FROM THE DEPUTIES

Years 7 & 10 - Ms Somerville

Welcome to 2021 which I am sure is going to be productive as I begin working with year 7 as they settle into the routines of high school, Year 10 as they become aware of the responsibilities they need to meet for their Year 10 Record of School Achievement as well continuing to support the students in Stage 6 curriculum matters as they head along the path towards the HSC.  

The start to the year has been very positive with Year 7. They completed their Bootcamp where they were introduced to what it was like to be a learner at KKHS and through my classroom visits I am very pleased to see that most students are coming to school each day with their device ready to learn and with a curious nature. Hub teachers have been introducing the students to the Learning Disposition Wheel where students are identifying their strengths and weaknesses as a learner and developing ways to improve. This is an area that all classes will be working on over the year and it will help support students to improve in areas such as focus, initiative and problem solving abilities. Through my visits to the classrooms and my conversations with the students in the playground at lunch breaks, all have assured me they are happy to finally be at high school which is pleasing to hear. It was also pleasing to meet so many of our new parents at the “Meet the Teacher” afternoon, however, if you didn’t have the chance and if you have any concerns about your child’s progress, please contact your child’s teachers to arrange a meeting to establish support. 

Year 10 have returned to school to learn that there are expectations surrounding the Record of School Achievement (RoSA). The RoSA is useful to students leaving school prior to the HSC because they can show it to potential employers or places of further learning. To meet the requirements of the Stage 5 RoSA, it is important that students are in class and completing classwork and assessments. The New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) and the NSW Education Act 1990 states that they may “refuse to grant a Record of School Achievement to a student whose attendance or application at school has been of such an unsatisfactory character that the granting of a Record of School Achievement would not, in the opinion of the Authority, be justified” and I have been conveying this information to Year 10 so they are aware of these expectations and are able to meet them. 

Stage 6 students have now settled into their learning, with Year 11 students confirming their courses for study and Year 12 continuing on with their assessments. This year we held a ONE day only bootcamp where Year 11 and 12 had the experience of understanding the importance of healthy eating and healthy living to reduce stress as well as listening to motivational speaker, Karen Barrett From Tail Runners. Feedback from the day indicated that 35% of Year 11 would like further support with developing a Study Timetable and this help can be achieved through the supportive network of teachers in the Study Centre. 

The 2020 HSC results were very pleasing as there was a significant increase in the number of students accessing the top 3 Bands from the previous year which was excellent and we are confident that 2021 will be just as successful. I have also surveyed the acceleration students from 2020 and while their strong results were a reflection of their hard work and the support provided to them from their teachers, this feedback is essential in helping us refine our processes for this highly successful program. I will be having meetings with students in Year 11 and 12 throughout this term, however, if you have any concerns about your child’s progress, please contact subject teachers to arrange a meeting to establish support. 

Years 8 & 11 - Mrs St Hill

Year 8

What an engaging term of learning for Year 8. As they have embraced the changes of teachers and some new subjects such as Tech and Visual Arts, there has been some wonderful examples of learning and skills that students are developing. Project 1 is drawing to a close and there has been a very interesting focus on Polynesia across all subject areas. I look forward to compiling the list of positive contacts for students from Term 2.

It is also timely to remind all students that they are expected to have their devices with them every lesson, fully charged and ready to learn. That is a prerequisite to good learning for KKHS. Speak with teachers if this is an issue.

Year 11

As this term is ending, Year 11 are finding themselves, challenged, rewarded and contemplating what the next 6 terms of their schooling will hold for them. Students are fully immersed in assessments, classwork and the feedback they are receiving from their teachers. The pattern of study for each student is pretty much settled now and many students are using their non-timetabled lessons to take advantage of the Study Centre, especially with the new furniture. Many students have commented on how their relationship with teachers has changed and they are treated differently. I would suggest that it is more a reflection on the maturity that many of our students now show towards taking responsibility for their learning. Remember that high attendance is one of the key indicators linked to successful outcomes for students. Warnings of N determinations in subjects can be issued due to poor attendance as it does not allow students to demonstrate diligence and sustained effort. 

It is also a reminder that there are often very important notices for students on Sentral every day, so please make sure students are reading these. There are often opportunities for part time jobs, training and even traineeships.

Years 9 & 12 - Mr Hope 

Working through term one has seen students in Year's 9 and 12 adapt well to the new start and finish times for the day and they are slowly getting used to the new timetabled lesson times. With 100 minutes per lesson students are able to engage in deeper learning with an increase focus on skill acquisition and content delivery. During this time teachers have been engaging students with new content delivery aligned to the Learning Disposition Wheel, syllabus skills and the ongoing use of Canvas as a mode of delivery. On this point it is really important that all students have access to a laptop each day. Although Canvas is accessible on a mobile phone it is not the optimal platform for learning so bringing a laptop is definitely a better option. If students do not have a laptop then they can see Mr Grono to gain access to a school loan device. 

