Eastern Fleurieu R-12 Newsletter Week 10 Term 3 2023

R-12

Principal’s Report

Dear all,

As we near the end of another productive term, I am delighted to share with you some of the wonderful highlights and achievements that have taken place at Eastern Fleurieu R-12 School over the past few months.

Our students continue to shine academically. We have seen remarkable improvements in student progress across all year levels, with our A-E assessment data and NAPLAN results demonstrating this. Whilst there is always room for improvement this data tells us where to next in our planning at a whole school level right down to the individual student level. This continuous improvement are a testament to the hard work of our students and the commitment of our teaching and support staff.

Our extracurricular activities have been flourishing. Our sports teams have competed with great determination, and our artists and musicians have showcased their talents in local exhibitions and performances. There have been many individual student achievements as well as the amazing performance of our Show Team. This newsletter and others earlier this term show the opportunities that are provided to students and how they embrace them. We are immensely proud of all our students who have demonstrated their skills and passion outside the classroom and thank the teachers and families including the wider community for their support.

The school has a strong commitment to community engagement, and this term was no exception. We have continued to foster partnerships with local organisations especially local employers, participated in community events, and supported various charitable causes. Our students have shown incredible empathy and generosity towards those in need.

I'm pleased to report that several infrastructure projects have gained some traction this term, this will enhance the learning environment for our students. These much needed upgrades are part of our ongoing efforts to provide the best possible facilities for our students.

As we look forward to the upcoming term break, let us take a moment to celebrate these accomplishments and the collective spirit of our school community. None of this would be possible without the dedication of our teaching and support staff, the enthusiasm of our students, and the ongoing support of our parents and caregivers.

In week 8 our Year 12 Food & Hospitality students catered for staff, creating 16 impeccable individual dishes.

I want to express my gratitude to all of you for your continued commitment to Eastern Fleurieu R-12 School. Together, we are creating an environment where students can flourish academically, socially, and personally.

Please enjoy a well-deserved break over the holiday period, and I look forward to welcoming our students back for another exciting term ahead.

See you at the Strathalbyn R-6 Sports Day on Friday.

Regards,
Ian Kent
Principal
Eastern Fleurieu R-12 School

Term Dates 2023

Eastern Fleurieu School R-12 Important dates

Mayor Short Story Competition

Alexandrina Libraries received 403 entries for the 2023 Mayor Short Story Competition.  The judges reported that they were very impressed with the skills and imagination of our local creative writers.

We would like to acknowledge all of our students who entered this year.

The winners and shortlisted students were announced at the presentation evening held at Victor Harbor Library on Thursday 7^th September, including three students from Eastern Fleurieu School.

Shortlisted Students

Reception to Year 2:

Ada Year 1 (Langhorne Creek R-6 Campus)

Years 5 to 7:

Tayah Year 7 (7-12 Campus)
Gemma Year 7 (7-12 Campus)

Category Winners (1 x Book Store Voucher For Each Winner)

Years 5 to 7:

Gemma Year 7 (7-12 Campus)

Overall Winner (1 x $50 Book Store Voucher + $1,000 to Winning School)

Gemma Year 7 (7-12 Campus)

Gemma‘s 'The Secrets of The Sandy City’ Wins in Mayor Short Story Competition. Congratulations!

In a showcase of literary talent, Gemma secured victory in both her age group category and overall, in the competitive Mayor Short Story Competition this term. Her narrative, "The Secrets of The Sandy City," enthralled judges and showcased her remarkable storytelling skills.

"The Secrets of The Sandy City," unveiled a dark plot within Tabuk, a city nestled among vast sand dunes. Following protagonist Oliver, he exposed corruption and a city gripped by a mysterious demise. He rallied a team, executing a daring plan to dismantle a clandestine operation harvesting minerals for weapons of mass destruction, bringing peace back to Tabuk.

Gemma's success showcases the burgeoning creative talent within our student community, sparking anticipation for future literary achievements.

Kindy Open Day

Treasure Box Donations

BYOD – Bring Your Own Device to 7-12 Campus

At the 7-12 Campus all students are required to have their own BYOD laptop.

Purchase your laptop here

We have a strong focus on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) literacies that will enable students to be successful global citizens in the 21st century. EFS have implemented the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) system to meet the increasing demand of ICT in the classroom as we believe that it is a sustainable way to allow students to have one-to-one access to technology.

We recommend you purchase your device through our online portal – for new or students or those needing to upgrade..

Would you like to host an international student?

Information:  

Apply here:  

School Calendar

Please be sure to check the School Calendar for dates of events. The calendar is available through our SZapp, Website and Newsletter and is colour coded for you to select which campus is relevant to you.

Website

Out of School Hours Care (OSHC)

Your provider of OSHC is YMCA SA.

YMCA South Australia OSHC provides a Before and After School Care along with Vacation Care for school aged children 5-12 years on a casual and permanent basis.

OSHC provides a safe, fun and stimulating place for children to engage in structured, unstructured and educational activities that are specifically tailored to the child’s interests and needs. Our friendly and experienced staff work hard to ensure your children are cared for in a welcoming, supportive and stimulating environment. We value the uniqueness and diversity of every child, and seek to support and empower them to reach their full potential. Our programs are structured in accordance with the National Quality Framework and are led by our highly trained educators.

At YMCA SA we consider the safety and wellbeing of children and other vulnerable people to be our highest priority.

