NAPLAN wrapped up last week. I want to thank everyone involved, staff & students, for their efforts in successfully completing these tests. In particular, I would like to thank Mr Hannan-Fyfe for all his work in organising and all our Year 7 and 9 students for their engagement, as well as their flexibility when issues with the NAPLAN platform caused delays. NAPLAN tests are a just one way in which we gather evidence of learning and, as we say to students here, the most important thing is to have a go and give it your best, so we have the most accurate picture of where they are in their learning journey.

I would also like to thank everyone who came along to our Meet & Greet on Monday last week. It was a beautiful afternoon and a lovely, low-key way for parents and teachers to get to know each other, enjoy a free ice-cream and have a chat about how our students have started the year. Special thanks to Mr Shelton for organising the event. Thanks too to Ms Gardiner, the Year 11/12 VET class and all others, especially Chloe, involved in Food classes in preparing the pastries & sausage roles. Thanks too to our Prefects, Lucy, Liam, Susie & Hudson who did a great job with the BBQ, along with Azalia, Rachel and Felicty who did a wonderful job on the coffee machine.

Progress reports, addressing general application to learning at the start of the year, will be going home before the end of the term. Next term, we will have the mid-Year reports against the nine-point scale introduced last year, as well as a new sharing of evidence of learning. We are also in the process of reviewing arrangements for the mid-Year Parent/Teacher event with a view to seeing how we can make this more valuable for you and our students. If you have ideas, we would love to hear them.

Finally, as you are probably aware, staffing continues to be very challenging with teachers in short supply right across the country. We are working with the Department to see if there is anything other support they might provide to help us fill our current vacancies. We have succeeded in securing a new Maths/Science teacher who will begin this week & hope to have more news by the start of next term if not before. We will continue to do all we can to address this issue and thank you for your support & understanding in the meantime.

Stuart Lord

Monday 27th March

• Reclink AFL 9s
• Newsletter issued

Tuesday 28th March

• Grade 7 TMAG excursion

Monday 3rd April

• Interhigh Athletics

Wednesday 5th April

• Last day of Term 1 for students

Thursday 6th April

• Statewide Moderation Day - STAFF

Friday 7th April

• Good Friday

Meet and Greet

After school on Monday 20^th March we had our Meet and Greet. It was great to see so many parents, carers and students come to meet up with our teachers, discuss the beginning of the year, and talk about how we can work together to support learning.

We had some amazing catering prepared by our Foods and kitchen staff, assisted by our Foods classes from across the school. We were also lucky enough to get a visit from Mr Jarvis in the ice cream van. The ice creams were very popular, with some people even trying to sneak a second!

I would like to thank everyone that attended and, also those that assisted in setting up the event, it was a great afternoon.

Learning across the school

Some of the learning that has been taking place around the school over the past few weeks include:

• 9 History: Having started a year-long inquiry into how the past has defined our current way of life, Grade 9 students are exploring the Industrial Revolution (1760-1840). They are discovering the causes of this period of radical change in order to understand how it defined the way we live, consume, work, and relax today." They started by establishing their Vocab Lists.

• Year 9 and 10 Maths: Students have been investigating the volume and surface area of a range of 3D shapes. Some classes have made their own shapes to explore.

• Year 9 Packages of Learning: Studying Word War 1 as their focus for Term 1, in Design and Tech they have been investigating trenches from WW1 and how these designs could have been improved. In future lessons prototypes will be built of their improved trenches.

• 7 English: Throughout Term 1 in Year 7 English, we have been exploring the fantastical elements within narratives. Students have been developing their writing skills to engage their readers within their own unique stories.

• Senior Ceramics: Students have been creating with clay. Their brief was to create a vase. These vases were then wrapped to allow to air dry, ready to be fired in the coming weeks.

• 10 English: This term in Year 10 English students have created a movie poster and narrative to demonstrate their understanding of our term focus of Genre. 

Over the coming weeks many of our students will be attempting Common Assessment Tasks (CATs). These tasks relate to the learning that they have been doing throughout their units in first term. If you wish to discuss how you can assist your child’s preparation for these tasks or any other aspect of your child’s learning, then please contact the school.

