principal's address
Dear Parents/Guardians,
COVID-19 related absences of staff and students continue to challenge us on a daily basis. From a student perspective, staff continue to upload materials to Connect and be available to support student questions. If your child is sick, please keep them home. Our staff absentee rate, unfortunately, continues to climb with up to 13 teaching staff away on any given day. The staff at school are doing extra work supporting relief teachers, lesson preparation and taking extra classes.
Given the current situation of staff absentees and increased workload, this Semester Report will look different. In line with what several other secondary schools are already doing, the Semester One report will have a grade and attributes but no comment. Staff have increased the amount of contact with parents and feedback provided on assessments. Early in Term 3, I will provide a survey opportunity for parents and students to make comments and provide feedback for Semester One next year. Semester Two reports will contain comments for Year 7 to 11. Year 12 students will receive a Statement of Results.
NAPLAN for Year 7 and 9 has come and gone again. It was extended by a week to give every child the opportunity to sit the tests. We have had higher than usual student absentees and extra catch up sessions have had to be put in place.
Exams for Year 11 to 12 will begin on May 30 and Year 10 exams will follow on from 13 June. We have also added some wellbeing events for students. Mindfulness in May has had a month of activities and finishes with Pyjama Day.
A big thank you to the P&C. The P&C staff are doing a wonderful job keeping the Canteen and Uniform Shop open. Also thank you to the P&C for their ongoing support of the school. At their recent meeting financial assistance was provided to the school for:
- Three flag poles for the central area of the school.
- Ongoing salary support for our two chaplains.
- End of year student leaders camp.
- Small building adjustments to accommodate our new laser cutter.
- Purchase of a new metal lathe.
- $5000 for support and prizes for our reading challenge.
Thank you so much to the P&C for a total of $55,000 in funding for our school. The P&C needs more members. If you have the time, only two meetings per term, please contact the P&C via email on lshspandc@gmail.com. All committee positions are filled. Without a viable P&C, the school will lose all these extra resources, the Canteen and the Uniform Shop.
Mr B. Wallwork, Principal
TERM 2 PARENT PLANNER 2022
DATES TO REMEMBER
HASS Week Highlights
Amazing Race
Year 7s raced around the school and against the clock to solve the hidden Geographic puzzles and be back in time for tea.
Dam Creations
Holding back the waters challenged other Year 7 dam builders whose creations had to withstand the test of time and ferocious flooding.
Natural Disaster
Whilst Year 7 laboured to control nature, Year 8 students modelled its timeless destructive power with natural disasters such as tsunamis.
World War I Lego Masters
Time’s bloodiest battles of victory and defeat, from Beersheba to the Gallipoli landing, were recreated by Year 9s History students, competing in the HASS Lego Masters tournament.
Year 10 Career and Enterprise
Businesses developed by Year 10 Career and Enterprise students were put to the test as their designs were made into saleable products, pitched, funded by checks from “millionaire shark investors" and sold to their admiring peers, who welcomed the timeless taste of enterprise (and cupcakes).
Across the broad spectrum of Humanities and Social Sciences, a tremendous time was had by all. Despite looking back with fondness, by all accounts students are already looking forward to the future and the 2023 HASS Week celebrations.
Ms R. Murray, HASS Teacher
Year 9 Steam Project
Everything is going along smoothly in Music, but I’d like to let you know about our latest Year 9 project. We have been working on a very exciting project related to STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts Maths). We have been building our own instruments! The criteria has specified that students have had to build an electric, electronic, or digital instrument. Students have risen to the challenge with great enthusiasm and results so far have been very positive.
To assist students, we have offered several instrument-building kits, although the task is open to student initiative. Instrument kits have included electric guitar, mini-keyboards, synthesizers (by Korg), Makey Kits, Novation Launchpads, and digital-instruments using Ableton Live. Once students have implemented their design, they will present the results and demonstrate for the class.
This initiative achieves some big things: the importance of creative-endeavour, problem-solving skills, understanding the nature of sound, and links to “real-world” applications. But above all we are having plenty of fun. We hope you enjoy the photos!