To register your child in our OSHC or Vacation Care programs, view program information or catch up with the latest news visit:

R-12 School Uniform

EFS School Uniform Shop
WE HAVE MOVED

9a Callington Road, Strathalbyn SA 5255

Term Time Open Hours

Tuesdays 8:30 – 10:45am
Thursdays 3:45 – 5:45pm

For uniform enquiries outside of our open hours, contact Ms Julie Martin.  

Bubbells Embroidery 

Phone: 0417 771 944           Email:bubbells@adam.com.au

If our open hours don’t suit you, we can take email and phone orders and we can arrange remote purchases for your convenience. 

Online safety

For a comprehensive guide to resources to assist us in navigating safely through the online world, please visit the link below:

Community News

Goolwa Aquatic Club Sailing - Junior Learn to Sail

Goolwa Aquatic Club Sailing are pleased to announce that bookings are now open for the junior Learn-to-Sail course 10th-13th October 2024.

We will be running two classes, mornings or afternoons, 3 hour sessions for 4 days with Qualified Australian Sailing Instructors at The Goolwa Aquatic Club.

This very popular course covers the basics of dinghy sailing and is specifically designed for kids in the 7 to 15 age bracket. Participants will learn the theory and practical aspects of sailing a dinghy - and have a whole lot of fun in the process.

All equipment is supplied including the PFDs ("life jackets"), helmets and boats. 

For booking and further information see below:

The Funny Farmers Get MOOving

The Funny Farmers and their loveable dancing cow have lost the plot, so everyone must spring into action! This hilarious kids show features live music, puppets and comedy skits encouraging the audience to tackle some big environmental issues. With recycled jokes, watered-down ideas and energy-saving dance moves, The Funny Farmers are sure to inspire everyone to... 'get MOOving!' 

*Children 2 years and under free

Tickets: $12.00

Available at the Murray Bridge Regional Gallery (08) 8539 1420 or the link below:

ASHBOURNE CAMPUS

14 Ashbourne Road, Ashbourne SA 5157 Ph: 8536 2455

Head of Campus Report

Spring has sprung at Ashbourne campus. The birds are out in full flight and song and the native plants are blooming. It is a beautiful place to be during spring, the staff and students enjoy being outside under our red gum trees, chatting, sharing a story and a laugh.

We have been watching the different stages of our new ‘Nature Play’ space being installed over the past few weeks. The first stage is complete, featuring stunning cut wood that provide the edging to a new large sandpit. The children have already spent hours in this space. Playing in the sand and jumping and climbing over the wood. This area is bringing the children together through imaginative nature play. We are excited to see the rest of this area be made.

In Week 6, the students loved dressing up for Book Week as their favourite book character. It was lovely to see them all so excited, and sharing this joy with their families and the staff.

Regards,
Rebekah Fahey
Head of Campus

Bush School

The students have been very busy this term learning about Antarctica, and creating their own Antarctic animals. They had to research their chosen animal and then plan how they would make it and what materials they would use. They have been using their creativity and critical thinking during these lessons. There has been a lot of learning and re thinking and planning during each stage of the construction. We are looking forward to seeing the finished animals.

The children have learnt about the importance of igloos in Antarctica and how they are made using the compacted ice. The children were set a STEM challenge to work in small groups to make their own igloos from their choice of material. This was a trial before they would work as a whole class to construct an igloo from milk bottles.  The first lesson saw they children working together to think about the best way to place the milk cartoons and how big it would need to be to fit a child inside. They had to consider the height and the opening to get in and out. They knew it needed to spiral up to create a dome shape. The deep thinking has been exceptional, as has the communication and cooperation. The task of making the milk cartoon igloo is proving to be harder than we first thought, however the children are persisting and we will see if it can all come together in the end.

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Assembly

In Week 6 the Acacia class ran the whole school assembly, both classes shared their learning from the past five weeks. It was lovely to have some parent’s joining the assembly. The awards went to Seth, Hayden, Jebediah and Luca. Well done to the four boys for each demonstrating on of the 6 Global competencies.

Book Week

Acacia Class

This term Acacia has been learning about the artist Wassily Kandinsky and trying out some of his art styles. Wassily Kandinsky was a Russian painter who was born in 1866. Kandinsky had a syndrome known as synesthesia, which influenced his senses. People with synesthesia feel, see, hear, smell and taste things in unique ways. He said he could hear bold, swirling colours and see vibrant-coloured sounds. The way Kandinsky saw and heard life greatly influenced his art and he grew up to be one of the first creators of abstract art. These pictures are based on Kandinsky’s Squares with Concentric Circles which he created in 1913.

Dates to Remember

LANGHORNE CREEK CAMPUS

Bridge Road, Langhorne Creek SA 5255    Ph: 8536 2455

Head of Campus Report

I am pleased to share our campus is feeling more settled since our last newsletter. Administration is organised, up and running in the house on Bridge Road. Students, staff and families are enjoying our refurbished work and learning spaces. A few tweaks to finalise our clean, fresh workspaces.

The recent Industrial Action was supported by staff teaching staff on the student free day. Our Administration and SSO staff attended a section of the day working on our school values, then returned to Langhorne Creek to work together to set up our Administration with the arrival of furniture and storage cupboards.

