From the 

Deputies Desks

Mr Brown - Years 7 & 10

Welcome to 2023 and what a year it promises to be! Both Year 7 and 10 have started the year showing respect and maturity towards all staff, and have bought positive attitudes to learning new sets of skills across all subject areas. 

Year 7 

Year 7 have settled in well over their first few weeks of navigating high school life. Students have been learning the school expectations and norms and have grown in confidence in all classroom learning environments. Hub teachers have reported students are meeting expectations to a high standard and are already taking initiative with their learning. With KKHS Bootcamp project completed students have been introduced to the online learning platform of CANVAS and the way in which technology is implemented in the classroom.  

Week 7 saw students engaging in a wellbeing afternoon with a pizza lunch and a movie. A huge thank you to the Year Advisor Miss Bailey for planning a fantastic event for the students, especially as the original activities were unable to go a head due to unfavourable weather. 

Our annual Great Aussie Bush Camp excursion will be running in term 2, week 9 and is open for all Year 7 students to attend. During the 3-day excursion students will engage in a wide range of activities which will test teamwork skills, resilience, moving out of their comfort zone, and provide time to build positive relationships as a year group. This fantastic excursion is not one to miss! 

Year 10  

Year 10 have started the year on a positive note as they transition into their senior years of school, with many skill and work-based programs becoming available to them. Accelerated students completing Year 11 subjects this year have transitioned smoothly into their Stage 6 classes, and the Year 10 has also shown to support younger students in finding their way around the school and helping them to catch correct buses is to be commended.  

Curriculum wise, Year 10 are working towards an important part of their schooling; their Record of Student Attainment (ROSA). This is the certificate students receive for completing Year 10 and lists all subjects and the respective grades they achieve. If assessment tasks and classwork are not completed in each subject, students may not receive a grade on their ROSA and instead have an N-Determination and face having to repeat Year 10. If students are having trouble with completing assessment tasks, they are encouraged to take initiative of their learning to seek support from their teachers or the learning and support team.  

Our partnership with UNISTEPS has provided a group of our students the chance to attend the University of Newcastle to learn about criminology and the career pathways to progress into this field. I would like to thank Ms Trayhurn for taking our students to this insightful experience and all students are encouraged to be on the lookout for similar opportunities listed in the daily notices on Sentral.  

This Term has seen the introduction of an EVET course for 20 of our Year 10 students. This course focuses on enhancing employability and life skills, giving students a head start and preparing them for future employment and training pathways. It is an 100 hour NESA Board Endorsed course that incorporates and focuses on the fundamentals of foundations skills through project based learning. Foundation skills are a combination of language, literacy, numeracy and employability skills and are at the forefront of everyday life when participating in the workplace, community, and the education and training arena. I would like to extent my thanks to JOBQUEST (the RTO delivering the course), the amazing trainers and assessors our students are able to work with every Thursday.  

The exciting news continues for Year 10 in Term 2, with a relationship between KKHS and ‘Hands on Learning’ being established. The program will be run on school site, with Mr Garrard and Mr Jacobs, utilising the amazing facilities we have at our disposal to create a range of projects. This program creates opportunities for students to discover their talents and experience success through significant and authentic hands-on projects, whilst providing the chance to link with partner schools and the community.  To begin with, Hands on Learning will be offered to a small number of students, with the hope to expand in the future.  

 As always, the expectations remain high in regard to students striving for excellence in all facets of their education, sporting, and creative arts endeavours. Students are reminded that as we head into the cooler months, wearing our KKHS branded school uniforms are key to building a positive school culture. If families are experiencing difficulties in acquiring uniforms, please see the amazing staff at the WELs centre who can provide pieces of uniform for students. As a BYOD school please ensure students are in the regular routine of charging their devices every evening to guarantee they have enough battery life to get through a full school day filled with engaging learning activities.   

Please feel free to contact the school with any concerns you may have in regards to your students’ learning.  