Mr G. Ryder, Music Teacher
Senior Recital
Our exceptional Year 12 Music Students completed the first concert for the year with our Senior Recital on April 1st.
Despite restrictions and a number of setbacks these students were able to create a great event.
Showcasing their musicianship and encompassing several genres ranging through classical, jazz, and contemporary.
Students performed solo.
Students performed in duos.
Students performed in group settings.
And they also performed as part of the band.
Mr M. Williams, Mr R. Angus along with several Media students who handled filming, lights, and logistics. This event is testament to the positive spirit and leadership among our Senior Music students who put in the work required to make this evening a success.
Mr G. Ryder, Music Teacher
Library
Keep up to date with what’s happening in the Library by following @leemingshs_library. Current activities are added as well as suggested reading ideas for everyone. Buddy the dog, particularly enjoyed the Star Wars books.
May the Force be with you!
May the 4th once again lit up the Library as reading adventures with Star Wars graphic novels and picture books flew out the door. Many students worked together to create an amazing Lego Yoda and the winners of the Lego Legends – a group of Year 7s and 8s built an astounding Battle for Endor scene.
Year 12 Countdown
A reminder that students who work consistently throughout the term almost always perform better than those who cram in studying for the few days before exams.
A lot of stress is avoided as well!!
There are several Study Guides on display in the Senior School area for Year 12s to borrow as well as handouts to work towards a successful outcome this year.
The Study Skills Handbook website also has a lot of tips to help all students achieve the best results they can.
Reference Lists, Scribbr and Plagiarism
Through Digital Literacy, all Year 7s are learning the importance of providing a Reference List with all of their research.
Students have the advantage of using online Bibliography Generators (Search - Scribbr APA) where they can add their book title/authors and websites and the site will then build their Reference List for them.
We are practising this process regularly in Digital Literacy so that it becomes second nature to the students.
Copy and pasting isn’t acceptable and students need to write assignments in their own words reflecting their understanding of the topic.
Plagiarism is also being focussed on by encouraging students to read the question, find the answers, write their own notes, close the original source and then write out their assignment expanding their own notes.
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Premier’s Reading Challenge – Reading can take you anywhere!
Leeming SHS is entering the Premier's Reading Challenge big time!
Fly into the Library and check out the plane and loads of books about where you can go on an adventure.
Perhaps you would like to choose a book to read and sit and relax in the Pirate ship.
Or your reading could take you to a place far away like Narnia or Hogwarts.
There are heaps of prizes to be won and all you have to do is relax and enjoy reading at least 12 books by September!!!
Come to the Library and check out some of the fantastic books you could read - or choose your own off the shelves or from home.
Ms C. Steel, Teacher Librarian
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WA Museum Excursion
Year 8 Academic Extension English students described their recent excursion to the Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip as inspirational, fascinating, educational and “four storeys full of intricate exhibitions just waiting to be learnt.” They explored a range of galleries in their quest to choose interesting artefacts for their upcoming creative writing task. Given the challenge to discover the stories behind the objects on display, students will be using their research to write a memoir told from the perspective of someone associated with their selected artefact.
One student said, “I enjoyed the war-based exhibits as they gave me further knowledge of the difficulty of those times.” Several discovered the incredible story of the embroidered pink handkerchief given to an Australian soldier by the East Timorese woman who saved him. An Elephant Bird egg intrigued one student, while another enjoyed learning about toys made by children from tin cans. A Greg Laurenson board and tools had special significance for the student with family connections to the master surfboard shaper. Another explained how the Royal Flying Doctors Service exhibit touched her heart.
Many commented on the whale skeleton, not expecting it to be “so big and magnificent.” They enjoyed the practical and interactive activities, particularly the vintage video games. The words of one student encapsulated the day for him: “The museum contained endless stories, some of which I had never known. Some, like the wreckage of Yarloop, I knew. I never knew, however, that whalers used two-metre-long bone saws or that there was a town in WA that was abandoned because of radiation. I learned so much about WA’s history.”
