Secondary School News

From the Head of Secondary School

The first three weeks of Term 3 have offered a vibrant mix of activities and events, providing rich opportunities for both students and staff to engage, connect, and contribute across all areas of school life.

Our student-led assemblies to welcome in the new term continue to set a positive tone, showcasing student voice, leadership, and a strong sense of community.

It was wonderful to hear the cast from Fame Jr sing to get us all exciting about opening night next week, hear from the Student Wellbeing Council about their Gratitude Tree initiative and our students who participated in the Samoa Immersion over the school holidays.

A beautiful thread woven throughout the entire assembly was the celebration of NAIDOC Week and the ways our community came together to honour the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

House pride will be front and centre over the coming weeks as students prepare for and take part in a series of events, including Pre-Athletics Carnival competitions, Inter-House Debating, the Inter-House Athletics Carnival, and the Wollaston Dash on Founders’ Day. These moments always bring out the best in our students as they come together to show their House spirit.

Kylie Virgo

Head of Secondary School

NAIDOC Week in PE

As part of our NAIDOC Week celebrations in Physical Education, students engaged in traditional indigenous games that honour and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Australia's First Nations peoples.

Our Year 9 Outdoor Recreation class played Buroinjin, a traditional ball game of the Kabi Kabi people of south Queensland. Historically, Buroinjin was played with a ball made of kangaroo skin, sewn with tendons and stuffed with grass. The game involves running, passing, and tactical movement, where players must throw the ball into the air when touched, giving teammates or opponents the chance to regain possession. A point is scored by running the Buroinjin across the end line, making for a fast-paced and engaging experience!

Meanwhile, our Year 7 students took part in Gangarru - the word for “kangaroo” in the language of the Wahalumbaal people from the Endeavour River region of North Queensland. This game is a lively relay race where students hop like kangaroos, building teamwork, coordination, and cultural appreciation through movement and fun.

Jessica Brown

Head of Health and Physical Education

Mark Greenwood - Author Incursion

It was a pleasure to have author Mark Greenwood visit and speak to the Year 7s about his History Mysteries series and other historical books he has written. He shared how he finds inspiration in the history of our culture and the world, and how the places he visits often influence the settings of his stories. He spoke to us about his passion for discovering real life mysteries and turning them into exciting books that bring history to life.

Mark also shared how he finds inspiration by visiting historical places both in Australia and around the world from the vast deserts of Central Australia to shipwreck sites off the coast of Western Australia. He talked about some of his most popular books, including Lasseter’s Gold, The Last Tiger, and The Vanishing, and explained how each one is based on a true story.

What made his visit special was the way he encouraged us to become “history detectives” ourselves. He explained that amazing stories are hidden everywhere in old maps, newspaper articles, letters, and even the landscape around us. He showed us photos, told fascinating facts, and made us think differently about the past.

Many of us walked away feeling inspired to explore the past and maybe even write our own history inspired stories one day!

Shiney Hewage, Year 7 student

Arts Week

Secondary Arts Week was a wonderful celebration of student creativity, performance and artistic talent at JWACS.

The Talent Show Final was the main event, held last Wednesday. Thank you to everyone who came along to support our performers - it was a fantastic crowd! We’re excited to announce that this year’s winner is Tim Anderson (Year 7), with his impressive guitar and vocal performance. Congratulations also to our runners-up, Maya Marmoush (Year 9) and Georgia Smithson (Year 12). 

There were also plenty of activities happening at lunchtime throughout the week. The Year 9 Theatre Arts class surprised students with flash mob-style performance, and our Year 11 Drama students entertained audiences with their version of Alice in Wonderland.

Another highlight was a special opportunity for our Visual Art students, who worked with visiting artist Elaine Clocherty to create a land-art installation in the school quadrangle. Using natural materials, students explored ideas around nature, culture and place in a creative and hands-on way.

A big thank you to all the Arts staff who helped bring this week to life. It was a great reminder of the creativity and talent in our school community.

NAIDOC Week Bush Tucker Garden PlanningYear 7

NAIDOC week is a time to celebrate Aboriginal culture; bush tucker is a big part of the cultural tradition. Bush tucker is a large array of native edible Australian plants that consists of nuts, flowers, seeds and more beautiful plants.

The practice of bush tucker has been around for over 60,000 years, the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders used surrounding bush land as food and shelter. Bush land has assisted the nation's first people until the English settlers first arrived. We thank the bush for all it has provided for our past, present and future.

Jack Summerfield, Year 7 student

Fame Jr Rehearsals | Secondary Musical Production

Energy Efficient Houses Project Presentation | Year 8

Personal Choice Cooking in Food Specialisation | Year 9

Making Moroccan Soup with Croutons in Food Specialisation | Year 10

Childcare | Year 10

Psychology Brain Dissection | Year 11

Pre-Carnival Athletics Events 

Outdoor Recreation Mountain Bike Riding Skills | Year 10

Certificate III in Business students preparing for Market Day | Year 11

Upcoming Event: BOOK WEEK 2025 Dress-Up Day 

Friday 22 August (Week 5)

Theme: Book an Adventure!

Get ready to step into your favourite story! All Secondary students are invited to dress as a character from a book for our annual Book Week celebration on Friday 22 August. Costumes can be adventurous, creative, clever or classic — just make sure they include safe footwear and are school-appropriate for a full day of learning and fun. Students may stay in costume all day. Closed-toe shoes are required.

Prizes will be awarded for:

• Best Group Costume
• Best Individual Costume
• Best Staff Department Costume
• …and more surprise categories!