Ms Brady - Years 8 & 11

Welcome back for what is going to be a fantastic 2023! We have already had a busy and productive start to the term in Year 8 and 11.  

Year 11 have returned to school and hit the ground running with many students finding there is a big jump between what was expected of them in Year 10 to the demands of Year 11. Many students will now find they need to be not only engaging in their learning at school but completing work regularly at home. By now, students should have submitted at least one, if not more, assessment tasks. Students need to stay on top of the requirements in each course and can access an Assessment Schedule for each subject in the Canvas course. If you have any questions or concerns around assessment or classwork, please contact the classroom or head teacher for the subject. It is important for students to develop a study timetable and set aside time to complete tasks, revise notes as well as include time for themselves. Remember the road to the HSC is a marathon not a sprint. Many students are finding that when they don’t have a scheduled lesson, attending the Study Centre in the Library is a better use of their time, rather than staying/going home, getting assistance from teachers to catch up on work and be prepared for their upcoming assessment tasks. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s wellbeing please contact their Year Advisors, Mrs Taylor (Ms Twyford) or Ms Stewart.  

Year 8 have quickly adapted to their new Hub structure and are getting to know the different students who may not have been in their Hub last year. This year students will be engaging in learning for Quest, Stem, Lifestyle, Tech Mandatory and Visual Arts, where they will meet more teachers in the school and more variety in their learning. Whilst some students have struggled with understanding their timetable and where the different rooms are in the school, hopefully all are now well on track to being in class on time with most teachers keen to inform me about the way Year 8 have progressed and are engaging in their learning. If you have concerns with your child’s learning, please contact their classroom teacher or for wellbeing concerns contact their Year Advisors Mr Berry or Mr Asvestas.  

A reminder for students and parents; students need to be in full school uniform all day, every day. As we get to the end of Term 1 it is a good time to get organised and purchase your winter uniform especially those needing a new hoodie.  

Finally, all students need to ensure they are READY TO LEARN and in class EVERY LESSON, EVERY DAY, including a fully charged device, books and pens. If you need support with uniform or equipment, please contact your child’s Year Advisor. 

Ms Somerville

Welcome back to the year and we have, as usual, hit the ground running with lots of activities to support our students.  

Year 12 have engaged with their first RESET cycle where they have spent full days with their HSC teachers in order to refine their skills, develop good study habits and make sure they are on track with their focus to ensure they are able access strong marks when they come up to their HSC examinations. While this may seem like it’s a long time off, trust me, it will be here before you know it. Students who were particularly engaged in the day were recognised by their teachers and went into a raffle for hotly contested prizes which were kindly donated by KFC, McDonalds and Dominos. The next RESET is scheduled for Week 9 starting Monday 27th March and it is essential that all students attend. If you would like further information regarding these days and how your student is progressing, please contact their teachers as they are more than happy to talk to you at any time. 

This term and next, Year 12 will also be working with Mr McKinley, who has returned this year as our Career’s Advisor, to ensure that they are completing their early entry applications to university. We have been highly successful with his program over the past few years and it takes away some of the stress of performing in the exams for the students. When the time comes we will also be encouraging students to apply for scholarships as we understand that university can be quite expensive. Please remind your students to be checking their school emails regularly as most information regarding these opportunities will be send to them in this way. 

Year 9 have been slowly coming around to their new style of learning as they move out of HUBS and into smaller classrooms. While there are still many cross curricular tasks and assessments occurring, students are now in smaller rooms with only one teacher instead of two. It is important that they come to school each day with their equipment ready to learn. Even though the classes have changed, lessons are still set up in Canvas and there is an expectation that students are coming to school prepared, that they have their phone in their bag during learning time and that the bag is placed at the front of the room. If your student has a problem with their own device, the school has set up a loan system which they can access. If you need further support or information with this, please contact the HT Administration, Mrs Jacobs who can help you with this support. You can also access information about timetables and assessments via the Canvas portal so that your student is aware of what they need to do for the following day and be prepared. Many of them will be starting to get assessment tasks which may require them to complete certain parts at home so being able to know what they have to do will certainly help them stay on top of this work. NAPLAN has also moved to Term 1 this year and Year 9 will participate in tests for writing, reading, spelling and grammar as well as numeracy. While no-one likes to sit tests, the results will allow us to support teachers to understand the learning needs of the students and to plan their work accordingly. If you are concerned that your student is struggling with the work they are encountering during classes, please contact the school for a meeting to discuss ways we can help. 

