Yearbook
Yearbook
Eastern Fleurieu School R-12 Important dates
Mon 2/12 | Governing Council Meeting | Fri 6/12 | Step Up Day |
Thurs 5/12 | Year 7 Transition Family | Fri 13/12 | Last Day Term 4 |
Library News
Jigsaws
The donated jigsaws are still popular. They are a great challenge. Here are the ones that students have completed since the last newsletter.
Other News
Thanks to those students who participated in the Premier’s Reading Challenge this year. When all the certificates arrive, they’ll be presented to students.
Regards,
Adrienne Carter
Teacher Librarian
YEAR 8 AQUATICS
THURSDAY (8A, 8B, 8C)
On Thursday, 21st November we took three Year 8 classes (8A, 8B and 8C) down to Victor Harbor where they enjoyed an action-packed day of aquatics. The students participated in bodyboarding and kayaking, two activities that pushed their limits and allowed them to enjoy the beautiful outdoors.
With wetsuits on and boards in hand, students hit the waves for a great bodyboarding session. Guided by experienced instructors, they learned the fundamentals of paddling, wave selection, and safe riding techniques. Some students quickly mastered the art of catching the perfect wave, while others focused on building confidence and having fun in the surf. They also got to experience kayaking, a calmer yet equally engaging experience. Students paddled their way through the serene waters, taking in the picturesque scenery of Victor Harbor. Along the way, they practiced essential kayaking skills, including balancing, steering, and working as a team.
Beyond the activities themselves, the aquatics day offered valuable lessons in beach and surf safety, teamwork, resilience, and respect for the environment. The students showed incredible determination, supported one another, and demonstrated the importance of stepping outside their comfort zones.
FRIDAY (8D, 8E, 8F)
On Friday, 22nd November, three Year 8 classes (8D, 8E and 8F) embarked on an exciting trip to Middleton for a day of aquatics. The students took part in surfing and bodyboarding, enjoying the thrill of the waves while soaking up the fresh coastal air and picturesque surroundings.
Wetsuits on and boards in hand, students dived into the art of bodyboarding. Under the guidance of skilled instructors, they learned essential techniques like paddling, selecting waves, and riding safely. Some students quickly caught on, riding wave after wave, while others embraced the experience with determination, focusing on building confidence and having fun. For many, the highlight of the day was the chance to surf. From learning to "pop up" on the board to mastering balance and control, students tackled the challenge with enthusiasm. Guided by expert advice, they celebrated their successes on the water and took every wipe out in stride, showing remarkable resilience and energy.
The aquatics day wasn’t just about the activities. It provided valuable insights into surf safety, teamwork, and environmental awareness. Students demonstrated grit and determination, supported one another, and learned the importance of stepping out of their comfort zones.
Regards,
Kristen Rothwell
Teacher
White Ribbon Week: Standing Together Against Violence
During Week 7, our school community is proud to recognize White Ribbon Week, a vital campaign dedicated to ending violence against women and promoting respectful relationships. As a school committed to trauma-aware, strength-based, and positive education practices, this week reinforces our shared commitment to fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all.
Through activities aligned with these values, students will explore the importance of empathy, kindness, and healthy relationships. Headspace will visit to present workshops for Year 7–10 students, while an afternoon tea will provide senior students an opportunity to reflect and engage. These initiatives aim to build the social-emotional skills and resilience needed to create positive connections and a culture of safety. Families are encouraged to join this important conversation by modelling respectful communication at home and discussing the value of equality. For more ideas and resources, visit White Ribbon Australia.
Two of our Year 11 students, Mia and Mackenzie, recently represented our school with pride at the 2024 White Ribbon Breakfast, hosted by Will McDonald from 9 News and attended by Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson, Governor of South Australia. Alongside Inclusion and Wellbeing Team Merryn Gomez, Gaby Taylor, Verity Castleton, and key DFE staff, Mia and Mackenzie listened to keynote speaker Dr Vincent Hurley, a Criminologist and former Police Officer, share a powerful message about the urgent need for change and how we can all, as individuals and collectively, advocate for a safer future. The event, themed “Wake Up to Change,” was an inspiring reminder of the role young leaders’ play in driving positive social change. We were one of only a few schools invited to attend and were very touched by the personalised, hand written cards we received from DFE thanking us for our contribution to positive change. Mia and Mackenzie took their leadership a step further by discussing these critical issues with Department for Education Chief Executive Martin Westwell, sharing their reflections on the event and the importance of fostering respectful relationships within schools and communities. Their ability to articulate the significance of this work and engage in meaningful dialogue with key leaders highlights their commitment to creating a safer, more equitable future.
The participation of our students and staff in these events reflects our school’s dedication to fostering future leaders who are committed to advocacy, respect, and equality. Together, through trauma-aware and strength-based approaches, we can build a community where respect and safety are at the heart of everything we do. Thank you for supporting this important work.
