HASS

Mock Trials, Food Bank and Fieldwork: A Big Term for HASS

At the start of the year we welcomed four new members to the HASS team. Ms Hassan, Mr Manera, Mr Thomson and Ms Vaishengolts have taken to the proverbial Applecross water like ducks. They have brought with them wonderful energy and the feedback from students and parents has been most encouraging for their work in the classroom. Thank you to all four for their contributions to the learning area and the school. This term we farewelled Mr Ben Kelly and thanked him for his many years of commitment to the school and to so many students and at the end of the term we wish Ms Moore well as she takes leave for several months.

This term Mock Trials, under Mr Dickson, Ms Nicholson and Ms Street, got underway and the first round saw two of our three teams successfully prosecute their cases. One student, Adelaide Larcombe (10) achieved a very rare almost perfect score as a witness/defendant and was singled out for her preparation and enthusiasm.

As winter approaches and the current concerns on the cost of living, Food Bank needs donations to help those struggling to feed themselves and their families. The Year 9 Extension classes conducted research into food security and how Food Bank helps provide relief people in our own communities. Running through the CORE program and with help from the House Leaders, we have raised considerable donations in food with carloads being sent to their Welshpool centre. Thank you to Ms Nicholson, Ms Ludowyk and the House Leaders for their excellent efforts in this very worthy activity across the school.

With Term One coming to an end, a great deal of HASS curriculum has been delivered across all years and has brought very encouraging assessment results. Geography was the focus in Years 7-9 as students covered liveability, landforms and biomes across those three year groups and the Year 10 students studied Australia in WWII. Our Senior School students have settled into their chosen course pathways across a range of ATAR, General and Certificate courses. ATAR students and our Year 10s are reminded of the upcoming exams in Term Two.

Also upcoming are a number of engagements. In late May, Year 9 students in HASS and Science will visit Wireless Hill to study the biology, biomes and human use of the reserve. Year 11 Geography students will attend an excursion to Kings Park to study its use and the impact of fire on the natural environment. A number of our commerce minded students can join Curtin University in May for an exploration of accounting.

Student leaders, Politics and Law and Legal Studies students will meet with the newly appointed US Consul General in late April and hear Colleen Altstock’s presentation on the Australian-US relationship and her career as a diplomat and leader in the international community.

Just to pack more into Term Two, History Day will be held across the school where staff and our History students will celebrate those who have explored to make humanity better. Explorers of the physical world, the arts, sports and many more will be on display in costumes throughout the day.

Year 7 City of Melville Incursion

Alex Roseveare, HOLA Humanities and Social Sciences