I hope that everyone enjoys the upcoming Easter break and uses the time to rest, recover and be ready for Term 2 and all that it will bring!! 

Ms Wilson - Inclusion and Support

What a great start we have had to the 2023 school year! We have wellbeing and support programs running every single week to support our students – Kurri WEL (Wellbeing, Engagement, Learning).  

Kurri WEL is a whole school approach to positive social and emotional wellbeing. Through a carefully considered approach, students will be encouraged to Live Wel in all aspects of their education. Targeted student support and intervention programs under the Kurri WEL banner fall under three wellbeing categories for individual, small group, year group and/or whole school: Connecting WEL, Responding WEL and Being WEL. The aim of these programs is to support our students to build valuable and life-long skills in resilience, positive relationships, smart choices, a positive sense of self and belonging as they become positive and productive individuals. Follow our social media and watch your emails for program information and permission notes. A shout-out to our Student Support Officer Megan Gillespie who has tirelessly coordinated these programs for our students. 

Wellbeing Week kicked off this term, with every week 7 being a chance for Year Advisers and their year group to enjoy activities outside of the classroom to build a sense of belonging and team spirit. This term’s Wellbeing Week included a pizza lunch and fun activities for each year group.  

The school is participating in Harmony Week this week. Harmony Week is the celebration that recognises our diversity and brings students and staff together through lunch time activities hosted by our Big Picture Academy, Junior AECG, Interact, SRC, Year Advisers, Kuta-kaya and WELS team. It’s all about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.  

ATTENDANCE 

There is an expectation that students will attend school 90% or above. If your child’s attendance is under this percentage, they are considered educationally at risk. Attendance Improvement Plan meetings will start for all students under the acceptable attendance percentage. Students who are regularly absent from school miss important learning and this impacts their future choices. Please work with the school to make sure your child is at school every day. 

BEHAVIOUR CODE FOR STUDENTS 

NSW Public schools including Kurri Kurri High School are committed to providing safe, supportive, and responsive learning environments for everyone. We teach and model the behaviours we value in our students. 

Please discuss the Behaviour Code for Students with your child so there is a collective understanding across our community of the high expectations for behaviour and safety:

YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH ONLINE WORKSHOP

Mental health in our young people is a top priority, knowing this we are hosting a complimentary workshop that you really shouldn't miss on Thursday March 16:

Coach 2 Cope: 

Families and Carers Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children

 & young people

EquiEnergy Youth is a charity dedicated to reducing psychological distress, self-harm and the risk of suicide in young people. Our programs aim to connect young people with safe & effective adults with the capacity to effectively respond to them during times of distress and improve mental health outcomes.

As a result of a PhD research project and thousands of hours of clinical experience,                 Dr Stephen Spencer has developed a simple method to guide adults on how and when to respond to young people in distress to achieve a positive outcome. Steve will coach you on the following;

• A 5 step evidence-based psychological first aid framework (TAR3) for you to follow when responding ‘in themoment’ to episodes of distress and behavioural challenges. For example, TAR3 is the equivalent of the DR ABCprocess for responding to first aid.
• Guidance on simple ways you can help young people build coping, resilience and positive help seeking behaviourand the vital role you play in promoting this.
• Context on why child & adolescent mental health occurs and what you can do to improve mental health outcomesfor the young people you support.
• Coaching in the use of scripts and engagements strategies to adopt when responding to distress using the TAR3Psychological First Aid Method.

We will be hosting an on-line workshop, free of charge on Tuesday, April 4 5.30pm - 6.30pm, click on the PDF below to book: