Secondary 

Stage 5 STEM - Lego Robotics

This term Stage 5 STEM have been learning to build and code the Lego Mindstorm robots that the school has borrowed under the STEM.t4l Program (STEM Technology for learning). The program allows our students to use state of the art technology for the term without the huge expense to our school. The students have thrived in learning to drive the robot and get it to perform simple tasks like moving a Lego cube from one place to another.

 It is a challenging task where the students have stepped up and shown great initiative and problem-solving skills. The students are currently learning the basics of maneuvering the robot before they will set themselves a challenge to program the robot to complete a more complex task, this could be to navigate out of a maze or draw the outlines of shape or picture. I am excited to see what the students come up with, how far they push themselves and giving you all an update at the end of the term of their success.

Andrew Corcoran I STEM Teacher

Stage 4 History

Ancient Greece is remembered for developing democracy, inventing Western philosophy, realistic art, developing theatre-like comedy and tragedy, the Olympic Games, inventing pi, and the Pythagoras theorem. Stage 4 History will be learning about this ancient civilisation this term including investigating the amazing legacies of famous people who helped make Ancient Greece was one of the greatest civilizations in history. They put an emphasis on the value of the person and education.  

Some of the great people Stage 4 will  learn about include Greek Philosophers like

• Socrates - First of the great Greek Philosophers. He is considered by many to be the founder of Western philosophy
• Aristotle - Student of Plato. Aristotle was a philosopher and scientist. He was interested in the physical world. He was also a teacher to Alexander the Great.

Greek Playwrights

• Aeschylus - A Greek playwright, he is considered the father of the tragedy.
• Sophocles - Sophocles was probably the most popular playwright during Greek times.
• Aristophanes - A Greek playwright who wrote comedies, he is considered the father of the comedy.

Greek Poets

• Aesop - Aesop's fables were known for both talking animals as well as teaching a moral.
• Homer - Homer was the most famous of the Greek epic poets. He wrote the epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey.

Greek Historians

• Herodotus - A historian who chronicled the Persian Wars, Herodotus is often called the Father of History.
• Thucydides - A great Greek historian who was known for the exact science of his research.

Greek Scientists

• Archimedes - He is considered one of the great mathematicians and scientists in history.
• Aristarchus - An astronomer and mathematician, Aristarchus was the first to put the sun at the centre of the known universe rather than the Earth.
• Euclid - The Father of Geometry, Euclid wrote a book called Elements, likely the most famous mathematical textbook in history.
• Hippocrates - A scientist of medicine, Hippocrates is called the Father of Western Medicine. Doctors still take the Hippocratic Oath today.
• Pythagoras - A scientist and philosopher, he came up with the Pythagorean Theorem still used today in much of geometry.

and finally

Greek Leaders

• Alexander the Great - Often called the greatest military commander in history, Alexander expanded the Greek empire to its greatest size, never losing a battle.
• Cleisthenes - Called the Father of Athenian Democracy, Cleisthenes helped to reform the constitution so the democracy could work for all.
• Draco - Famous for his Draconian law that made many offences punishable by death.
• Pericles - A leader and statesman during the golden age of Greece. He helped democracy to flourish.
• Solon - Solon is usually credited with laying the foundations and ideas for democracy

Students will learn that Ancient History is relevant to our times and so much of what we value comes from Ancient Greece.

Debra Eustace I History Teacher

Stage 5 English - Who did Macbeth kill?

Last term, Years 9 and 10 students enjoyed learning about 'The Boy in Striped Pyjamas' in English, which correlated nicely with their history topic of The Holocaust. We were most impressed with their ability to learn from home. 

Last week, Stage 5 English students were introduced to their new topic of Macbeth. Acting as ‘crime scene investigators’, students were each given a folder with clues which they could use to determine who Macbeth had killed and why. They also tried to predict aspects of the play’s plot. 

Students showed an impressive ability to work together to share information. I enjoyed watching the students feeling so engaged with their learning. Ella had a headstart as she has recently read an abridged version of Macbeth in RAGE lessons. Madie helped her peers predict the plot while Felix and Steph proved very helpful at piecing all the clues together. 

As a class, we’re looking forward to another great term of learning. Stage 5 students are to be commended for their dedication in improving their paragraph writing skills last term, and I look forward to seeing them continue to hone their analysis skills. 

Ali Thomas I English Teacher

TAS Faculty

It was great to show off our new kitchen on Secondary Parent-Teacher Night when Year 12 Hospitality made meals and drinks for staff and parents. On offer was a spicy Mexican Chicken Casserole or a delicious Lasagne Stack, and drinks included Hugs on the Beach, Banana Smoothies, Hot Chocolate and barista coffee. 

Feedback about the new facilities and the food was enthusiastic with one patron indicating that we should open in the mornings as the coffee was as good as that of the cafes in town. High praise indeed. 

Well done and thank you to the students and staff who gave up their time to promote our school and it's facilities. 

Ms Chris Hawkins I Hospitality teacher and Acting Deputy Principal

Careers

Please click on the attachment to view the 2021 TAFE Handbook 

Information for parents of Year 12 students

The senior years of high school can be challenging for parents and students to navigate. We can help.

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