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February 15, 2022 | News
KHS Newsletter : 15 February 2022
15th February 2022
Kyneton High School is a vibrant and exciting place to learn; our newsletter provides opportunities to present news and information that celebrates our students’ experiences and achievements. I would like to acknowledge and thank our editor, Stephen McDonald, for his work; the newsletter is always a joy to read.
We started our first term of 2022 with a new way of welcoming our Year 7 students and their families. Our Home Group teachers met with each student and their parents or carers during the first week; a wonderful way of acknowledging parents as the first educators of their children, and beginning our special partnership in supporting our students to thrive in their high school years. The feedback about these has been very positive, including:
- “We had a fantastic interview … on Tuesday …. I haven’t felt this level of confidence about my daughter’s teacher for a while. I think she will thrive with her!”
- “I wanted to let you know how impressed I have been as a parent of a Year 7 student starting this year…. My daughter is feeling really settled and excited about her first day on Friday.”
As well as new students, we have welcomed twelve additional staff who join our passionate and committed team at Kyneton High School; we wish them well and look forward to their unique contribution to our school community.
This year we see the full implementation of our school uniform which was introduced two years ago as a phased transition. It is very satisfying to have reached this stage where we see all students from years 7 to 11 in the new uniform, with the Year 12 students continuing to have the privilege of their special items. I would like to thank the School Council and Student Leadership Team for the work they shared in developing our uniform.
We are very excited that our next stage of capital works will commence in the next few weeks, with Raysett Constructions being the successful tenderer to undertake the project. The project will deliver a new STEAM/Middle Years building, housing new Science, Art, and Food Technology/Hospitality classrooms, as well as four new general-purpose classrooms. The heritage building will also be refurbished to provide new drama and music rooms, a new staff room and wellbeing spaces.
Finally, we are mindful that the welcome return to schooling onsite, with some measure of confidence that there will be fewer disruptions this year, is enabled by the Department of Education and Training’s COVIDSafe guidance. Regular news and updates are provided through our XUNO parent portal. We appreciate the support of our parents/carers in following the practices that have been recommended, including the use of Rapid Antigen Tests that have been provided for these first weeks of term.
My best wishes for a happy, healthy, and successful year to everyone in the Kyneton High School community.
Ana Rees – Principal
This week our students were introduced to MyMahi, our new KHS online platform specifically designed for our Homegroup Positive Education and Careers Pathway learning. This platform will enable the KHS community to enhance our support of students’ learning, wellbeing and future pathways.
One exciting and inspiring function of this platform is: ‘MyMahi Rewards, for when it counts’. MyMahi Rewards is one means by which we can provide instant and lasting positive feedback to our students, when we catch them ‘doing it right’. It is these times that we want to acknowledge and encourage their positive behaviours and make it count, especially those that are aligned with our school values. That’s when we can reward them.
Click here for an introduction to the MyMahi Rewards program
Importantly, KHS Staff in conjunction with the KHS Student Leadership Team will be leading this terrific whole school initiative. Watch this space for further developments in our SWPBS journey (School Wide Positive Behaviour Supports).
Mr Benjamin Hill
Lead Teacher- School Culture
Herb Your Enthusiasm
The Year 9 Paddock to Plate class ventured to the Kyneton Community Centre edible garden late last year to gain some ideas and inspiration within the local community for our school garden. The students sampled some fresh broad beans, mint, and parsley.
So far, we have been focusing on seasonal produce and baked Stephanie Alexander Peach cakes in our practical class this week.
What a great start to the school year!
From the Food Team
Miss Dalley and Mrs Flynn
Indonesian Pen Pals
During the Step-Up program last year, combined year 10 and 11 Indonesian class students met their pen pals from Indonesia for the first time via Zoom. The 2022 Pen Pal Program between Kyneton High School (KHS) and SMA Negeri 1 Salatiga, a secondary school in Java, was officially being opened by the head of the language program of KHS and SMA Negeri 1 Salatiga principal. Mr Comben delivered his speech in Indonesian. We look forward to practicing our language skills with our new friends in Indonesia.
Kiky Amelia
Instrumental Music
We are excited and optimistic to face a new year of (hopefully) Covid free music making at Kyneton High School. We have some new lovely staff members, and some refreshed ‘older’ faces ready to encourage and promote music within the school. Back again are Suzie Morris and Juli Robinson teaching woodwind/brass and piano respectively, and we welcome our new guitar and drums teacher, Daniel Muscat, to the school. Daniel comes with a wealth of experience and enthusiasm for the music industry.
