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June 16, 2023 | News
KHS Newsletter : 16th June
16th June 2023
As we near the end of another successful term, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all our students on their hard work and engagement at school. In fact, it is also the end of a remarkable first semester and I am proud of our students and staff for their outstanding efforts.
Tonight marks a special occasion for our Year 10 students as they come together to celebrate their formal. This event celebrates the culmination of their efforts throughout their time in the junior years at Kyneton High School. I want to extend my warmest congratulations to our Year 10 students on reaching this milestone. I hope this formal serves as a beautiful memory that they will cherish in future years.
Additionally, our Year 9 students are currently immersed in an exciting time at their City Camp in Melbourne. This camp not only provides a wonderful opportunity for students to engage in learning activities and explore the adventures of the city, but also allows them to foster friendships and teamwork. I would like to extend my gratitude to the teachers and staff members who have dedicated their time and energy to ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for our Year 9 students.
I would also like to take a moment to send our well wishes to the students and staff participating in the Indonesian Study Tour. This unique opportunity allows them to immerse themselves in a rich cultural experience, deepen their understanding of Indonesian language and forge international friendships. We eagerly await their return and look forward to hearing about their experiences.
In other exciting news, I am thrilled to announce that our school is about to move into our new STEAM/Middle Years building at the start of Term 3, which will enhance the learning environment for our students. This state-of-the-art facility will provide additional classrooms, modern science laboratories and art rooms, two food technology rooms (one of them a commercial kitchen for VET Hospitality), and innovative spaces for students to collaborate, explore, and thrive. The new buildings are a testament to our commitment to providing an exceptional educational experience for our students. The next stages will be further refurbishment of the heritage building, demolition of the old buildings, and landscaping. We are planning for a community opening once all the building works are completed.
Looking ahead, as we approach the upcoming break, I encourage our students to take the time to rest, rejuvenate, and recharge for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. This is also an opportune time to reflect on the achievements and goals of the semester and set new aspirations for the remainder of the year.
Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude to our dedicated teachers, support staff, parents and carers for their unwavering support throughout the term. It is through our collective efforts that we create a nurturing and inclusive learning environment that fosters the growth and success of our students.
I wish everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday break. We look forward to welcoming our students back in the next term for another exciting chapter in their educational journey.
Warm regards,
Ana Rees
Principal
This year we continued our tradition of acknowledging Reconciliation Week which took place between the 27th May and the 3rd June. The SLT organised a production of 700 wristbands comprised of red, yellow and black wool to demonstrate their support towards Indigenous Australians. Many thanks to all families who donated wool to help us show support.
Uncle Vanya
On Friday the 9th of June both the Year 11 and Year 12 Literature class went to watch ‘Uncle Vanya’ at Theatre Works St Kilda. Once we arrived at the Theatre, we were finally able to meet the students of Daylesford College and we were thrilled to find out they study the exact same texts as us. The performance allowed for a new enhanced perspective on the classical Russian play and I’m sure we will be back for more.
School for Student Leadership – Year 9 2023
Kyneton High has again been granted a team placement for Term 3 in the 2023 School for Student Leadership program. Kyneton High’s allocation this year is an opportunity for 3 girls and 3 boys! After a rigorous selection process involving applications and interviews, the following students have been awarded the opportunity from Year 9: Freya Allen, Sarah Dillon, Abbie Clifford, Regan O’Toole, Connor Irving, Peter Norris.
We have been involved in this program a number of times and it provides an outstanding experience for all involved. The program is an initiative of the education department for Year 9 students. Each campus hosts a different team each term with a group of 40 students from different Victorian state schools. It is a residential program that will now be nine weeks during Term 3. Our 2023 Term 3 placement is at their fourth and newest campus; Haining Farm Campus is located at Don Valley, in the Yarra Valley.
Carlos Medina – School Captain
and the Leadership Team
Celebrating Excellence
Charlie Thompson
Charlie went to Canberra for a boxing fight on the 4th of June. He fought 3 rounds taking 1.5 minutes each and won in his 33 to 35 kg. weight class. Charlie hopes to go to another fight in Queensland for the 3 wins required to go to the National Competition.
Charlie’s been working hard and training almost everyday for 6 and a half years, with most of his days consisting of boxing training and the remaining days going to weight training. Charlie’s dream is to be a widely recognized boxer and even represent Australia in the Olympics. Charlie says that his passion for boxing comes from watching and admiring professional boxers. Charlie’s dad has been very devoted to training Charlie and has assisted Charlie’s pursuit of his dream from the beginning.
Well done Charlie on your recent success, keep striving to be your best in the pursuit of excellence!