Ms S. Dyson & Ms S. Burgess, English Teachers
Visiting author Mark greenwood
In the week following their visit to the museum, Year 8 Academic Extension English students attended a presentation by West Australian author, Mark Greenwood. Having read many of his research-based picture books and History Mysteries, they were entertained by his account of the origins and processes involved in transforming the spark of an idea into an award-winning book.
Mark showed how objects become the inspiration for his stories by referring to the Green Sash given to Ned Kelly who, as an eleven-year-old, rescued a boy from drowning. A cap embroidered with a bat and a boomerang and a photograph of 13 Aboriginal men were the artefacts that Mark uncovered in his story about the first Australian cricket team who successfully toured England in1868.
He explained how the experience of visiting Gallipoli enhanced his appreciation of the heroism of Private Simpson, enabling him to capture the spirit of the Anzac story. He intrigued us with his tale of diving off the Abrolhos Islands to uncover a mysterious object, and he recounted how a photo of a young woman with a leopard that she had raised as a cub led him to the tragic story of the last known thylacine.
It is not an easy task to capture and hold the attention of a teenage audience for two hours. Mark Greenwood is a master presenter, story-teller and educator as the following comments from students testify:
“This was one of the most educational incursions I have ever been on. My expectation was that it would be just talking and that I would end up dozing off, but it was far from that. I learned so many different writing tips.” “He used cliff-hangers to keep our attention.” “Mark told us to think of our story as if each scene was to be illustrated.” “He inspired me to write with more “colour”.” “I learnt that I should be using dialogue more to bring a character to life.” “My favourite part was learning about Tasmanian Tigers. I liked hearing the story about the zookeeper’s daughter, even though it made me sad.” “Mark Greenwood’s presentation was very enjoyable. It was humorous, informative and educational."
Ms S. Dyson & Ms S. Burgess, English Teachers
Science and Technology
Term 1 Challenge Winners
The first Term Challenge this year was the Bridge Building Challenge. Students were given 25 pop sticks to build a bridge spanning 25 centimetres, with an aim to hold as much weight as possible without the excessive use of glue! The challenge also requires a poster presentation of their bridge design, with a diagram and an explanation of their design. Congratulations to the following students who achieved full points in this challenge
- Vivaan P.
- Nate C.
- Zabrina P.
- Aster B.
Term 2 Challenge - Tank Stand Slam
The 2022 Term 2 challenge is now underway with some excellent designs being produced by the Year 7 students. The aim of the challenge is to design and construct the strongest model paper tank stand. It is to be made from 1 sheet of A4 paper, and needs to support a bucket containing water at least 5cm from the ground. STA points are awarded to the participants for every litre of water the stand is able to support.
Congratulations to the Year 7 winners, Nate C. and Oliver Ch. who created towers able to support a bucket with 10 litres of water. I look forward to seeing the designs of the remaining STA year groups who will have an opportunity to participate in the upcoming weeks.
Mind Mash
Year 8 and 9 STA members are participating in the Mind Mash Robotics Program. This is a 6-week program where students will develop their problem solving skills to program an EV3 Lego Mind storm robot to complete a range of tasks in the First Lego League arena within a set time frame.
STEM Literacy Challenge
The STA STEM Literacy Challenge is on again this Term. In this challenge, students can choose STEM news articles that interest them, write a summary of the key points presented in the article, and present these in a display book or scrap book which can be handed in the last week of each term. STA points are awarded for each article reviewed. Further information and summary tools are available on the STA Flexi Class on Connect.
Upcoming
There are plenty of upcoming events available for STA students to participate in, so please keep an eye on Connect notices to avoid missing out!
Mr J. Stubberfield, Science and Technology Academy Coordinator
French
French Club Crêpe Making
The French language students from Year 7 to Year 10 have been learning some French Poetry from the Alliance Française Challenge 2022. We are very happy with the number of students who have enrolled and their dedication to learn such iconic colloquial Poems. It is always challenging to recite in another language, so we cannot wait to see their results at the end of June.