We are also lucky to welcome back Andy Rigby, a local and much loved Macedon Ranges musician, who will be running our Friday lunchtime marimba ensemble. This is a great little group of students, some who learn an instrument, and some who know little about music. Andy is great at getting everyone playing confidently at their own level, and the group have produced some fun, loud, crazy performances in the past. I know he would love to see some new faces in the group this year. Rehearsals are in Room 7 every Friday lunchtime – all are welcome!
We are planning some big things this year, after the last two years have seen us unable to showcase our students’ talents via performing avenues. We will be organising performances both within the school and out in the community, as well as encouraging those who are interested, to sit external instrumental exams.
We congratulate Lana Hughes and Rhiannon Winchester on being awarded scholarships last year that will allow them to further their studies in music. Lana will be able to purchase a new trumpet, and Rhi a year’s worth of singing lessons. Rhiannon, who is a talented singer/songwriter also had a busy holiday period working with the MRSC Youth Music in the Sticks program to record four of her original songs, and also make a video clip! We can’t wait to see and hear the results of her work!!
All students have settled into their instrumental lessons now, and it is wonderful to see so many Year 7 students taking up instruments, some for the very first time. It is widely known how music positively benefits a young person’s brain functioning, but it can also build their confidence, improve their memory, teach them discipline, and also create new social networks.
There are a few lesson times available on piano, flute, clarinet and saxophone. If you think your child might like to try one of these instruments out, please contact the school office and they will send you an enrolment form. Alternately you can contact me directly on juli.robinson@education.vic.gov.au.
La Niña Strikes Again
Library and I.T. staff arrived at work on the 27th of January to find themselves splashing around the carpet; there had been a MAJOR flood under the back door from one of those special little summer downpours La Niña likes to throw at us. Soon the place was filled with industrial vacuum water suckers and roaring dehumidifiers; after a couple of days of that it was discovered that the carpet tiles would have to be replaced and the skirting around the walls removed in order to properly dry behind the plaster walls.
Fortunately damage was limited to just a couple of books being stored on the floor in the back office. Some laptop bags in the I.T. office were soggy but the devices inside were only a little bit damp and Justin was able to hang them out on the clothesline and successfully drip-dry them. We’ve learned our lesson there: Never. Store. Anything. On. The. Floor!
The Library is out of action while the walls are repaired the carpet tiles replaced, but we hope to have it back to its perky old self in a couple of weeks.
Grateful thanks to Kevin for activating and coordinating the emergency response! And thanks to him and Justin for spending much of their weekend shifting books so the shelves could be moved and the carpet tiles pulled up.
Stephen & Francesca
Before the flood…
…and after
In case you missed it…
Last Friday was the day to celebrate all the achievements of Women and Girls in Science and Technology, and reaching gender equality in these fields. Have at look at this very short presentation on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
The KHS Science Team
Careers
The latest newsletter from Compass Career News includes:
ANU – Tuckwell Scholarship for 2023
University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)
New Master of Climate Science from 2022 at The University of Melbourne
Allied Health Courses at the University of Adelaide
News from ACU
Academy of Global Impact and Leadership through Ethics
New Archaeology Major in the Bachelor of Arts
Bond University Leads in Start-Up Success Stories
Dental Technology and Oral Health Courses in 2022
Snapshot of The Australian National University (ANU) in 2022
See the full newsletter below.
SCHOOL NOTICES
Year 12 Uniform
Attention all Year 12 students and families
The 2nd and final round of orders for Yr 12 2022 Uniform can now be placed via the following link:
https://www.reformclothing.com/au/order/155161083
All advice re. sizings, input for student nicknames on their garments and payments for these can be made through this link.
The deadline for our orders to be in is Friday 18th February. This is in order for students to receive their uniform by the start of Term 2 (approx. 20th April).
For further information, please contact Mr. Benjamin Hill (Student Leadership Team Teacher Liaison) via XUNO.
2022 GAT Date And Changes
The GAT is changing
From 2023 we will be transitioning the VCE and VCAL to a new integrated senior secondary certificate. As part of the reform of the VCE and VCAL system, Victorian senior secondary students will this year have their literacy and numeracy skills measured against new standards in a reformed GAT.
The new standards will indicate whether students have demonstrated the literacy and numeracy skills typically expected of someone completing their secondary schooling – giving another indication of their readiness to move onto further education, training or employment.
The 2022 GAT will be held on Wednesday 7 September. The slightly later test date provides the time required to ensure the revised GAT is valid and reliable, and for teachers and students to understand the changes – with the test expected to return to its traditional June date from 2023.
Full details on the changes to the GAT can be found here.
School Privacy Collection Notice
Our school collects, uses, disloses and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy policy.
Please take time to remind yourself of our schools collection notice (below).
For more infomation about privacy, refer to: Schools’ Privacy Policy – information for parents.
From Lucy King – Alumni Coordinator
International Day of Women and Girls in Science and Technology
Last Friday 11th February we celebrated International Day of Women and Girls in Science and Technology.