James Green
Junior Excellence Captain
Jamie Pittman walked up to Charlie afterwards and said he was very impressed, and said “WOW! you can really box! You are a very good boxer and I want to see you at the Nationals to give you a really big trophy!“
Olivia Hedge
The Kyneton High School community would like to offer our congratulations to Olivia Hedge for making it through to the state semi-finals in the Plain English Speaking Competition. Olivia prepared and delivered a 6-minute speech at the recent Bendigo regional finals where she was judged on both content and presentation. She then had to present an impromptu 4-minute speech based on a prompt given.
Olivia is a gifted KHS student who has been involved in student leadership. She has also excelled academically, participating in the Victorian High Ability Program in junior years and stepping up at the start of Year 9 to complete VCE Mathematical Methods. This semester she is undertaking VCE Unit 1 in Literature, Chemistry & Biology, as well as Unit 3 Specialist Maths at school. She is also undertaking Extended Investigation at the Centre for Higher Educational Studies in Melbourne where she is researching how we might incorporate indigenous land management strategies into the agricultural industry.
We wish her the best of luck for the upcoming semi-finals at the State Library on June 16th.
Alex Ashley
Year 7 Digitech
Year 7 Digitech completed Cycle 2 – Hacking, by completing posters about online safety. Many students used Canva while others hand drew their designs and there was all round amazing work completed by all the students including these posters!
Mr Perera
Editor’s note: Cycle 2 – Hacking?
Kyneton High School – Bringing you the next generation of elite cyber vigilantes!
Hey Mr Lucky!
One of our new teachers Lakshal Perera (aka Mr Lucky) recently graduated with his Masters of Teaching (Primary/Secondary) from Deakin University. He also received two awards at the Faculty of Education awards ceremony held in Melbourne last month – the Bank First Academic Excellence Award for graduating with the highest weighted average mark in his degree, and the Reverend Dr. Norman Curry Student Prize for Outstanding Teaching Practice in recognition of both his academic achievements and placement reports (which included a 5-week placement at Kyneton High last year).
Lucky currently teaches Physics and Digitech at Kyneton High.
Year 10 Work Experience
Your KHS Student Leadership Team presents . . .
The Year 10 Winter Disco / Formal – Fri 16th June 6pm – 10pm @ KHS Hall
It is with great pride that we are able to continue to maintain our traditions and uphold our value of sustainability, through offering the Year 10 Formal to all students in that year level.
This is really a disco/party to celebrate the Year 10s ‘formal’ entry into the KHS Senior school, especially after so many successful work experience placements!
Ecolinc Women In STEM
We are excited to share an update on the Ecolinc Women in STEM excursion to Bacchus Marsh that took place on May 31, 2023. The trip aimed to encourage more female students into careers involving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The day began with an early morning departure to Bacchus Marsh. Our students and teacher engaged in various activities such as listening to a guest speaker high up in the field of neuro-oncology, participating in medical diagnostic workshops and speed dating with a number of women super stars in STEM.
We commend our students for their exemplary behaviour and enthusiasm throughout the excursion. Their active participation made the trip a resounding success.
Mrs Swinden
Year 12 Chemistry
Last week the Year 12 chemistry class travelled to Melbourne University to attend a workshop on Organic Analysis. We spent some time exploring the city and the campus, as well as the maze-like labs of the chemistry building. Cool (and expensive) instruments were used to collect data, followed by impressive brainwork to determine the identity of mystery compounds. Well done detectives!
Ms Quynh
Scenes from this year’s Driver Ed
Keeping Fit
Intermediate AFL
Tuesday 23rd May: Alarms went off, tired eyes opened, weather was checked (bright and sunny), there was a hint of electricity in the air… that must mean it’s GAME DAY.
The Kyneton High School Intermediate Women’s team was ready to take on the area’s local talent after weeks of recess and lunch time training highlighting the commitment this team had to one another and the school from the start.
The whole day was an excellent display of sportsmanship, courage, and teamwork by all with no question that each player wore the KHS jersey with pride. This was indeed fostered heavily by our Captain Magnificent Mia Ferguson (Year 10) who has been a core leader in this group from the first trial day and key to our success on game day. Miss Wallace and Miss Simpson were extremely impressed.
Three awards were given out after two extremely entertaining games of footy.
Our first award was our Rookie Award that went to Stevie Courtney (Year 10). At the beginning of the day, Stevie did not even want to play, she was more than happy coming along to make up numbers and being a substitute to let other players have a quick breather. Eventually, due to some injuries, she was needed for longer stints on the field and eased into the games. She seemed to be enjoying herself and with the boots borrowed from the kit bag not long before game time, Stevie laid crucial tackles, provided forward line pressure and even kicked us a goal! Miss Wallace and Miss Simpson were incredibly proud of the efforts of this quiet achiever!
