Week 9 was another very busy week at Calwell High School. In particular, I greatly enjoyed attending our P&C AGM on Wednesday evening and our Career Information Session with families and students on Tuesday evening. Our Careers Team, Jennie Sheppard and Andrew Rowe, provided a great insight into the amazing things on offer in the CLWH Careers Space.
Both Mr Ricky and I witnessed some high engagement and student learning while visiting classrooms this week. I was especially impressed with the Year 10 Science class, who were working collaboratively on the physics of sport. There are certainly some future scientists among this crew.
A special thanks to our Calwell Compass (Student Voice Project), where a group of engaged students confidently presented a proposal for a revised school uniform to our Executive staff. We look forward to continuing to work with these motivated students to see this proposal continue to evolve.
Term 1 Progress Reports will be distributed next week in preparation for our Parent Teacher Evening in Week 1 of next Term. These reports are a great opportunity to recognise the growth students have made so far and also identify some concrete strategies for further improvement.
I can't wait to see our students breaking records, spending time with friends and having fun participating at our Athletics Carnival this Tuesday!
Have a great weekend.
Steve
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Tuesday 4 April
Thursday 6 April
Friday 7 April
- Good Friday (Public Holiday)
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CALWELL HIGH REPRESENTED AT THE ACT ROCKY TRAIL ACADEMY
On Friday 24 March, Calwell High School was proudly represented by Year 8 student, Lucy H at the Rocky Trail Academy mountain bike competition at Stromlo Forest Park.
School students from all over Canberra and surrounds came together to compete across three trails, with age groups ranging from Years 5 and 6 up to seniors Year 11 and 12.
Lucy was one of many amazing young girls who got out and rode the trails alongside the boys. Trails covered all disciplines of mountain biking, including cross country, flow and technical. Lucy placed third in her age group, a fantastic achievement given the speed and talent across the board.
Congratulations Lucy!
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CHESS CLUB
Normally anything that happens at Chess Club stays at Chess Club. However, Thursday 30 March was different!
Calwell High School chess players were excited, when our Principal, Mr Collins, and Deputy Principal of Happiness, Mr Ricky, visited the students at Chess Club to award the Term 1 chess tournament champions with traditional wooden chess board sets.
The Term 1 chess champions are, in respective order:
John (Year 9)
Fritz (Year 9)
Ted (Year 8)
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Term 2 chess tournaments and knockout chess rounds will continue every Wednesday, Break 2, Room B23.
Guess what’s a chess king’s favourite rook band (rock band)? Queen
And why wouldn’t the cowboy play chess? He was afraid he might lose his horse.
Easy steps to play chess
First, I push a centre Pawn
Then I move a Knight
Next, I get my bishop out
And everything seems alright
Now I want to castle
Lock my king up safe and tight
Castling also places my rook
Where it can join the fight
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Hello parents, carers and friends
At our P&C Annual General meeting on Wednesday this week we were able to fill nearly all executive committee positions for the coming P&C year. We just need one more general committee member to complete our number - so if you would like to become part of a friendly and cohesive group and join us in some great projects that are coming up, please let me know at calwellhighpandc@gmail.com. I'm happy to call you to have a chat about what the role entails.
Remember also that Grandparents are most welcome to join us in the work that we do. I'm a Grandparent and I've thoroughly enjoyed my role with the P&C and contributing to the good things that the P&C does for the school. Please join us in spreading the word to Grandparents. And likewise I'm happy to get in touch with you if you'd like to send me an email.
Geoff Puleston, Calwell High School P&C President calwellhighpandc@gmail.com
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LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE
The Leadership and Services class has been supported by the P&C Association, working together with the school, to support the class's program of improving and beautifying the school grounds. The work on Friday 24 March was a follow-up from the Schools Clean Up Australia Day that the students did recently.
The improvements to the overall streetscape and the presentation of the school have received a great boost through Friday’s activities. In the last part of the afternoon, the students worked away steadily to distribute a giant pile of mulch, making the grounds look great with all that fresh cover!
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
In the Lead up to the Athletics Carnival next week PE, have been practicing our field events during class including Shotput, Javelin, Discuss, High Jump and Long jump.
Students who were interested, participated in the High Jump competition during lunch times this week. There were some terrific jumps culminating in a max height of 165 cm! That is to say, our victor would likely be able to jump over 75% of the student population here at Calwell!
We are really looking forward to the Athletics Carnival coming up on Tuesday 4 April and cannot wait to see our students out on the track and in the field.
Calwell PE Team
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STUDENT PATHWAYS AND CAREERS NEWS
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It has been a full week of career education this week at Calwell. Andrew and I hosted the parent workshop Engaging Parents/Carer in Career Conversations on Tuesday night.
Feedback from the night was really positive with attendees saying that they felt more confident in having those career conversations and came away with some great resources. We will be holding another one 15 May (Week 5 Term 2). An RSVP link will come out early next term in the newsletter.
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Year 10 students attended a session on Wednesday around college packages, subject choice and the importance of qualifications in preparation for college visits and enrolments opening early next term.
Year 9 spent some Aspire time working through career planning modules on the ACTEDU platform Pathways.
Our Certificate II in Construction Pathways students are learning about construction plans, reading those plans and have started the CIT Bridge Challenge!
Next term, during Careers Week, Calwell High School will be hosting a Careers Expo on Wednesday 17 May and I would like to invite our school community to either participate as a stall holder to exhibit at a stall to talk to students about a career or particular business, or just come along and visit the expo on the day – you are most welcome!
If you would like to exhibit at the expo please email me at jennie.sheppard@ed.act.edu.au. If you would like to visit on the day, more information will follow in newsletters early next term.
As always Andrew and I are available every Tuesday and Thursday Break 1 in the library to talk to students about resumes, work experience, industry qualifications and future pathways. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us regarding anything Student Pathways!
Jennie & Andrew
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WORK STUDIES
Congratulations to our Calwell High School Work Studies Class on completing a Work Experience Placement!
The Years 9 & 10 Work Studies class completed a work experience placement this week at various businesses including Limelight Cinemas, Mitchell Automotive, Target Tuggeranong & Australian Beauty Therapy Academy.
They all had a great experience in the workplace, understanding more about the world of work! Seb L is pictured below at Limelight Cinemas and he even gave a talk to some Year 9 & 10 students about his experience on his return.
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WORK EXPERIENCE PLACES WANTED
Calwell High School students currently have access to the ACT Education Directorate InPlace database which enables students to search host businesses throughout the ACT for students to request placements.
We are looking at expanding the opportunities for our students, so if you own or work in a in business, public service or other workplace that could offer a work experience placement to our students it would be great if you were able to get in touch with me via email jennie.sheppard@ed.act.edu.au. Thank you!
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ENROLMENT INFORMATION SESSIONS: CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY, DIVERSE LEARNING NEEDS AND DISABILITY
An online session on Wednesday 19 April from 6.00pm - 7.00pm will provide parents and carers of children with developmental delay, disability, and diverse learning needs with information on the 2024 school year enrolment process and developing a relationship with their child’s next school. The session will be relevant for the enrolment of students from preschool through to college, including specialist school enrolments.
Sessions for parents and carers about supporting school transition will be held in term 3. Parents and carers can register by emailing EDUCommunityPartner@act.gov.au and they should include the school year their child will commence in 2024 (i.e. preschool, Year 9 etc.).
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