On Tuesday 3 May, to promote the French Club to the Year 7 and 8 students, a group of Year 8 to 10 students prepared and served free French crêpes at lunch time for all French students. It was a great success and we welcomed all our new members in Week 4 of Term 2. They are currently working on a fantastic project that the whole school will see during our annual Multicultural and Arts Festival in Term 3.
Mme F. Spears, French Teacher
Fremantle Dockers AFLW Player Visit to Leeming SHS
On Tuesday 10 May a series of AFL coaching clinics were held on the school oval. Three classes had the benefit of some high level expertise provided by players and coaching staff from the Fremantle Football Club. Leading the way was AFLW star Mim Strom. The classes were put through many drills and games used by the senior teams at Fremantle and provided a great way to finish up the AFL unit. Thanks to the Year 7.6, and Year 7.7 mixed classes, Year 9.3 boys class and the Year 10.3 girls class for representing Leeming SHS in such a positive way to the guest coaches.
Mr S. Ellis, HoLA Health and Physical Education
House cross country
Mr L. Peers, & Ms L.Wakfer, Health and Physical Education Teachers
Australian Gymnastics Championships 2022
Nadia P. and her acrobatics partner Lachlan Sh. placed 4th at the Australian Gymnastics Championships 2022 held in the Gold Coast.
2022 Australian Swimming Championships
Three of our students qualified for the 2022 Australian Swimming Championships which took place in South Austalia from 11-20 April. Congratulations to Jordan B., Annabelle F. and Adrian F. on your races!
Introducing Leeming’s Sports Ready Trainee for 2022
Many visitors to Physical Education will have met our 2022 trainee, but with masks and other COVID-19 restrictions. Not all would know who this new face is.
Ms Wakfer, joined the Physical Education staff late in February on a part-time basis. Lauren works on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and is in the process of completing a Certificate III in Sport and Recreation. Ms L. Wakfer, is proving to be a valuable asset to our department showing a great variety of skills and hopefully we are helping her prepare for her goal of becoming a Physical Education teacher.
Away from Leeming Ms Wakfer, is an up and coming AFL player. She is currently playing League for South Fremantle’s AFLW team and in recent weeks competed in the National 18s Championship for WA. At the conclusion of the competition Ms Wakfer, was selected in the all Australian team as one of the best players in the competition. She is also in the AFL national training squad of 24 of the best young AFL athletes across to country and is hoping to be selected in the AFLW draft later in the year.
Mr S. Ellis, HoLA Health and Physical Education
CAD STEM ACTIVITY
Year 8 CAD students participated in a CAD STEM activity using Auto-Cad software and laser cutting.
Workforce Development
The holidays saw a number of successful placements occurring, with a few students even being offered jobs and apprenticeships as a result. We were very proud of the Leeming students and all the positive feedback received, which all contributes to the respect being shown for Leeming’s successful Workforce Development Program. The program’s notoriety has contributed to an increasing number of employers contacting the school to offer work placements and even jobs, as they have heard about our wonderful students and their skills.
Following the reductions of restrictions, we are very excited about a number of events and opportunities we can offer students. The first of these was the Perth Careers Expo which took place from the 12 – 15 May, kicking off National Careers week from the 16 May. Year 10, 11 and 12 Career and Enterprise students were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend this expo and to network with the training providers, industry representatives and potential employers. The Expo was alive with energy from the moment we entered with institutions and companies alike showing off some of their innovations and offering competitions for students to test their skills, including a crane simulation demonstrating how technical, difficult and dangerous it is to drive a crane. Needless to say there were a few crashes and laughs had with that.
Students quickly set about talking to as many providers and employers as possible, soaking up the information about potential pathways and what to expect. A number of Year 12 students excitedly exclaimed that they now knew where and what they wanted to study following graduation this year, having previously been at a loss and overwhelmed by the myriad of options their internet research had provided. A few even discovered gap year possibilities which they had not known existed, but would greatly increase their preparation for the workforce, world experience and not to mention their bank balances! Year 11s expressed that the convention gave them direction, helping them to understand what to aim for over the next year and a half as they work towards finishing school.