The second award was our Rising Star award that was given to Hailey Bird (Year 7). Playing above her age (and body size), didn’t seem to faze Hailey at all and it quickly became clear that Hailey was more than up for the challenge the day would bring. Hailey brought skill and athleticism to each contest breaking defensive lines, driving the ball forward and using that super left boot to gain us valuable territory. The biggest asset of Hailey’s was her never-give-up attitude providing second, third and fourth efforts. I would have loved to have had a GPS tracker on her! Miss Wallace and Miss Simpson see a bright future in her AFL career.
Lastly, our MVP (Most Valuable Player) award was given to Ella Jeffery, Year 10. Wow, what a talent we were lucky enough to have! Ella played a key role in our midfield throughout the day which saw us get quality movement up the field and multiple forward 50 entries resulting in scoring opportunities. Miss Simpson as unofficial statistician estimates Ella has 50+ disposals, 45+ marks, 60+ tackles and several goals to her name! Ella used her AFL experience to be an excellent role model and leader on the field. We are excited to see more of her talent shine at the next round!
Led by Captain Magnificent Mia, our award winners and the rest of what is shaping up to be a formidable team, KHS came away with 2 wins and a ticket into regionals! Now it’s time to get back on the track, fine tune a few things and get ready for the next challenge… BRING IT ON!
Miss Simpson
Video: the team in action
Regional Cross Country
On Wednesday 14th of June, 8 students ranging from Year 7 to 12 competed at the Regional Cross Country in Kilmore. The conditions were favourable with little wind, and most of our students enjoyed running on the horse racing track. Overall, It was a fantastic day with all our students finishing their events. Congratulations to Lana Hughes who finished 9th and qualified for the State Cross Country event. Special mention to Flynn Witkowski who just missed the cut by 1 placing (13th). A massive congratulations to the following students who made it to Regionals in the first place:
Lillian Anstey-Sprigg, Harper Rogers, Jack Denton, Lawson Fearn, Indigo Saputra, Lana Hughes, and Flynn Witkowski.
This is a massive achievement, and all students should be proud of their efforts.
Ms Ford and Ms Bone
Intermediate Soccer
On Friday the 26th of May the year 9/10 soccer team set out to Sunbury to play 2 games of soccer. We had a few practices coming up to the day with our two great coaches Mr Bedford and Flynn. The first game against Edgars Creek was an extremely hard game and we were down 5-0 at half time. The second half we played a lot better with a few changes in positions but still unfortunately lost 10-0. The second game we played a lot better and with Henry Coleman and Henry Goodman in centre-back the defence was solid, and we were only down 1-0 with an unfortunate penalty they scored. The second half they were definitely rattled by our performance, and we scored our first goal of the day. We were so happy we all ran to the corner and did a little dance.
Minutes later it was 2-2 with a great second goal by Samson Briscomb and a great assist from Rocco Di Maggio, our goalkeeper.
Unfortunately, we conceded another goal and lost that game 3-2. Special shout out to James Thompson who was our star striker and Ryan Macciocca who had never played before and dominated in the defence. It was a great day and worth going because the bus driver took us to Maccas at the end.
Henry Coleman
Year 8 Soccer
We arrived in Craigieburn and played 3 games. Unfortunately, we lost the first game by 3 goals but we tried hard. In the second game we won 1-0, Mason Hardiman was our striker and scored our only goal. In our third game we lost 0-6 against a very good team. The team worked very hard across the day and were in good spirits at the end. Special thanks to Mr Bedford and Ms Galea for coming along on the day, and Henry Coleman for coaching us.
Shorya Vashisht
Intermediate Netball
On the 26th of May, our Inters Female netball team consisting of 2 Year 10’s and 7 Year 9’s went out to Sunbury to compete. We played a total of 3 games against Sacred Heart’s A and B team and Mount Ridley. We came out firing, winning our first match to Mount Ridley. We faced the Sacred Hearts A team next, which unfortunately we lost by 5 points, although it was a massive team effort with some really good passages of play and pressure down the court.
Next up we versed Sacred Hearts B team, winning by 20 or so goals. It was a strong finish for our girls, unlucky that we just missed out on finals.
Video: the warm up
Great effort to the team, with special mention to Ms Rantall for coaching the girls and Ms Wallace for coming with us on the day. And special mention to Ella Jeffrey for coming with us on the day and supporting us, even though she couldn’t play.
