of the ceremony, families of the graduating students were invited to afternoon tea.
Eighteen students were presented with their Graduation certificates and special awards. We congratulations all of the exiting IEC students as they move on to other schools to further their education.
Chess Club
Lynwood Chess Club, meets regularly almost everyday during recess and lunch. A good number of students make use of this facility to the utmost to their favour learning and challenging others.
Playing chess helps to focus consciously, improve forgetfulness, develop lifestyle and has been tried to be done in today's world where people can socialise with their family and friends and relieve stress by playing Chess.
Although chess has remained in the foreground and sometimes in the background since ancient times, it has not lost its value and is used as the subject of many studies in the literature. It is a brain game that will be used by many studies even years later and also continue to be played as a game. ...
Our students participated at the Inter-School Chess League organised by the Chess Association of WA. We also had our annual Chess Tournament.
The Winners were:
- First place – Jackson Campbell (1008)
- Second place – James Benedict (1002)
- Third place – Darshan Joshy (1002)
- Fourth place – Tahsann Amin (LSC)
The Chess Club acknowledges the immense support that Joyce Michael has extended over the years for our students.
Year 11 Visual Art
The Year 11 Visual Art students wowed us all with their talent with a display of stunning artwork in the Library. The theme was "Red Desert, Shimmering Sands" which is based on an aerial perspective of the Australian landscape. Evidence of human occupation of the land is evident in the works, sometimes very subtly.
Peter Hotinksi - Visual Arts
Congratulations to the James Family
I would love to share with you all about my son Joshua’s football team winning the bronze medal for WA at the Special Olympics games in Launceston, Tasmania 🎉👏 My hubby is the coach so I am very proud of both of them!
It has been an amazing experience to witness 750 athletes competing in different sports and doing their personal best while having a ball!
“Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt” This is the Special Olympics athlete’s oath, it is so beautiful and powerful 🥰
Mrs Beatriz James, Education Assistant
Mental Health and Well-being
As we approach the end of the year, I would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the importance of looking after ourselves as we take a break from regular routines. The stresses and concerns we may face change from being school related to home and community based and these stresses can sometimes be heightened around Xmas time.
Simple activities can boost our health and wellbeing and as the weather warms up and we are spending more time in the community, our tip to help us stay positively and mentally healthy is:
Contact with nature—whether through parks, natural bush, pets or farm animals, helps us recover from stress and mental fatigue, helps us relax and puts us in a good frame of mind. Next time you are feeling blue, ‘act green’. Do some gardening, take a walk around the park or head down to the water for some time out.
For more tips visit Act-Belong-Commit actbelongcommit.org.au
As parents and carers you know your children best. You are in a good position to monitor your children’s wellbeing and to recognise early signs that they may be experiencing difficulties. These signs can include changes in behaviour, mood or health, or your child may communicate (directly or indirectly) how they are feeling and thinking.
If you are concerned about your child over the holiday period, I encourage you to seek further advice and assistance. There are a range of external services available for young people and families while schools are closed. For some examples, please see the below links which includes services that provide assessment, intervention, phone and web-based support. Your family GP may also be able to provide information or referrals to other services.
For mental health support over the Christmas break please keep these contact details in hand.
- Mental Health Emergency Response Line 1300 555 788 (24/7)
- Emergency Telehealth Service 1800 046 636 (8am to 2.30am seven days a week)
- E-headspace (ages 12-25) - 1800 650 890
- Kids Helpline (ages 5-25) - 1800 551 800
- Lifeline (24/7 crisis support) - 13 11 14
- Beyond Blue (mental health support service) - 1300 224 636
- Butterfly National Helpline (eating disorders) - 1800 334 673
- 1800RESPECT (People impacted by sexual assault, domestic violence, and abuse) - 1800 737 732
- Suicide Call Back Service (all ages) - 1300 659 467
- QLife (LGBTI peer support and referral) - 1800 184 527
Jenny Edmonds, Senior School Psychologist
Important Dates to Remember
- Term 1 Dates
- Students commence Wednesday 1 January 2023
- Last day of Term 1 is Thursday April 6 2023
- Term 2 Dates:
- Term 2 Monday 24 April - Friday 30 July
- Students commence Wednesday 26 April 2023
- Pupil Free Day - Monday 24 April
- ANZAC Day Public Holiday Tuesday 25 April