We have been working collaboratively with our Campus Advisory Committee Members (CAC) members to continue developing our garden space with the focus on ‘Garden to Plate’. Students work in small groups to plant, maintain and develop this lovely part of our yard. Work has begun this week to relocate garden beds as we prepare this area for the arrival of our recently purchased Garden Propagation shed. A huge thankyou to our CAC for the successful grant application to fund our purchase. Our CAC are focussing on fundraisers for our campus to upgrade our outdoor equipment play areas for our students and grounds. We will share more about this as we explore our options.

Over the past weeks, students have been completing PAT M and PAT R - Maths and Reading Assessments. This informs us of ways to best support our students learning, identifying areas to focus on along with areas to stretch learners' for growth. We are pleased to be able to have six of our students included in Maths Extension at Strathalbyn R-6 Campus. Recently four of these participated in the Australian Maths Competition. We look forward to announcing their results.

Langhorne Creek HUB Art Competition

Our students have completed their entries in the Langhorne Creek HUB art competition. Our local HUB have viewed entries and entries have been chosen and Art to be made into larger pieces of art for our main street. Winning entries were announce at our Assembly in Week 8.

Reception to Year 2 Class:

Winning entries

1^st Ada - Year 2
2^nd   Lincoln - Year 2
3^rd   Mila - Year 1
4^th Emerson - Year 2
5^th   Esther - Year 2

Commendation to - Poppy – Reception, Elijah B – Year 1 and Seth – Year 2

Year 3-6 Class:

Winning entries

1^st   Darcy - Year 5
2^nd   Maisy - Year 6
3^rd   Kate H - Year 6
4^th   Charlotte - Year 6
5^th   Jack - Year 6

Commendation to – Lexi – Year 5 and Peggy – Year 6

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LC HUB Art Competition

A huge Thankyou to our local Langhorne Creek HUB for supporting our campus. We appreciate funding support to purchase Art prizes for our students.

Enjoy the remainder of term 3, we look forward to the term 3 holiday break. Enjoy this time with your children and families.

Regards,
Les Cameron
Head of Campus

Mayor’s Short Story Competition

Congratulations Ada

A big congratulations to Ada whose entry was shortlisted in the Mayor's Short Story competition. We are all very proud of her. Please read her submission below. 

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LC Ada’s Story

From Miss Anna’s Koalas Class

Child Protection Curriculum

In the koala class we have been looking at relationships and who we can trust. We went outside and took advantage of the beautiful weather to discuss this as a class. We made a collaborative relationship circle then used chalk to draw who we can trust.

LC Koalas Child Protection

Maths

We have been working on our problem solving and addition or subtraction skills in maths. We have looked at lots of different strategies, such as doubles, near doubles, ten facts and adding to a friendly number. We use games to promote our fluency in these skills.

LC Koalas Maths 

Assembly

We made the most of the sunshine and our new deck space at last Friday’s assembly. Congratulations to our Assembly Award receivers.

Playgroup

Over the last few weeks we have been exploring different forms of creative expression including cotton bud painting, and black and white.  We have completed our collage entry for the Strathalbyn Show.  Several children enjoyed dressing up for Footy Colours Day. The children have enjoyed reading books about Australian animals. Next week we will visit Urumbirra Wildlife Park. 

The two sites of Strathalbyn Kindergarten, Coronation Road and Burkett Drive, are having an Open Day on Friday, 29^th September. Please refer to the flyer included in this newsletter for further information. 

LC Playgroup

Libby Thornton
Playgroup Co-ordinator

Dates to Remember

MILANG CAMPUS

Cnr Cox and Rivers Street, Milang SA 5256     Ph: 8536 2455

Head of Campus Report

As we come to the end of Term 3 we always reflect on our achievements for the term. Last week all your students Year 1 – Year 6 completed their progressive Maths and Reading tests. These are conducted each year at the same time to see how the students have grown. I was pleased to look at the results and see how all of our students had made growth in one of the test areas. It also gives us valuable information for where we are headed with our teaching; to fill the gaps and move students along. Well done to all the students who tried their very best to answer all the questions!

I am also very proud at this time of year to celebrate the student’s hard work in preparation for the Spring Concert and Art Exhibition. I hope you enjoy the performance as much as the students have enjoyed preparing!

Regards,
Susannah Cook
Head of Campus

Playgroup

Over the past few weeks we have welcomed several new families to the Milang Playgroup community.  The children have enjoyed exploring a range of playful learning experiences.

We have completed our collage for the Strathalbyn Show. The children have enjoyed retelling and acting out the story of There Was An Old Woman Who Swallowed A Fly. They have also explored cotton bud and black and white painting. We have been learning about Australian animals, and are looking forward to our upcoming visit to Urimbirra Wildlife Park.

The two sites of the Strathalbyn Kindergarten - Burkett Drive and Coronation Road are holding an Open Day on Friday, 29^th September. Please refer to the attached flyer for further information.

Happenings at Milang

Break Time with Bonnie

This term I have been getting to know the students and what sorts of activities they like to do at recess and lunch times. Lots of kids love getting crafty, so we have been making ‘octopus’ friendship bracelets as well as lots of other beaded creations! On Wednesday mornings we have also started ‘Boxes’ again and some great innovative and problem solving skills have been on display as students cut, screw and put together their creations. At lunchtime on Thursdays we have been keeping things relaxed with some colouring and music for those who simply want a spot to hang out and relax. Next term I hope to do a few more activities and students have made many requests including making clay bead and slime! 