I’m sharing an inspiring young female alumna of Kyneton High School, Janelle Spinks, who graduated from Kyneton High in 2017 and is currently studying for a Master’s degree in Science at the University of Melbourne, with a particular passion for chemistry.
Most days Janelle can be found in the University laboratory, working on a research project dedicated to finding a treatment for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
In between her research project and university studies, Janelle also works part time as a laboratory demonstrator, guiding undergraduate university students through their chemistry practicals.
Janelle’s career goal is to create novel treatments for all sorts of diseases – or even to discover new ways to tackle climate change.
Janelle kindly found time to answer a few questions about her post-school pathway, what she loves about chemistry and advice for students wishing to follow a science pathway. See Janelle’s ‘alumni spotlight’ for more detail.
Janelle is coming back into school next week, to take part in a supportive alumni session aimed at helping current year 12’s with how to ‘thrive and survive’ this important year.
We are very grateful to Janelle for her time and involvement with the alumni program, and wishing her all the very best for finishing her Master’s degree – and we can’t wait to see what she does next!
If you’re an ex-student of Kyneton High School (an alumni) and would like to be involved in the alumni program, please contact Lucy King at alumni@kynetonhigh.vic.edu.au for more information.
The alumni program is run in conjunction with Ourschool, a not-for-profit service helping Victorian public high schools build thriving alumni networks.
To learn more about Ourschool, go to www.ourschool.net.au
from the archive
1930
The Hall
The finishing touches are being rapidly added to the new hall of which the people of Kyneton may be justly proud. At the moment of writing the electricians are connecting up their finished job while the carpenters are completing the blackwood panelling which is a feature of the interior. The drop-curtain is to be a thing of beauty and a joy for many years. Made in Melbourne by a firm of theatrical furnishers it is of blue brocaded satin having the school monogram in the centre and may be used for lowering vertically or laterally.
Kyneton Guardian 17th July 1928
via Mal Closter
Coming up…
Some dates for the diary
| Wednesday 23rd February | Swimming sports |
| Thursday 24th February | Year 12 Alumni presentation |
| Wednesday 9th March to Friday 11th March | Year 7 camp |
| Thursday 10th March | Year 10 – Tomorrow Man workshop |
| Monday 14th March | Labour Day holiday |
| Wednesday 16th March to Friday 18th March | Year 8 camp |
| Tuesday 22nd March to Friday 25th March | Year 10 camp (tbc) |
| Thursday 31st March | School council |
| Friday 1st April | Student photos |
| Monday 4th April | Year 7 immunisations |
| Thursday 7th April | VCAL/Applied Grand Prix excursion |
| Friday 8th April | Athletics carnival End of term 1 |
Youth Leadership Opportunities
Macedon Ranges Shire Council Youth Services is launching a remodelled Youth Ambassadors Program in 2022. It is a great leadership opportunity for young people in the shire to expand their skills, be a voice for young people and have projects they care about made into a reality. Below is some information about the Youth Ambassadors Program. More information is available on the website at www.mrsc.vic.gov.au/leadership
YOUTH AMBASSADORS PROGRAM 2022
The Youth Ambassadors Program is a youth leadership initiative that amplifies the voices of young people, and supports projects that young people are passionate about. The program helps young people to realise their leadership potential by building their leadership skills and peer to peer and community connections. Young people aged 15-25 who live, work or study in the Macedon Ranges are eligible to participate in the program.
In 2020/21 we reviewed and remodelled our Youth Ambassador program to ensure the activities it offers are relevant, and useful for young People in the Shire. In 2022, there are two main ways young people can participate in the Youth Ambassadors program: GREEN MEANS GO and LEADERS IN THE LOOP.
GREEN MEANS GO
Got a passion project you want to get started, or one you want to keep go, go, going? GREEN MEANS GO gives dollars and project support to young people looking to do just that.
• Supports young people in pursuing projects they are passionate about
• Offers financial support of up to $1000 for selected projects
• Offers worker time and skills support through a series of project ‘cluster’ workshops
• Participants can apply by pitching their projects through our Green Means Go ‘Pitch’ Portal
LEADERS IN THE LOOP
Know what young people want and want to tell us? LEADERS IN THE LOOP gives young people a seat and a say at the Council and community consultation table.
• Supports young leaders by bringing them into consultation and decision making loops
• Enables young leaders to feedback directly to decision makers in the community
• Offers remuneration to young leaders for their time and input, into consultations
• Participants can apply by registering their interest through the Leaders in the Loop portal
Applications are now open for Green Means Go and Leaders in the Loop: www.mrsc.vic.gov.au/leadership
KYNETON HIGH SCHOOL