Regards,
EFS 7-12 Campus Inclusion and Wellbeing Team
Inclusion and Wellbeing Team (7-12 Campus)
Eastern Fleurieu School are very fortunate to have an extensive team of passionate educators providing Wellbeing supports to the young people in our school community. You or your child can get in contact with the Inclusion and Wellbeing team by contacting Student Services to book an appointment on 8536 2455 or you can send an email to the team at: DL.0796.Wellbeing@schools.sa.edu.au.
We have had a few changes within our team with Ely Haylock on maternity leave until Term 3 2025. Gaby Taylor is acting in the role of Inclusion and Wellbeing Leader for this time, with Chantelle Gulliver in the Learning Support Teacher role. Emma Cooney is acting in the First Nations R-12 Leader behind Megan Wood, also on maternity leave. We are excited to share more about Emma and this role with you.
Name: Emma Cooney
Role: First Nations Leader R-12
About the role: Emma’s role spans across all of our sites, supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from Reception to Year 12. This role focuses on enhancing student engagement, and learning outcomes through culturally responsive practices and intentional curriculum design. Emma works closely with staff, families, and the community to create inclusive opportunities and foster connections that celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.
Interests: Emma loves spending time with her family in nature, both on land and water, and reading.
Places you will find Emma: Emma works across multiple campuses. When at the 7-12 campus she will be found in Room 1, in the Cultural Room or out and about working with staff, students and families.
Exploring Careers in Travel: Live the Dream Travel Visits Year 9
Year 9 Geography students in Mr Jamieson and Ms Pilkington’s classes recently enjoyed an engaging session with Ellorah and Kayla from Live the Dream Travel, Strathalbyn’s local travel agents. The lesson, set up as a travel expo, allowed students to browse holiday brochures and take on the role of travel agents, selling dream vacations to their peers.
The visit linked perfectly to the local case study of Kangaroo Island, making learning highly relevant to South Australia. Students explored how tourism interconnects with local residents on KI, gaining valuable insights that helped them complete their assignment on tourism in this iconic location.
Ellorah inspired everyone by sharing how her passion and exceptional customer service skills landed her role, proving you don’t need to be well-travelled to succeed in the industry.
A huge thank you to the team at Live the Dream Travel for an unforgettable learning experience!
Regards,
Brittany Pilkington
Teacher
Stage 1 Geography Field Trip to the Coorong
The Stage 1 Geography class completed their final field work assessment at the Coorong on the 13th November. The aim of the day was for students to collect data on the difference in land and water uses for Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives in the area. Students boarded the boat at Goolwa and spent the day travelling and stopping at various locations within the Coorong National Park. The day began by being welcomed to the Coorong through a traditional smoking ceremony led by Ngarrindjeri man Daryl Koolmatrie. They then explored different Indigenous midden sites, tried kuti (cockles), hiked up sand dunes, tasted various plants, saw local wildlife including long nosed fur seals and plenty of pelicans, all whilst completing various aspects of field work along the way. It was a great way for the class to end their semester of Geography whilst also accounting for the field work aspect of their Stage 1 assessment.
Regards,
Brittany Pilkington
Teacher
Olympics Unleashed
Christopher Mchugh will be connecting with Years 7 - 9 students on 3/12/2024 2:00pm, as part of Olympics Unleashed.
The students will learn from Christopher Mchugh's Olympic journey how to build resilience, the importance of setting goals and how to find what you are passionate about.
Students will hear firsthand from Christopher Mchugh about how they overcame challenges to compete in their chosen sport at the very highest level, and how some lessons they’ve learned in sport can help students to be the best they can be – whether that’s in school, at home, on the sporting field or with friends.
Regards,
Kristen Rothwell
Teacher
Year 10 South Coast Field Trip
On Tuesday, 19th November we went to Goolwa Beach and Victor Harbor Beach to complete fieldwork.
There were five different stations at Goolwa, one of the activities was recording the wavelength, swash and backwash and give estimates on height and length of wavelength. We also drew a cross section of the dunes and analysed the vegetation growing on them and the purpose of vegetation on sand dunes. We wrote about strategies to help improve the beach and dune system, such as fences, bins and signs giving information. We walked to Granite Island, coming up with a proposal to either help to improve accessibility of the island, or to increase tourism and appeal to tourists. During this Field Trip, we learned about the important management strategies that have been put in place to improve the beach and protect the sand dunes.
Written by Year 10 students Marley, Brianna and Stella
Year 9 Beach Volleyball Competition
On Wednesday, 20th November our Year 9 volleyball students participated in an exciting beach volleyball competition at Glenelg, competing against teams from Sacred Heart, Mary MacKillop, Reynella East, and Adelaide Botanic High School. The weather was perfect for the event, and the atmosphere was filled with energy and enthusiasm. All our students played incredibly well, showing excellent teamwork and sportsmanship throughout the day. A special congratulations goes to one of our girls' teams, who performed exceptionally and finished in 1st place in their division! It was a great day, with excellent performances from all our teams, and a true display of dedication and skill. Well done to everyone who took part. We are very proud of our students' achievements.
Regards,
Mark Nielsen, Kristen Rothwell and Kelly Bahr
Teachers
Dia De Los Muertos!