Recess and lunchtime can be tricky to navigate as children may not always have a friend to play with so activities like these provide opportunities to make new friends, have fun and feel included - things all children need to be ready to learn!

Here are some snaps of keen bracelet makers Molly, Amelia and Beau.

Regards,
Bonnie Edgecomb
Pastoral Care Worker

Spring Concert and Art Exhibition 

Our amazing concert and Art Exhibition was held yesterday.  Stay tuned for photos in the next newsletter.   For those of you who wouId like to order more cards, I will be placing an order next week, so please let me know if you would like to order any extra packs.

Ice Creams

For the last week of term Seth will be selling mini ice cream tubs for $2 at recess and lunch, until sold out, raising money for a charity.  Seth came up with this idea as part of his Year 6 citizenship.

Coffee Morning

Last one for the term to be held at the Mini Mart 8:45am – 10:00am on Thursday, 28^th September free coffee/tea and scones.  Little ones welcome. We are trying Thursday this time to see if we can gather a few that can’t do a Wednesday.  Hope you can make it.

Assembly

Reminders from Donna

Hats 

Hats are required now at all play times and PE lessons as is our sun safe policy.  Donna has some new hats available for $10.

Attendance 

Please always contact the school if your child is late, call or come in and sign a yellow slip.  Also if your child is away or someone else is picking them up.  If we don’t hear from you your child’s absence is marked as unexplained.  A message from another student is not enough, we need to hear from a parent. If you are picking your child up early please come into the office and complete a green slip. 

Please continue to follow the guidelines for keeping us all safe.  If you need to come on site, please ensure you are sanitising when entering any buildings. Keep your visits brief and social distance at all times. 

Note Folders 

The oldest child in each family is responsible for handing in their note folder each day to Donna and taking it home each night with any new notes.  Can you please make sure you are checking these each day and sending back any notes or consents that need to be brought back.  Also any book club money and order forms need to be returned in the folder. 

Dates to Remember

STRATHALBYN R-6 CAMPUS

34 East Terrace, Strathalbyn SA 5255     Ph: 8536 2455

Heads of Campus Report

One more sleep….

We are so looking forward to our annual Sports Day tomorrow.  Students have been madly practicing events, whole school relay, health hustle, war cries and getting outfits organised in preparation.  The weather is looking perfect and our groundsman, Steve Blackeby has the grounds looking a treat.  These days don’t happen without hours of behind the scenes work and an enormous thank you must go to Ms Frost, Mr K, Donna, Zara and our house captains. 

Important – we have changed the sign out process this year, please sign students out with class teachers if you would like to take students home early.  Hopefully, this will support parents by not having to line up at the front office.

Please remember to encourage students to wear a hat, slap on some sunscreen and encourage good sportsmanship on the day.  Click on our QR code sent home on Seesaw or around school, for a full program of events.

Phonics Screening Check and PAT Testing

Year 1 teachers have been supporting students to complete the Phonic Screening Check.  Through targeted teaching, intervention, and monitoring pre and post analysis, our students have individually made amazing growth. 73.56% of our Year One students, across all campuses, met target in the Phonic Screening Check, up from 62% in 2022.

Students in Year 1 – Year 6 have also been completing PAT Reading and Mathematics testing.  Both PAT and Phonic Check provide individual reports that support teachers to know where students are at; identify gaps and most importantly, resources to support learning going forward.  It has been encouraging to see many students making growth in both numeracy and comprehension in the last 12 months.

Class Placement and Transition

Parent letters have come home regarding class placement for 2024, please read carefully and provide feedback to Jo at jo.garwood825@schools.sa.edu.au if needed.  Class teachers are supporting students to complete student tabs and begin placement process early Term Four.

It is a very exciting time, with many activities happening to support the successful transition to 2024.

• Two kindy parent kindy information sessions held
• Current reception teachers visiting all three of our pre-school centres
• All Kindy and new students have visited their first session with Mrs Mead in Room 20
• Identified Year 6 students having regular visits to our 7-12 campus
• All Year 6 students are due to visit the 7-12 campus for second visit
• Kindy/parent meetings being held before the end of term with school staff
• Many school tours each week with families interested in attending our wonderful school

Regards,
Jo Garwood, Sophie Frost and Mel Pitt
Heads of Campus

Parent Club Update

Parent Club have most recently supported Breakfast Club with the addition of an industrial toaster. This toaster has helped to ensure students are served their breakfast at a continuous rate.

We thank Sam Melville for supporting Parent Club to print t-shirts for Sports Day. We look forward to seeing these on display during Sports Day.

We are currently preparing for our annual Christmas raffle. Booklets of 10 tickets will be sent home next term. If you have a business that would like to donate a prize, please get in contact with Helen Wakefield (helen.wakefield130@schools.sa.edu.au).

Regards,
Parent Club

Basketball with Room 13

For the past 4 weeks our class has been lucky enough to participate in a basketball program ran by Year 7 students Jaide, Lily, Laycie, Maya and Quba. 

The girls came over on Monday and Thursdays and taught us new skills in dribbling, shooting, passing and sportsmanship. 