Eden Clifford
Year 7 Netball
The Year 7 netball team had an exciting day on Tuesday the 6th of June when they went to Craigieburn Leisure Centre and participated in six rounds of netball against different opponents. They showed great skills and teamwork and managed to win three games, lose two and tie in one!
Well done to the team who have trained hard over the last couple weeks in preparation for this event. Special thankyou to Miss Cox and Ms Swinden who have been training the team, and for coming on the day.
Taylah Quinn
7/8 AFL
The Year 7/8 AFL boys football team set off to Craigieburn on Monday the 5th of June. The boys were extremely excited on the bus, working on tactics and positions together as a group. We arrived expecting to play one game, but this changed quickly, and we played two! Unfortunately, our first game was a loss against our arch-rival Sacred Heart who came out firing quickly.
We played Hume Grammar next game and were lucky enough to get a win! The team worked hard and backed each other in. Our midfielders were delivering the footy perfectly inside 50 with our forwards mopping it up and kicking goals. We came away with kicking 9 goals and a final score 57-7. Our goal kickers included the following:
Eli Despotellis x 2
Tyson Salpietro x 2
Tate Stevens x 2
Zach Lindfield x 1
Lawson Fern x 1
Ben McGrath x 1
Unfortunately, we just missed out on the final but the courage and teamwork the team showed was extremely impressive. After the match we voted our top 5 best players of the day. Special mention to the following students who didn’t stop trying all day and played good quality team games:
Tate Stevens, Tyson Salpietro, Billy Creer, Jack Denton, Harley Thompson
A massive thankyou to the students for their dedication over the last month as we prepared for this event. Special thanks to Miss Simpson, Cooper Reed, and Ethan Azzopardi for their help on the day.
Mr Eddy
Intermediate AFL
The Intermediate boys football team has been training hard for weeks in preparation for inter school football. On Friday the 26th of May, the boys set off to Sunbury to put their training skills to the test. We arrived and got straight into our warmups. The team was captained by Billy Stewart and Sammy Collard who both pumped up the boys with pregame speeches. Mt Ridley was our first opponent who came out quickly with goals on the board. We battled hard but unfortunately didn’t take our opportunities. Connor McDowell (1 goal), Ethan Azzopardi (1 goal) and Cooper Reed (2 goals) kept us in the game but unfortunately we left our run late and lost the game by 7 points.
Our second game was back-to-back, and the boys were pretty tired. Sacred Heart were very good playing against tired bodies. The boys competed hard, but we couldn’t stop Sacred Hearts quick ball movement and goals. Our last 10 minutes of the match was unstoppable as we didn’t allow them to score, which allowed us to impact the scoreboard. Jack Reynolds-Brooks (1 goal), Nick Clapham (1 goal) and Angus Hoyne (1 goal) worked hard and kicked the last three goals of the match.
Even though we didn’t get the win, it was great to see the dedication and teamwork the boys used to work together. After the match we voted our top 5 best players of the day. Special mention to the following students who didn’t stop trying all day and played good quality team games.
- Nick Clapham
- Angus ‘Rochester’ Ferguson
- Jack Reynolds-Brooks
- Angus Hoyne
- Cooper Reed
A massive thankyou to the students for their dedication over the last month as we prepared for this event. Special thanks to Mr Romer, Cooper Muir, Scott Jowett and Ryder Henchie for their help on the day.
Mr Eddy
Book donations
We have been very lucky this week and received donations of books from staff member Ms Tardif, and from Clare at Aesop’s Attic. Ms Tardif cleaned out her shelves and has greatly increased our collection of Crime and Mystery novels, and now I have greatly increased my ‘to read’ list!!!
Aesop’s Attic kindly gave us some books to add to our sport collection and I am sure these will be enjoyed by our students.
A very big thank you goes to Ms Tardif and Clare!
Library News
Ms Tardif’s donation…what to read next???
Thank you, Clare, for giving us these books!
No. 1 : Vegemite
Vegemite began development in Melbourne in 1919, and was first launched to the public in 1923. It was produced using waste brewer’s yeast dumped by breweries (mmm yummy) blended with salt, celery and onion extracts.
The makers held a competition to name their new sticky black salty product, and the winning entry ‘Vegemite’ was chosen by Sheila Walker, daughter of the company owner.
FYI – today (June 16th) is National Vegemite Day. Seriously.
The very first edition of the KHS Magazine!
In October 1923, KHS students produced a 26-page magazine they called ‘O.A.U.’
From Page 4:
“We were pleased with the great interest manifested in the choosing of the name of our magazine. About seventy suggestions were received and of these Nellie Stewart’s has been adopted: O.A.U. Onward And Upward, Only About Us.”