Jason Shelton

AP Teaching and Learning

A new home and a farewell to Isaac

At the start of Term 1, the Circle program moved to a new premises on school grounds. The old Tyga radio station rooms in the back of the Grade 8 block is our new home, offering students the chance to engage with the Circle program before or after their mainstream classes. The new space has been well-received by students, teachers, and families alike, who feel more connected due to proximity to the rest of the school.

One of the highlights of the move has been the presence of Buddy, the Circle program's so called therapy dog at school. Buddy has quickly become a beloved member of the school community, enjoying attention and affection from students and staff alike.

The Circle program has also been able to expand its literacy offerings with the move to the new location. Working with teacher aides, the program is helping to develop students' reading skills and empower them with strategies to become better readers. Progress has been promising, with students completing some exciting work and showing improvement in their reading abilities.

However, alongside the positive updates, the Circle program has had to say farewell to a valued member of the team. Isaac Manson our amazing Teacher Aide has left New Norfolk High to take on an exciting new work opportunity.  Isaac started his connection with New Norfolk High through his role with the PCYC in 2019 and quickly became a friendly and familiar face around the school. Thanks to his love of sports and competitive nature Isaac was an integral part of the HPE team, transporting students and assisting with sporting activities, including the AFL 9's and netball interschool comps. Last year Isaac was instrumental in helping run the Circle program.

New Norfolk High will miss Isaac's presence and seeing him stroll around the school with his keys twirling, but we wish him all the best in his new role and look forward to crossing paths with him again in the future.

Overall, the Circle program at New Norfolk High School has had a busy and eventful Term 1. With a new home and expansion of its literacy program, the team is excited to continue offering support and engagement opportunities to students in the coming terms.

Nicole Reeve –  Teacher Circle

Values Champions: Choose your words

Grade 7: Abigal S, Ethan W, Samuel C, Oliver G

Grade 8: Tahlia K, Jack H, Zara C

Grade 9: Claire L-W, Brilee C, Lee C

Grade 10: Liam L, Felicity W, Ethan A, Jemma W

Values Champions: Including others

Grade 7: Conna G, Violet F, Maddison H, Noah S

Grade 8: Alex J, Charlotte E, Meghan Careless

Grade 9: Charlotte M, Bailey C, Lucius D

Grade 10: Lucy G, Azalea H, Susie VE, Nick R

Congratulations to our Values Champions for Weeks 5 and 7!

On Tuesday the 7th and Thursday the 9^th of March NNHS held its school athletics carnival. On day one the rain stayed away, and we got through our first four novelty and field rotations, as well as the 400m, 100m and 800m. At the end of day one Derwent lead the total house points with Faulkner and Russell not too far behind. Unfortunately, in true Tasmanian weather fashion our scheduled day two for Wednesday had to be postponed until the Thursday due to the icy wind and showers. For day two of the competition, we got in our remaining events before the rains arrived, except our relays. The track events conducted on day two were 1500m and 200m.  A special mention to Latisha Buhse, who broke the Grade 10 Girls High Jump record of 1.49m, smashing the previous record by 13 centimetres. Student and staff house spirit was high over the two days, and it was fantastic to see so many students participating. The final house winners for 2023 were Derwent, well done to Derwent!

Track and Field Champions & Runners Ups:

Grade 9 Packages of Learning Architecture and Construction students visited the local New Norfolk RSL on Monday 27^th March as a complementary part to their Term 1 World War I studies. Mrs. Morphett was very proud how the students conducted themselves in a respectful and engaged manner throughout the hour-long visit, with sub-branch secretary, Brian Glover introducing them to the space and the museum. Students commented on how much bigger the RSL is on the inside, how it was cool to see just how big tank artillery shells compared to rifle ammunition was and the variety of medal honours servicemen can receive. Overall student feedback resounded in they liked being able to walk around and look at the artefacts which engaged them and having Brian to bounce questions off was a worthwhile experience.

Embroidered Egypt silk ‘trench art’ from a soldier ‘Syd to his wife back home in Tas.

The paycheck book that saved the young Tassie soldier’s life when it caught the shrapnel from a grenade explosions, saving his life, but shredded the book.

A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II still remains in the large function room, the black sash draped in respect to her passing last year.

This portrait will be replaced by one of the current monarch, King Charles III when he is coronated later this year and an official portrait is distributed.

Mrs Morphett

Term 3

Tuesday 25th July - Friday 29th September

Term 4

Monday 16th October - Thursday 21st December