Year 9 have been attending their new elective subjects, all students are engaging in some extremely interesting and new subjects. Students have been engaging and planning a new house design in STEM with Mr Rennex, Investigating the Past in their History Elective with Ms Purcell and looking at Scientific Inquiry with Dr Bailey in Forensic Science and of course enjoying some old favourite electives like Food Technology and sporting skills in PASS. Students will participate in one elective for two years and then complete their second elective for one year, allowing for another choice in Year 10. There have also been some positive things to celebrate in Year 9 with Darcy Jones being selected in the Hunter Region U15 Rugby League Team. A big congratulations to Darcy on this achievement. Finally, Year 9 have two new Year Advisors with Ms Golding and Ms Stewart being appointed to the prestigious role to support the amazing students in this year group. I am really looking forward to working with Ms Stewart and Ms Golding moving forward to continue to support the educational and wellbeing of the students in Year 9. 

Year 12 students have also begun their final year of school with enthusiasm and commitment to their studies. Mr Asvestas has also begun the final preparations for Seniors Jackets and also started the planning for the Year 12 Formal. Year 12 students and parents are reminded of the support available through the Senior Study with Ms Flanagan, Ms Weir and Mrs Field who are always there to support students in their studies. Students are also completing their minimal standards assessments which should also be a focus for students at this time to ensure that they are building their qualifications for seeking employment and further studies once they complete year 12. Once again, I am extremely proud of the commitment these students are showing to their studies.  

A reminder to students and parents regarding school uniform. The school uniform shop now has stock of new redesigned school shorts. As we are a uniformed school, I would like to remind parents the importance of students wearing full school uniform including; polo shirts, jumpers and shorts.  

Finally, I have been working at Singleton High School this term and would like to thank Ms Wilson for stepping into my role and supporting the students, parents and teachers of Year 9. Ms Wilson always does an amazing job and I know that she enjoys the opportunity of working closely with the students in Year 9 and 12. A big thank you to her for her passion and commitment to the school. It is always good for me to know that Ms Wilson is willing and able to fill in for me. I look forward to continuing the positive work of the school with the students as we move forward into term 2 and the rest of 2020.  

Studio School & Equity Success - Ms Scobie

This year has seen me step into a Deputy Principal role at KKHS which has been both rewarding and challenging.  I would like to thank all the people who have supported me in this new position.  It has certainly been a steep learning curve.  I am overseeing the Studio School, COVID Tutoring, Kuta Kaya, Learning and Support and Aboriginal Education.  For this newsletter, I am going to give you an update on the COVID Tutoring program and Studio School but please feel free to contact me about any questions you may have related to my other areas of responsibility. 

Tutoring program 

As we all know, 2020 was a tough year.  This was particularly so for students, parents and teachers who rose to the challenge of learning from home for seven weeks. To support us, 2021 has seen the Department of Education provide schools with $337 million for in-school tutoring to support students who may have fallen behind due to interruptions caused by the COVID 19 pandemic.  This term at KKHS, we have built a team and begun to plan and implement this tutoring program which will run across the year so that we can tailor our use of funding to ensure that students’ educational outcomes continue to improve. 

Our early planning and assessments showed that students needed support in the areas of literacy and numeracy skill development based on tests such as NAPLAN and Best Start Year 7. We used all the data we had available on students from external assessments, in-class and specifically designed tools to identify the students who would benefit most from participating in small group tuition.  Some teachers and university students have been employed to deliver programs that have been designed by Learning and Support experts and Head Teachers, Kylee Flannagan and Angela O’Halloran.  Students began tutoring in Week 7. 

The first round of tutoring is focused on writing for Year 8, reading for Year 9 and numeracy for Year 10 with Year 7 students receiving targeted support within their hubs.  Some Year 9 and 10 students have also been selected to participate in an enrichment program which is being run the Deputies, Jane Somerville and Jo St Hill.  The first round will continue for 12 weeks and be followed by a second and third round before the end of 2021.  If your child has been identified for this intervention, you would have received an email outlining their participation. 

This is a very exciting time as it is the first intervention of its type to be issued by the department and we are all working to ensure its success in the achievement of improved learning for our students. 

Studio School 

Studio School has grown to six advisories in 2021 and interest continues to grow in the opportunities we offer to students.  As a result of this growth, we have welcomed Peter Asvestas into the Studio School family as he has taken on the Year 9 Big Picture Advisory.  All students are settling in quite well and learning plans are beginning to come to fruition with students preparing to deliver their exhibitions.  Thank you to all the parents who attended our “Meet the Advisory” afternoon.  It was wonderful to put some names to faces and talk about your amazing children in an informal environment.  I’m really looking forward to seeing you all again during exhibitions where we can celebrate your child’s successes together.