I loved playing Golden Child. - Chase

I got a lot better at looking up while I am dribbling the ball. - Liam

I feel a lot more comfortable running with the ball and in my shooting. - Jack

Having taught and coached some of these Year 7 students it was really pleasing to see them take on a leadership role and being so confident in delivering their well-planned and very inclusive sessions. I am really proud of them and the growth and development they have made in their public speaking. Well done girls.

Regards,
Darcy Springhall

Link SA

CFS Visit with Room 21

Room 21 were very lucky to have Aksel’s Pop bring a CFS Firetruck to school for us to look at. They gave us a tour of all the special tools they use to help put out fires and protect themselves from the smoke. We had the opportunity to walk through the back of the truck, sit in the driver’s seat, turn the hose on, as well as wear the helmets and protective jackets. It was very exciting!

Some of our favourite parts of the firetruck visiting were:

We squirted the hose, we got to wear the helmet and the jacket. My favourite part was sitting inside. - Amia

Hearing the siren. - Edith

Hopping in the front and putting on the helmet. - Hugo

“Getting to spray the hose. - Sophie

Sitting in the firetruck with Pop and squirting the hose. – Aksel

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Regards,
Danni Campagnaro

Room 25 Monarto Zoo Excursion

In Week 6, Rooms 25 and 27 had a super fun excursion to Monarto Safari Park. In our Biological Sciences investigations this term we have been learning about wild animals and their habitats. Our visit to Monarto gave us the opportunity to observe many different wild animals that we have been researching, including antelope, bison, zebras, ostriches, rhinos, hyenas, cheetahs and lions, in a habitat similar to their native one. We learned about how animals use natural hollows to create environments to live in. We also met some cheeky young chimpanzees who were very friendly to us but looked like they were being very annoying to the adult chimpanzees! The students enjoyed seeing the animals up close from the safety of the bus and the hands-on experiences provided by the tour guides. They also enjoyed being able to observe the animal they have been researching in real life. This week, we are creating a diorama of our chosen animal’s habitat to consolidate our learning during our excursion. It was such a wonderful day out exploring some of the amazing creatures and habitats in our world!

Regards,
Marissa Baker

Performing Arts Group Update

Performing Arts Group 2023

On Wednesday, 20^th of September, all of our hard work and practicing came to a result in our PAG performance!

We spent the day at the 7-12 campus rehearsing our performance, ready to hit the stage that night. It was so wonderful to see each and every student up on the stage, sharing what they have learnt and worked so hard on. Every student should be extremely proud of what they created together. We had so many wonderful comments on how well the Choir, Dance Troupes and Band performed. A huge thank you to our choir teacher, Lauren Holdstock for working with our choir to sound so fantastic. And a huge thank you to Shayne Tarling for his work with our fantastic PAG band.

Now we can sit back and enjoy the holidays, ready to kick start Term 4 with many performances and opportunities coming our way!

Junior Choir

Tuesday’s at lunchtime, a small group of Year 3 and 4 students have continued to meet for our junior choir. They have been working on songs and perfecting different singing techniques, all the while – having fun! It has been great to see these students work together and their commitment to their singing.

Performing Arts Classroom

During our Performing Arts classes, we have been working just as hard!

Our focus this term has been a combination of drama and music. We have been working on creating our own sound effects with unusual instruments in the room. We have also been creating our own plays as well as our own songs. It has been wonderful to hear the different tracks that have been created on Chrome Music Lab across all year levels. The creativity we have at this school is amazing!

Regards,
Caitlin Koutsikas

Little Athletics

Year 5/6 Basketball

On the 8^th of August our Year 5/6 Boys and Girls Basketball sides competed in the large school's carnival in Wayville. 

Both sides had a successful day with the girls defeating Pultney, and Flagstaff Hill by big margins before losing a tight contest to Paringa Park by 6. These results saw them make the finals where they just missed making the grand final by going down to St. Aloysius by 7, before winning their bronze medal playoff game against St. Francis by 3.

The boys also started strongly beating rivals St. Francis de Sales and Magill comfortably, before a nail-biting match up vs Highgate saw our boys dig deep to win by 2 points! The boys played a crossover semi-final against St. Martin de Porres and once again, won in a thriller by 2 points. The boys qualified for the Grand Final against the very skilful Concordia College and despite some great team play we went down fighting 23-16.

A great day had by all, thanks to Alissa, Noah, Mr K and all our parent helpers on the day.  

Dates to Remember

STRATHALBYN 7-12 CAMPUS

11 Callington Road, Strathalbyn SA 5255    Ph: 8536 2455

Head of Campus Report

As we reach the end of Term 3, as usual, there is much to celebrate and look forward to.  Our Year 12s will soon be departing whilst our Year 6 students begin their transition activities. Year 9s are heading out to their Rite Journey camps (we wish them well with this huge challenge) and you will see later in the newsletter that our Show Team had some wonderful achievements in 2023; congratulations to everyone involved!

STAFFING UPDATE

Our core business for the coming term will be planning for next year.  Thankfully, we have been very fortunate to retain all of our temporary teachers through conversions to permanency and renewed contracts, which provides much-needed continuity for students in 2024.  Meanwhile, there will be some changes for Term 4.

Senior Years Assistant Principal Stephen Rofe will be taking leave meaning there will be some changes in leadership roles for the rest of 2023. Senior Leader Matt Taylor will step into the Assistant Principal role, and Jack Rowe will join the Senior Years leadership team behind Matt. We wish Stephen well for his adventure and congratulate both Matt and Jack who will undoubtedly ensure it’s smooth sailing for the rest of year. Please refer all SACE enquiries to Matt Taylor.

