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We held a very successful Parent Information Evening for parents of next year’s Y7 students last week. I was able to speak about the significant Growth we have shown as a school over the last few years. Over that time, we have seen a substantial decline in suspensions, against a system-wide trend in the opposite direction, and an increase in students that students and teachers teat each other with respect, that people care about each other at this school and that students help each other even if they are not friends.
Behinds these improvements is our vision of New Norfolk High, as a respectful learning community with high expectations for ourselves, for others and for the way in which we learn together. We bring that vision to life, and drive continuous improvement in our school improvement journey, by work is to deepen and embed these expectations as The New Norfolk Way. The way in which our Year 10 students are currently earning points to guarantee their attendance at our end-of-year celebrations is one example of this.
Over the last fortnight, we have also had many Year 9 students putting our Values into practice by supporting Year 6 students from the local primary schools on a scavenger hunt. We have also had a group of Year 7s helping this same transition by putting together a video highlighting some of the attractions, expectations and supports available at our school. We have also had a number of students building on their participation by supporting implementation of some of the proposals arising out of last term’s Derwent Valley Council Youth Summit. It is great to see so many of our students developing leadership capacity, living up to our Values and demonstrating The New Norfolk Way in action.
Stuart Lord
Monday 18th September
- 3:15-5:15pm Student Showcase Parent Teacher
Friday 22nd September
- 10:35-12:30pm Perfect Trial Pizza Event
Friday 29th September
- Last day of Term 3
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Footy Colours Day
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Staff Vs Students Pickle Ball
What a busy month it has been since writing my last newsletter article.
We have continued our focus on growth and this fortnight have been focussing on seeking feedback. We know that feedback is a valuable tool for us to use to reflect on our progress and to make improvements. In assembly this week we will be celebrating a new group of values champions, these champions will be a student from each homegroup who have been consistently seeking feedback.
Earlier this month we were lucky to host a visit from New Horizons. New Horizons are a fantastic organisation that aim to make sport and recreation accessible and enjoyable for all. While at NNHS a group of around 30 students from years 7-10 participated in a sports afternoon where they were able to try football, cricket and basketball. I was very proud when at the end of the session the New Horizons staff praised the manners and behaviour of our students and were also impressed with the level of sporting talent on display. Starting last week New Horizons will now be running weekly sessions here at NNHS, we are very excited to continue working with them moving forwards.
A fortnight ago we were also privileged to have JCP here at NNHS for two days. On these days they ran seminars for all students in years 7-9. These sessions were highly engaging and inspiring for staff and students alike. Some of the feedback I received after the sessions were:
“JCP are awesome, I wish I could talk as well as them.”
“They made me think about who I am spending all my time with.”
“There were so many good messages I can’t pick just one.”
The examples above are just some of the ways that we are building engagement and wellbeing here at NNHS. We are always keen to look for ways to improve and in order to inform our decision making we use a range of valuable data sets. One of these data sets is the results of the Department for Education, Children and Young People (DECYP) Student Wellbeing and Engagement Survey. Students in Years 7-12 will all be asked to complete this survey by the end of this week and results will be used to help us identify areas we are doing well as well as areas where we can make further improvements.
Alison Walker, Assistant Principal
Duke of Edinburgh Award Update
Our Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award participants recently conquered the Adventurous Journey component of the Award, and boy, did they do it in style!
This year, the Duke of Ed journey led students to the Fearless Festival held in Devonport.
Picture this: a three-night all-inclusive adventure where students got to meet with local businesses and industry professionals to unlock a world of future work opportunities.
With students in grades 9-12 from schools from all over the state in attendance, this festival was THE place to be to explore the world of work and training. Students also did tours of local businesses including Anvers Chocolates, Elphinstone Engineering and the delicious Ashgrove cheese and dairy factory.
But it wasn't all business, the students also took time to explore the local sights, including Penguin and the beautiful Mersey Bluff, and of course made time to sneak in some shopping trips to Kmart.
Thanks to State Growth, our adventurers lived the high life in a cosy, local hotel and indulged in mouth-watering delicacies at a local restaurant. They even got to strut their stuff at a swanky Gala dinner attended by 400 people, including Tasmania's Governor, Her Excellency the Honourable Barbara Baker, and Tasmania's Commissioner of Police, Donna Adams.
The Gala dinner had some sensational guest speakers and included a video message from former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. But the cherry on top? was Abbey winning a colossal toolbox in the raffle!
The trip was filled with unforgettable moments including sunrise strolls with Jane, a sunset photography session out at the Bluff, and not to forget the jaw-dropping skills of Mrs Reeve behind the wheel of the school van.
Students are set to complete their Award by the end of the year, earning 12 TCE points for their fantastic work in volunteering, skill development, and staying active.
Nicole Reeve
Our years 11-13 students, along with two grade 10 students, were given an awesome opportunity to visit Government House. Students participated in the kitchen garden program where they worked with two of the chefs from Government House to prepare Okonomiyaki and Lemon Cordial. They visited the gardens of Government House where they grow flowers, vegetables, fruit, and microgreens for use in their kitchen and to supply the school lunch program. We toured sections of Government House including the kitchen, pantry, dining room, dry moat, and were privileged to see the silver room. Students thoroughly enjoyed the learning experience and were great ambassadors for the school.
Jane Allwright
Value: Growth
Focus: Asking for Feedback
Congratulations to:
- Grade 7 - Kyeshia B, Jordan M, Shayla L, Kayleb T
- Grade 8 - Alex J, Seb F, Sharni T
- Grade 9 - Kobe S, Maddi C, Rhys H
- Grade 10 - Jazmyn F, Charlotte W, Ethan A, Azalea B
Grade 8 Foods classes have been investigating the Australian Dairy Industry and preparing recipes containing a range of dairy products. This week we cooked buttermilk pancakes served with vanilla yoghurt and fresh strawberries. The acidity in buttermilk helps to create a more moist and fluffier pancake. We used vinegar and milk as an easy substitute for the buttermilk, but also experimented with the process of churning cream into butter and its by-product; buttermilk.
The school lunch program apple crumble is always a winner amongst students. We serve it with ready made custard, but if you want to take it a step further, try making your own!