PRINCIPAL'S

MESSAGE

As Term Two has come to an end, it is always important to reflect upon what a busy and positive term we have had. 

Our sporting superstars continue to achieve success as part of a team and also on individual levels. This term we have seen our soccer and futsal teams achieve victories. Our Lawn Bowlers and Touch football teams have also seen success and a new sport for KKHS, Boccia, saw our students from Kuta Kaya finish fourth in the Hunter Regional competition. Also this term, for the first time ever, we had Year 7 student, Isabella Parsons compete in the NSW Interschool Equestrian Championships. 

Other standout performances from our sports people were

 Cooper Appleby and Henry Ly winning a silver medal representing the CHS Hunter Team, with Cooper being selected 

to represent NSW for future tournaments. Reece Lewis was also selected to represent the Hunter in the CHS and was able to celebrate a victory in this tournament. We also had Callum Esley winning the CHS touch football tournament as a representative of the CHS NSW Team. Savannah McLaren and Shelby James also gained some sporting stardom playing as part of the opening matches before the Women’s State of Origin. These achievements clearly show that our sporting successes continue to grow and inspire the whole school community! 

Continuing with the sporting theme, our weekly sporting competition has expanded to a new sport this term, with Ms Merrett and her team of student volunteers organising a Netball completion to run a lunch breaks. This has been another huge success with teams from most years being represented, with a secret team known as the Educator Elite entering the competition this year. Unfortunately, our grand final was rained off in the last week of term, so we are looking forward to this showdown when we retiring in Term 3. 

In Term 2, we have also strengthened our partnership with the University of Newcastle to enhance opportunities for all students to explore tertiary education. We have held parent information sessions to explain the application and scholarship processes, while creating some fantastic opportunities for our students with workshops held at school and on campus. Most recently our Year 9 students engaged in a Health and Medical Industry day and our graduating Year 12 students engaged with the early entry application process and an onsite campus open day. This partnership continues to grow to create amazing pathway options for our students. Ms Tilden, in the role of Career’s Advisor is working incredibly hard to make sure that these opportunities continue to occur for ours students. 

We have also ended the term with a very busy and productive NAIDOC week. Our Aboriginal Education Team had a great week or celebrations including BBQs, sporting events and performances. Despite the rain impacting a few events we were able to host some amazing guest speakers including Matt Syron and we needed the week with a screening of the documentary The Last Daughter and had a visit from Aunty Brenda Matthews. This was a fantastic week for the school and a big thank you must go to Ms Smith and Ms Lewis for all their work in organising these events.

In Term 3, we will continue our focus on positive engagement at school, starting with some reminders about wearing school uniform every day. We have a wide range of uniform that is available from our uniform suppliers, Flanagans Menswear, and also some special items including our Jr AECG Legacy polo shirt and winter jackets available from the school. Wearing full school uniform is expected from all students, every day. We consult regularly with our SRC on the range of items and have a few more additions coming to the uniform range later this year. We will also focus on our school’s mobile phone policy in Term 3. The mobile phone policy was informed by the NSW state wide ban on mobile phones in high schools, and give students three options for their mobile phone during school time. Option one is the universal approach of students placing their phone in a Yondr pouch each morning, the second option allows students to self place their phone in a lockable safe throughout the day. These safes are located in various spaces around the school, and the final option is to simply leave the phone at home. As we progress through Term 3, there will be increased communication and work in this space to ensure that all students are complying with these processes. Finally, our school focus on attendance remains to encourage all students to have an average attendance over 90%. An easy way to support this is to ensure that all absences are explained through the Attendance Office, or simply reply to the daily text message. 

Term 3, also means it is the final term for our current Year 12 students at KKHS. This term will start with their Trial HSC examinations which are being held at the Kurri Kurri TAFE. This serious start to the term will hopefully prepare the students for their HSC exams which will be held in Term 4. The Year 12 cohort have a really big term ahead with the annual Year 12 whole school fun day, graduation and of course the Year 12 Formal. Ms Stewart, Ms Hardy and Ms Da Silva are working hard to ensure that this term is extremely memorable for the students. I would like to wish the students the very best of luck for their upcoming examinations! 

With the school now halfway through the year, I am looking forward to celebrating even more success and events at the school as we start our planning for 2025 with Year 10 subject selection, Year 8 elective choices and celebrating Education Week in week 3, Term 3.

Wishing everyone in the school community very peaceful and relaxing winter holidays!