We also farewell Chantelle Gulliver who will soon be having her baby, and Polly Macauley who is starting a temporary role working on curriculum development at another location. We are hoping to see them both again when they are ready to return, meanwhile we wish them well.

SSOs Mel Brook and Paul Roberts have also moved to pastures new and we thank them for service and contributions to EFS.

READY TO LEARN

In my recent newsletter I spoke about the importance of providing consistent expectations and routines in order to promote students’ readiness for learning. Also of great importance is the need for students to take responsibility for planning ahead and ensuring they have appropriate materials ready for learning each day. All too often students arrive to class without basic materials including stationery, books and a charged device. We have also noticed an increase in the number of students who need a loan device or request to use chargers during the day.  Being organised at the start of a lesson can ensure a smooth start for everyone.

In order to meet our work health and safety obligations, we actively discourage the use of student chargers unless they have been tested and tagged. In Term 4 we will be carrying out an inspection to ensure chargers are in good condition and, if not, they will need to be replaced. We will share further information about this process in due course.

To support us in improving your child’s readiness for learning, we ask that you check in with your child to ensure they have necessary equipment in their schoolbags, and give daily reminders about the needs to charge their devices at the end of the school day. As always, wearing school uniform is another expectation that we appreciate your support with.

Another reminder to please encourage your children to wear the appropriate colours for under-layers and jumpers during Winter. The school colours are navy or white (underlayers only) and we want students to wear them with pride! Please remember that hoodies are not permitted at any time. 

The Uniform Shop is located at 9A Callington Road, Strathalbyn. Julie’s contact numbers are 8536 2648 or 0417 771 944 or you can email her at bubbells@adam.com.au.

Keep your details up to date

Please contact the school if any of your personal details change. This helps us to keep you up to date and informed with school news. Thank you.

If you have any issues you would like to raise, or would like to share constructive feedback, please don’t hesitate to contact me at the 7-12 Campus on (08) 8536 2455.

Regards,
Vanessa Coker
Director Secondary Education

Important Dates to Remember

Stage 2 Health and Wellbeing

On Monday of Week 8, in an inspiring journey of cultural enrichment, Stage 2 Health and Wellbeing students embarked on a memorable visit to Colebrook Reconciliation Park in Eden Hills. Nestled amidst the natural beauty of South Australia, this park is a testament to the importance of reconciliation and preserving First Nations culture.

During the visit, students engaged in various activities that deepened their understanding of Aboriginal culture and history. They engaged with the stories of former Colebrook House residents and their families, witnessed meaningful art displays, and learned about the significance of the park's sculptures and symbols.

This immersive experience instilled a profound sense of respect and appreciation for Australia's First Nations people; a wonderful lesson in the interconnectedness between cultural harmony and our own health and wellbeing. As our students return with newfound knowledge and appreciation, they carry the seeds of reconciliation and unity.

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Art Exhibition- Art Gallery of South Australia

Frida and Diego: Love and Revolution

As part of the Year 10 and 11 art and design courses, we have taken 40 students down to the Art Gallery of South Australia to view the Frida Kahlo and Diego art exhibition. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many of our students as Adelaide was the only city within Australia to host this exhibition. The only other opportunity students would have to view this work is if they travelled overseas.

‘Love and Revolution’ exhibits many of Frida Kahlo and Diego's artworks and also showcases other artists that have been inspired by them as people, revolutionists, artists and their flair. Frida’s work mostly shows a range of portrait paintings and sketches of herself and other subjects that have been part of her life in one way or another. The art talks about Mexico, its politics, traditions, social influences, the revolution, points of view, love and loss and everyday life.

Students had the opportunity to look at the paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures and clothing up close, studying their colour palettes, patterns, composition, and techniques which will lead to a major piece of work that they will be starting to design and make this term.

For many of the Year 10’s it was their first time in a major art gallery, and they were super excited and keen, asking many questions and really engaging with the artworks and artists. It was such a beautiful group of young people to take down and immerse in some art and culture.

After viewing the exhibition students had a chance to participate in a student papercutting workshop run by the Art Gallery and led by an artist. Students looked at some paper-based artworks which focused on Frida themes, then had the opportunity to play and create some fun pieces that they could take home with them.

Overall a fantastic day out and about enjoying the sun, culture, art and some creativity.

Regards,
Gabi Kirk, Jen Turpin and Tracey Rosser

Year 9 Geography

Adelaide Zoo Field Trip

In Week 6 our Year 9 cohort visited the Adelaide Zoo as a part of their Geography fieldwork assessment. Students completed two sessions of fieldwork. The first session required them to assess the way that palm oil plantations are affecting rainforests and animals around the world. The second session gave students the opportunity to analyse their chosen animal enclosure and make suggestions on how the Zoo could improve the enclosure to be more like their natural habitat. All students represented our school brilliantly and all learned a lot across the day.

Regards,
Kelly White

Agriculture

Cows Create Careers+

Another successful Cows Create Careers Program this year demonstrated the talents of students in the area of dairy cattle production. The Cows Create Careers program is a national competition aimed at show casing the national dairy industry, dairy cattle, the importance of dairy to the national economy and the vast array of career opportunities that exist to motivated young Australians.

