Copy
View this email in your browser
RESPECT      SELF-DISCIPLINE      ACHIEVEMENT      COURAGE
WHAT'S HAPPENING?
WEEK 5

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

This week saw the launch of our Connection Clubs. These optional activities highlighted the range of opportunities that students and staff can enjoy together outside of the formal classroom.

The feedback from students was extremely positive and participation rates were high. This was especially the case in the Chess Club, Coffee Club and Rock Climbing, where both mental and physical fitness were developed!

Today I represented the ACT Principals Association at the UN International Women's Day lunch. As I enjoyed the opportunity to hear from some great speakers, I reflected on the amazing female leaders in our school at both staff and student level. From Student Board Reps to Deputy Principal, I am grateful to work with such a great team.

As we are now half way through the term, it is a good time to review academic and social progress and have a conversation with your child about how they are enjoying the start to the year.

We will be hosting our Parent Teacher Evening in Week 1 next Term, however we encourage parent engagement at all stages of the year and welcome families to contact teachers directly to discuss student learning and wellbeing. This can be done via email, in person, online meetings or by phone. If you are unsure of your child’s teachers contact details, please call our Front Office staff 6142 1930, or email: info@calwellhs.act.edu.au

Have a great weekend. Go the Raiders.

Steve

IMPORTANT DATES
Monday 6 March
  • PBL meeting

EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
SWIMMING CARNIVAL
A wonderful day was had last Wednesday at Civic Pool for the annual Calwell High School Swimming Carnival. It began with the swim test where all students who wanted to participate in swimming activities jumped in the pool.

There was fierce competition in the pool between houses and peers alike! We had fantastic participation in the morning in the structured events and even greater participation during the free time.

The final house result was decided by one extra participant swimming for their house with Freeman (Achievement) House, coming in first by only one point! We are all looking forward to the upcoming Athletics Carnival in Week 10.
 
The PE Team
Photos courtesy of Liam N and Jaylan P.
LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE
Mr Ventura's Leadership and Service class spent the afternoon enthusiastically cleaning up our Calwell High School grounds assisted by our wonderful P&C representatives, Geoff (P&C President) and Nola. We really value this partnership between the school and our community.
CONNECTION CLUBS
Chess Club
Our chess grand masters enjoyed playing at our Calwell High School Chess Club on Wednesday. The Chess Club is on every Wednesday during Break 2 in room B23.
Coffee Club
On Monday at break 1 staff were able to sample the efforts of our budding baristas!
THE UPDATED CONNECTION CLUBS TIMETABLE
NAPLAN
Just a reminder to our Year 7 and Year 9 families that if students are withdrawing from the upcoming NAPLAN testing, they are required to complete the form and have it signed by the school.

FACULTY NEWS
SCIENCE
This week Year 7 students conducted an experiment to find the effect of non-volatile solvents, such as salt, on the elevation of the boiling point of water.

We also have some aspiring young pharmacists among our students, who performed an experiment on the effect of temperature on the rate of dissolution of aspirin in water.

Our young scientists at Calwell High School are to be commended because they are very precise with their science experiments and they use their science apparatuses with great safety and accuracy.
 
Keep it up champions!

P&C NEWS
NOTICE OF P&C AGM
The Calwell High School P&C will be holding its Annual General Meeting at 6.00-7.00pm on Wednesday 29 March 2023 (Week 9) at the school.

Please come along and join us. The door will be open at the front of the school and we’d love to see you there.

If you have any queries regarding the P&C please feel free to contact us via email at calwellhighpandc@gmail.com

Geoff Puleston, P&C President calwellhighpandc@gmail.com

STUDENT PATHWAYS/CAREERS NEWS
It has been a busy week this week in Careers. In Aspire, Year 7 completed the Career Development Scale Quiz on the ACTEDU Government Database, Pathways.  This scale gives an indication of the student’s career development and needs which we are then able to use to develop our student pathways/career program and services here at Calwell HS.
 
Also, Years 9 and 10 had a presentation on work experience (WEX), the benefits and on how to apply. The students have been guided to use the ACTEDU Platform InPlace which can be found on their digital backpack and search opportunities for WEX. A form for students to fill out and the slideshow are available now at 'Information' on the Calwell High School Careers Page on Google Classroom.  Use the following code:  mvn4pkb
 
If you have any questions/queries about work experience or the career program and services please contact Andrew Rowe andrew.rowe@ed.act.edu.au or Jennie Sheppard jennie.sheppard@ed.act.edu.au.
 
Jennie & Andrew
Calwell High School Student Pathways/Careers

SCHOOL NOTICES
STRANGER AWARNESS REMINDER
This week, two students in the Tuggeranong area reported being followed by an unknown male on their way to school. The students were not harmed, and this incident was reported to ACT Policing who are investigating this matter.
 
Student safety is our highest priority and staff will be taking the opportunity to remind students about stranger safety, moving safely around our community and what to do if they feel unsafe. I ask that you please support those conversations at home.
 
If you become aware of an incident or notice anyone acting suspiciously, please contact police on 131 444 or in the case of an emergency call 000. I encourage you to also let our Front Office know.

You may wish to visit the AFP website section on Child Safety for tips. In addition, the Safety4Kids is a non-government website that has useful information and links.
 
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
WHY STUDENTS NEED TO TURN OFF DEVICES AT LEAST HALF AN HOUR BEFORE SLEEP
 Artificial light from electronic and other devices generally emits a blue light (it may not look blue, but that is the underlying light).  Blue light is a type of non-visible light at a very short wavelength. 
 
What does blue light do to the human body?
 
Non-visible light has a lot of energy, and studies show that a lot of exposure to this type of light can impair your sleep cycle. During sleep lots of essential physical processes take place and it is also when learning from the day is consolidated in memory. This means that having enough sleep is vital for students.
 
Blue light is naturally generated only during the day, from sunlight. When it gets dark, naturally occurring blue light ceases, signalling the body to produce melatonin, the hormone associated with sleep. Using artificial lighting and devices which emit a blue light at night confuses the body-clock (the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle) by stopping the body from producing melatonin. This can result in disrupted sleep patterns, including difficulty in falling asleep, staying asleep and shortened sleep duration.
 
Those at greatest risk from night-time exposure to blue light are those with existing sleep disorders and adolescents who often experience delayed sleep patterns as a result of biological changes.
 
What can students do to limit their exposure to blue light at night?
 
Some suggestions include:
  • Be exposed to sunlight during the day to assist in accurately setting your body clock.
  • Stop using all electronic devices, preferably an hour before bed.
  • Get a red or orange reading lamp, which does not emit blue light.
  • Use blue light blocking glasses at night. 
  • Install a program or app on your computer or device to change the type of light it emits.  A variety of programs are available including F.lux, EasyEyez, Night Filter, Zzz iPhone filter, Bluelight and Twilight.
  • Invert the colours on your smartphone or iPad or Kindle, or change the device to the night-time setting.
  • Turn the brightness down on your device for a few hours before bed (not perfect, but better than nothing!).

COMMUNITY NOTICES
DISABILITY YARNING CIRCLE
The Office for Disability’s Disability Reference Group is hosting a Yarning Circle for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability and their families to lunch, yarn and connect on 19 March 2023.

Meet at Yarramundi Cultural Centre for lunch from 1:00 pm and conversations from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm.

Contact Office for Disability on 02 620 71086 or officefordisability@act.gov.au.
Website Website
Email Email
Copyright © 2022 Calwell High School, All rights reserved.

Our email address is:
calwellhighschool@ed.act.edu.au

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.