Columns this year will be a special Centenary Edition,
celebrating 100 Years of telling our own story –
100 Years of Only About Us!!!
Watch this space for further details.
School Notices
Isabella – $3000 So Far, Only $2000 To Go!
Calling all music and nostalgia lovers! I am thrilled to announce that I’ll be hitting the stage once again in the sensational musical ‘Downtown! The Mod Musical’ If you’re ready to take a groovy trip back to the swinging 60s, this is the show for you!
Join me at the Bluestone Theatre in Kyneton, from July 28th-29th to August 5th.
Expect to be mesmerised by the iconic tunes that defined an era, including classics like ‘These Boots Are Made for Walking’ and ‘Son of a Preacher Man.’ The music, the fashion, and the spirit of the 60s will come alive on stage, transporting you to a time of revolution and liberation. This show is bursting with energy, vibrant choreography, and a stellar cast that will keep you dancing in your seat.
Don’t miss out on this electrifying journey through an unforgettable decade! Mark your calendars, invite your friends, and join us for an evening of pure entertainment and groovy vibes!
Tickets are now available via trybooking. Let’s gather together, celebrate the swinging 60s, and create memories that will last a lifetime. See you at ‘Downtown! The Mod Musical‘!
Ms Scott
VHAP
At Kyneton High School, our Student Excellence Program supports our high-ability students to excel through ongoing extension in the classroom, as well as extra-curricular activities.
The Victorian High-Ability Program (VHAP) allows high-ability Year 7 and 8 students to participate in a 10-week virtual enrichment program in Maths and/or English. Participants are government-selected but nominations from teachers, parents or students are also welcomed. There is no cost to families.
Click here for more information and please contact us if you’re interested.
Emerging Sciences Victoria courses are for Year 9 and 10 students with interest and/or talent in STEM subjects. Participants are self-referred or teacher-selected. Choose from:
• Bioinformatics
• Astrophysics
• Medical Physics
• Alternative Energies
• Nature & Beauty of Mathematics
• Neuroscience
The courses are run by the John Monash School of Science. They are heavily subsidised – the cost to each family is just $25. Find more info here and let us know if you’re interested.
Throughout the year, high-ability students may also be invited to be part of the Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series and supported to reach their potential with Individual Learning Plans and goal setting.
We look forward to keeping all of our students challenged and engaged!
Alex Ashley and Camille Price
Student Excellence Coordinators
KHS – Useful Contacts In 2023
Year Level Leaders
| Year 7 | James Shepherd-Turnbull |
| Year 8 | Geoff Comben |
| Year 9 | Dave Romer |
| Year 10 | Tim Rickwood |
| Year 11 | Rebecca Wallace |
| Year 12 | Emma Nelms |
| Year 7/8 Sub School Leader | Cassie Gunter |
| Middle Years Careers | Kate Sims |
| VCE and Year 11/12 Careers | Rosemary White |
| Disability & Inclusion | Cas Tardif |
Learning Area Leaders
| Arts | Alex Ashley |
| English | Emma Nelms Melanie Bone |
| Health & P.E. | Jodie Cox |
| Homegroup | Caroline Sharpe |
| Humanities | Rosemary White |
| Languages | Geoff Comben Kiky Amelia |
| Mathematics | Alex Pascoe |
| Science | Teegan Swinden |
| Technologies | Andrew Azzopardi |
Home Group Staff
| 7A | Kris Ford |
| 7B | William Mulvaney |
| 7C | Jayden Andrea |
| 7D | Alex Frank |
| 7E | Molly Thomas |
| 8A | Quynh Ho |
| 8B | Julian Bedford |
| 8C | Ryan Eddy |
| 8D | Melanie Bone |
| 8E | Teegan Swinden |
| 8F | Caroline Sharpe |
| 9A | Jane Strickland |
| 9B | Camille Price |
| 9C | Katie Matthews |
| 9D | Kyle McCabe |
Coming up…
Some dates for the diary
| Friday 16th June | Year 10 formal |
| Friday 16th June – Saturday 1st July | VCE Indonesian study tour |
| Monday 19th June | Year 7 games |
| Tuesday 20th June | Interschool sport: Senior basketball/table tennis Year 10 Tomorrow Man & Woman |
| Thursday 22nd June | Last day of term for students Free dress day fundraiser School Council meeting |
| Friday 23rd June | Student free day End of Term 2 |
| Monday 10th July | Begin Term 3 – Also Student free day |
| Tuesday 11th July | Students begin Term 3 |
KYNETON HIGH SCHOOL