Overall, it was a wonderful day, with all students leaving with copious gains, be they knowledge, experiences or some awesome freebies! We want to thank the students for attending and displaying such exemplary behaviour and unfettered interest in their exploration.
Ms N. Bunch, Workforce Development Co-ordinator
Chaplains Chat
Welcome back to Term 2 after what I hope was a good holiday with a chance to reset. I was talking with a staff member and she was telling me how her sporting club had a speaker brought in to talk about mental wellness. I think that this is a fantastic conversation point for all avenues of life.
How do we have mental wellness?
TASK - Make a list after a discussion and put it on the fridge at home.
It could include such things as going for a walk, singing, humming or whistling, colouring in, kicking a ball, going for a swim or playing an instrument, or maybe listening to some encouraging music.
CHALLENGE - Try to limit our online usage.
On the weekend, if possible, set a one hour or two-hour maximum time slot and then lock your device away. Just like eating too much cake, long term it’s better for us to know when to stop and to go and do something else, this will help us stay in touch with our moods and to be the boss of them and not let them boss us around. Many of the games and other things online are designed deliberately to be highly addictive.
REWARD – We all need rewards, so make a list of all the free and low-cost healthy ways you can reward yourself. You can and should stop and celebrate. The school task that you have completed, the home job done on time or when you have made a good choice or resisted too much cake or too much online time. These could be things like making a card for someone and posting it, doing some craft, some cooking, calling a friend, painting your nails, getting a haircut, going for a picnic, walking along the beach, writing a gratitude journal, eating something slowly and mindfully.
Ms B. Carter, The Chaplain
Three Feet from Gold
During the gold rush, a man who had been mining in Colorado for several months quit his job, as he hadn’t struck gold yet and the work was becoming tiresome. He sold his equipment to another man who resumed mining where it had been left off.
The new miner was advised by his engineer that there was gold only three feet away from where the first miner stopped digging. The engineer was right, which means the first miner was a mere three feet away from striking gold before he quit.
The Moral:
When things start to get hard, try to persevere through the adversity.
Many people give up on following their dreams because the work becomes too difficult, tedious, or tiresome–but often, you’re closer to the finish line than you may think, and if you push just a little harder, you will succeed.
Try every day and don’t give up. Things will start getting easier.
Mr C. Hough, The Chaplain
Health News
Welcome back to Term 2. We are over half way through the Term! It has been another busy term. I hope you all had a relaxing, safe, healthy, and enjoyable time with your children during COVID -19. I wish you and your children a great term and I am sure you are all glad to be back to school without wearing masks but I do advise if your child is at risk (Immunocompromised) or has a head cold to please wear masks. I have seen some students and staff wearing masks this term. Well done and thank you.
NOTICE TO PARENTS GUARDIANS
Department of Health & Healthy WA - GOT a COVID -19 SYMPTOM? GET TESTED. Use the free 20 RAT tests given to all students. Anyone with symptoms, even if mild, should get tested. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, difficulty breathing, runny nose, loss of taste or smell. Testing at Public COVID Clinics is FREE. Healthywa.wa.gov.au
Medical Conditions
If your child has or develops a medical condition, for example asthma, anaphylaxis, diabetes epilepsy, or any other medical condition of your concern please contact the school for an Action Plan so that we/I can manage your child’s medical condition appropriately whilst they are at school.
Anaphylaxis Action Plan If your child has been diagnosed with Anaphylaxis a reminder to update your child’s action plan yearly to 18months or when you update their Epipen.
Flu Season
It is now the time of year when children are getting lots of coughs and colds. Parents/Guardians please keep your child at home from school if they are unwell, and follow up with your doctor if you are concerned or continue to have symptoms.
If you have the flu, head cold or cough please remember to stay home when you first get it as you are most contagious at this stage. Rest, drink plenty of water, treat the symptoms with medication if needed and follow up with doctor if no improvement.