Our two calves, Ollie and Otis, provided a wonderful resource to teach students the responsibilities of caring for young livestock as well as inspire the following prize winning students:

Rahni and Rani’s video submission won the prize for the best entry of any school on the Fleurieu Peninsula. This prize has given their video eligibility for entry into the National (that’s Australia wide!) Schools Competition with results due early November. Isaac was awarded the Jeff Kernich Memorial Encouragement Award for his entry.  A fantastic result! A big thank you to Brett Fiebig for loaning his livestock to the school for this program. The livestock make the whole program worthwhile.

Royal Adelaide Show

The Royal Adelaide Show once again provided its unique mixture of emotions and efforts as our students prepared, trained, pampered and showed off our livestock (and themselves) in all their glory on the public stage. We had three teams across the week with livestock entered in the School Led Steer Competitions, School Merino Wether Competition and School Wether Goat Competitions.

Led Steers

EFS had four steers entered in the Led Steer Competition with our Bottlesford Murray Grey “Baxter” awarded 5^th in the Paraded Steer Section. EFS steers were also awarded two Top 10 finishes in class in the associated carcass competitions.

Congratulations to Cody, Ethan, Tom, Ben, Tayla, Hamish, Montana, Cortni, Jess, Amber, Sam, Alani and Blaine for their conduct and efforts over the competition weekend. A big thankyou to The Koopman Family “Bottlesford” Murray Grey Stud and Trish and Michael of “Kilkerrin” Poll Hereford Stud for their continued support of the EFS show steer program.

Merino Wethers (Pen of 3)

EFS entered two teams of three wethers in the schools competition at the Royal Show where animals compete in the disciplines of uniformity, wool quality, meat quality and overall profitability. This is a very competitive competition with schools from all over South Australia competing. Unfortunately, our animals were outshone on the day by some merinos of exceptional quality, but EFS students did a fantastic job of presenting themselves and our animals to the highest order.

Congratulations to team members Gemma, Emily, Isaac, Jacob, Justin, Amber, Zinta and Charlotte who’s team work, spirit and comradery was a real highlight over a tough day of competition. A big thank you to the Koehler Family “Radnor” Poll Merino and Merino Stud for their on-going support of this program.

Goats

Wow! What a day! The goat competition certainly provided some challenges, but once again EFS students took the circumstances all in their stride. EFS had 12 goats entered and provided the most success across our 2023 Show campaign. EFS came home with a pleasing 1^st, 5^th and a 6^th amongst a high-quality field of livestock from schools across the state. Congratulations to Gemma and Jason that were selected for and competed in the final of the Handlers Competition. The best handlers from each class heat were selected for this competition and both competed extremely well despite some trying circumstances. Gemma placed 5^th in the final of the handlers – congratulations! 

Congratulations to Jessica, Lilleshia, Tait, Jaimie, Aston, Jason, Tristen, Kayla, Stephanie, Leuan, Rhegan, Ashleigh and Gemma who represented EFS with great poise and enthusiasm. A big thank you to Skiplen Boer Goat Stud, Bayern-Hof Kalahari Red Stud and Kambo Boer Goat Stud for their support this year.

Lisa and I would like to thank all EFS staff and students for their support, understanding and flexibility during preparations and competition. It is a long haul across two terms to get ready for an action packed few days. All team members must be commended for their commitment and enthusiasm as students must give up their own time to participate in this program. A huge thank you to parents who volunteered their time and cars to help ferry students to-and-from Strathalbyn.

A rapturous standing ovation must be observed in recognition of Martin Ferry (aka Marty) for all his work and support throughout the year which also extended to ferrying animals and humans to the showgrounds, as well as supervision and care at the showgrounds. A big thank you also to Justin Halling from Halling Horse Transport for volunteering his time and equipment to help get us to the show. 

Thank you to the Jackson family of “Hannaford – the seed specialists” for kindly donating the EFS caps to the steer and sheep teams; and to Julie from Bubbells for donating the embroidery.

Well done everyone!

Alani (Year 12)

Regards,
Ryan Garnett and Lisa Halling

Sheepdog Trials

Some of our Year 10 Agriculture students attended the Supreme Working Sheepdog Trials at the Strathalbyn Oval. Thank you to parent Simone, who organised Pip Hudson to speak to the students about what was required in the trial. Pip was very knowledgeable and mentioned that this event hosted by Strathalbyn was the best run championship in Australia!

Regards,
Lisa Halling - Ag Teacher

Knockout Football

Since our last newsletter our Year 7, 8 and 9 Girls Football team have played two more round of this year Knockout Cup Competition.  

After progressing into Round 2 we took on Aldinga Payinthi College on their home ground. In warm conditions, Aldinga started well and kicked the first goal of the game. Our girls started to get into the game our mid-fielders starting to give our forwards plenty of opportunities kicking the next two goal. Our second quarter was a very dominant, keeping Aldinga scoreless and kick another 4 goals taking 35 point lead at half time. The 3^rd quarter saw most of the play in our defence half, putting a lot of pressure on our defenders. The game again open up in the last quarter with the EFS kicking the last 3 goals of the game to progress to Round 3.