Please maintain a high standard of good hygiene, e.g. Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. After coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose, discard your tissues in the bin and wash your hands after.
It is a good idea to carry a bottle of hand sanitiser with you at all times.
This all helps to prevent the spread of infection.
Flu vaccines are available prior to winter starting. For more information, contact your GP or local Immunisation Clinic. It takes up to two weeks for protection to develop after vaccination against flu and protection lasts about a year.
The National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia's peak body for health advice, recommends annual vaccination for anyone six months of age or older who wants to reduce their chances of becoming ill with the flu.
The seasonal flu vaccine is available on prescription or via GP and immunisation clinics and is provided free for certain groups. For more information visit www.health.wa.gov.au or contact your GP or Immunisation Clinic.
Asthma News
Asthma is a chronic lung condition that affects one in nine students up to 15 years of age and one in ten teenagers and adults. It is a common reason for school absenteeism and is a major cause of childhood admissions to hospital. People die from asthma and more than half of these deaths are preventable. With appropriate management the impact of asthma can be minimised. Winter is here and people with asthma, their families and carers are urged to make sure their asthma is adequately managed.
The Asthma Foundation is advising people to contact them if they or their family member does not have a written asthma action plan, have not had their asthma reviewed by their GP in the last six months, or are having asthma symptoms at least weekly.
I urge all parents who have asthma or children or family members with asthma to visit your doctor at least every six months to check your asthma and discuss your written Asthma Action Plan. If your child has Asthma please make sure that they carry their Asthma First Aid treatment – Ventolin/Asmol with them at all times.
Spray Deodorants - Reminder to parents that students are not allowed to bring spray deodorants to school as they may trigger an asthma attack!
World No Tobacco Day, 31 May 2022
Tobacco and Cardiovascular Disease
World No Tobacco Day 2022 will focus on the impact tobacco has on the cardiovascular health of people worldwide.
Tobacco use is an important risk factor for the development of coronary heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. Despite the devastating harms of tobacco to heart health, and the availability of solutions to reduce tobacco-related death and disease, knowledge among large sections of the public that tobacco is one of the leading causes of CVD is low.
Smoking
What’s in a cigarette?
Cigarettes are made from the dried leaves of the tobacco plant after they have been treated with many different chemicals. Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, and many of these cause cancer. Some of the chemicals found in cigarette smoke include;
- Arsenic (also found in white ant poison);
- Hydrogen cyanide (the poison used in gas chambers in World War II);
- Benzene (also found in petrol), and;
- Acetone (also found in paint stripper and nail polish remover).
Smoking is the largest cause of preventable death in Australia and about 245 Western Australians have body organs partially or completely removed because of problems caused by smoking each year. For more info on smoking, go to www.oxygen.org.au and www.quit.org.au
Help your child to be a non-smoker
Set a good example by being a non-smoker. If you have found quitting difficult and are still a smoker, tell your child how you feel about it.
Reinforce the non-smoking messages. Make your house and car smoke-free zones. Don’t send your child to buy cigarettes or allow them to light cigarettes for yourself or others. If there are smokers in the house, keep cigarettes where children cannot access them. Discuss the issue of smoking with your child when you see others smoke.
Educate your children about the dangers of smoking. Explain the long-term risks but emphasise the immediate risks to their health and wellbeing (for example, bad breath, stained teeth and fingers and less money in their pocket). Explaining the long-term risks may not have much of an impact, as young people can find it difficult to imagine 20 or 30 years into the future.
For more information on smoking, go to www.quit.org.au and www.oxygen.org.au.
VAPING
Although the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), or vaping has been proposed as a safe, or safer, alternative to the smoking of tobacco products, e-cigarettes contain many chemicals, often with known harmful effects, and there is a growing body of research that demonstrates that vaping has adverse health impacts.
Ms D. Kitak, School Nurse
Enrol online on call 9314 9500.
Our next Newsletter will be published in Term 2, Week 10, 2022
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