EFS 10 11 71 def Aldinga 2 3 15 

Goal scorers 

Ranhi D 4, Brianna R 3, Lucy M 2, Emily R  

Best Players 

Marly, Kayla, Lucy, Claire, Mia, Ruby 

Round 3 gave us an opportunity to reach the Knockout Cup Grand Final. Our opponents were the Mount Gambier based Tenison Woods College. The game was played halfway at Keith Football Club. Tension Woods started with two quick goals. Our girls composed ourselves and our defence held up after multiple attacks in the second quarter, but still needed a big second after to overcome the 12 point deficit. The 3 quarter was a physical game, with the likes of Levi V showing us her Rugby tackling talents, and Mackenzie C kicking and unbelievable goal from the boundary swinging the momentum our way. The last quarter was a slog, with both teams playing desperate football. Unfortunately for EFS, we lost by 7 points. However disappointing the results was, the girls certainly didn’t give up and we a very proud of where they finished in the competition.  

Tenison Woods 6 5  41 def EFS 5 4  34  

Goal Scorers 

Brianna, Marley, Mackenzie, Kayla 

Best Players  

Ruby, Levi, Mia, Charlotte, Marley, Kayla 

Regards
Ryan Diepgrond                                                                           

EFS TEAMS DOMINATE THE CROWS CUP 9 A SIDE COMPETITION

On Wednesday, 31^st of September four keen teams headed to Encounter for a big, fun day of 9 a Side Football. There was a large contingent of Fleurieu and Hills Schools involved and at the end of a very successful day, three of our teams came out on top. The 7/8 Boys won all their games in their pool and then won their cross over Grand Final against Victor Harbor, who were first in the other pool. The 7/8 Girls also won all their games against the other five teams in that competition. The 9/10 Boys lost their first game against Yankalilla, but they won all their remaining games to also come out on top. Unfortunately, the Open Girls couldn’t make it an EFS clean sweep, but they had fun day and were competitive in all games.

EFS YEAR 9/10 BASKETBALL ROUND UP

Zone Carnival

Earlier this term we took four teams to Morphett Vale Stadium for our Zone Basketball Carnival. Unfortunately, there were only two other schools in the girl’s competition. They played each other in the second game and had a close enjoyable game. Both teams then had a win against Investigator but went down to Wirreanda. The boy’s teams had two divisions. The division one team worked hard played some exciting basketball and won two of their four games defeating one of the Encounter teams and Aberfoyle. The division two boys’ team were competitive in their games, but unfortunately didn’t get a win however they enjoyed the day and like all our teams were very positive representatives for our school.

Knockout Carnival

From the Zone Carnival we had to select one team for the Knockout Basketball Carnival played at St Francis. The girls were up against Cornerstone and Unity. They had two full games, and in their first game they played out of their skins to post a comfortable win against Cornerstone. They then had to win against Unity to progress to the State Knockout Finals in Term 4. After a close tussle early Unity managed to get on top and progress. Our boys had five teams in their pool and played four short games. They fought hard in their first game against Cornerstone, but they just managed to keep control of the game despite our boys going on a couple of good runs and looking like they may get close. In the next three games they couldn’t get a win against some talented teams form Heathfield, Reynella, and Unity. However, they had some good periods, and never gave up, despite tiring with only one bench player.

7/8 FIVE A SIDE SOCCER CARNIVAL

On Wednesday the 6^th of September our 7/8s bussed to Wirreanda High to compete in our Zone 5 a Side Soccer Carnival. It was a picture, perfect day and there was a big contingent of teams from the Southern and Fleurieu regions, and a few from beyond. Both our teams were in Division 2 and despite this the standard of Soccer was quite high.

Our boys were psyched to win, and at times a little to psych up. They had good wins against Temple College, Goolwa, Victor Harbor and Reynella but had a narrow loss to the eventual winners Investigator. All boys contributed well, but Jake and Noah were standouts, and scored the majority of our goals on the day.

The girls had a few less students that play Soccer in their team, but they were very competitive and worked well as team and enjoyed the day. They drew their first game against Investigator, narrowly lost their next two against Seaford and Plympton, and a finished with a well-deserved win against Victor in their last game. Bonnie was our standout star player with the other girls all playing their role. It was pleasing to see the girls who don’t play regularly, improving significantly as the day went on.

R U OK DAY

EFS 7 – 12 Campus celebrated R U OK Day on Wednesday, 13^th September 2023. R U OK Day is a National Day of Action to remind everyone that every day is the day to ask, ‘Are you OK?’ and start a meaningful conversation whenever they spot the signs that someone they care about might be struggling with life.  

The day started with beautiful warm weather. Students were able to wear causal clothes for a gold coin donation. During the lunch time break we had lawn activities and picnic blankets set up on the oval, face painting, mindfulness colouring in table, RUOK wristbands and information about the day as well as cupcakes and care cups for sale. Over the day we raised $286.00 which will be donated to the Treasure Boxes Foundation. Treasure Boxes is a South Australian children's not-for-profit. They provide vital essentials to babies, children and teens living in disadvantage in our community.

The event would not have been possible without the support of staff and students working together. Thank you to everyone who contributed. 

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Library News

Premier’s Reading Challenge

The premier’s Reading Challenge has now finished. Well done to those who entered. Certificates will arrive next term.

Jigsaws

The donated jigsaws continue to be very popular.

Overdues

Most books have a two-week loan. If students need more time, they can bring the book back in to get the due date extended. If your child has an overdue you will get an email reminding you of this, which comes out once a week.

Regards,
Adrienne Carter