This Term, our Year 8 art students explored the vibrant traditions of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Through learning about the history and cultural significance of this Mexican celebration, students gained an appreciation for its colourful customs. The highlight was designing and painting their own calavera (sugar skull) artwork. Using traditional motifs and bold, bright colours, each student brought their unique vision to life on canvas. The results were stunning—a vibrant gallery of creativity and cultural connection which is now on display in Art Room 3! This unit not only honed their artistic skills but also deepened their understanding of global traditions.
Regards,
Hannah Playford
Teacher
Year 11 Agriculture
A big thank you to Josh Sneath, who ran a shearing workshop on Monday, 11th November with Year 11 Agriculture students. Josh is an instructor for SCAA Shearer Wool Handler training, and provided authentic instruction on shearing and wool handling. Many of the students were able to have a go at the long blow, under Josh's guidance, and did a wonderful job at sorting the wool.
Regards,
Lisa Halling
Teacher
The Rite Journey Mentor Exhibition
In Week 4, Year 9 students in The Rite Journey program participated in a Mentor Exhibition, where they showcased projects developed throughout the year with their adult mentors. At the beginning of the year, each student selected a mentor to build a trusting relationship, support personal growth, and explore social skills. Over the year, students worked on a project of their choice, guided by their mentor’s support.
The exhibition was a celebration of the progress made, with students proudly presenting their work and reflecting on the milestones they’d achieved with their mentors. It was a wonderful opportunity to see the personal and academic growth fostered by these meaningful mentor relationships.
Regards,
Kelly Bahr
Teacher
Year 10 Outdoor Ed Rock climbing
Week 4 saw the last of our Outdoor Ed experiences, with our Year 10 class participating in a rock-climbing day. With a late change of location, and threatening skies we descended on one of the rock-climbing areas at Morialta Conservation Park. With the students showing varying levels of either nervousness or confidence they all undertook a safety briefing, then moved into climbing one of the six ropes that had been set up for us. Students rotated through being either a climber, the belayer (controller of the rope) or secondary belayer. All students participated and tried at least three different climbs with a small number successfully climbing three or more ropes.
Regards
Mr Doody and Ms Rothwell
Teachers
Year 7/8 Knockout Volleyball
In Week 3, both the boys and girls 7/8 volleyball teams competed in Round 1 of the knockout tournament at Victor Harbor High School and Investigator College. The girls had a standout performance, finishing in second place and advancing to the finals, while the boys also played with great determination, securing 4th place.
The girl’s knockout team played in the state knockout finals at the Lights Community and Sports Centre in Week 4, the girls faced strong competition from St. Dominic's, Norwood Morialta, Roma Mitchell, and Concordia College. They played exceptionally well and finished in 6th place overall. Congratulations to all players!
Regards,
Kelly Bahr
Teacher
Stage 1 Outdoor Education Canoe Camp:
A Journey of Learning, Teamwork, and Adventure
Miss Humphries’ Stage 1 Outdoor Education class recently embarked on an unforgettable Canoe Camp adventure in the Riverland region. Joined by outdoor education expert and top-notch bus driver Mr Doody, the students spent three days paddling, exploring, and bonding in nature.
With expert guidance from Instructor Jim of Canoe the Riverland, students Toby, James, Declan, Liam, Barnaby, Layla, Hannah, and Eliza navigated the creeks around the Ral Ral Creek area, soaking up Jim’s local knowledge of the region’s unique birdlife and ecosystems. Jim introduced the group to paddling techniques and tips for navigating and identifying local wildlife, sharing insights into the majestic whistling kites, pelicans, emus, kangaroos, and even taught us how to work out how old the ancient gum trees that line the banks are.
Day 1 we were faced with high temperatures, the group paddled around 5 kilometres, making their way up Plummers Creek, Outlet Creek, and finally into Connecting Creek to the campsite. Despite the soaring temperatures, students rose to the occasion, packing sun safe clothing and hats, and adjusting to the demands of paddling in the summer heat. The night that followed was warm and brought little relief, but spirits remained high as everyone adjusted to their surroundings.
Day 2 took the group deeper into the riverscape, paddling along Connecting Creek and Inlet Creek, ultimately reaching the ruins of the WWII Internment Camp. Here, the group learned about the historical significance of the area and even played a round of cricket on the camp’s original pitch. The group then took the scenic route through Nelbuck and Kylie Creeks, navigating narrow creeks, learning how to manoeuvre their boats around natural obstacles like logs and branches. Each group took turns leading, putting their navigation skills to the test. Alongside paddling, students honed their trangia cooking skills, with many showing off impressive gourmet meals for both breakfast and dinner. A highlight of the evening was a highly competitive game of “Bob, Carol, Ted, Alice,” in which Layla proved victorious.
On the final day, the group paddled the rest of Kylie Creek and returned upriver to their starting point at Canoe the Coorong, their minds and hearts full of memories from this epic outdoor adventure. They reflected on the tranquillity of the riverscape, the team-building games (and the persistent mozzies), and the joy of spending time in the outdoors. The camp ended on a bittersweet note, as this was Miss Humphries’ last Outdoor Education camp with the school. Thank you to everyone who helped make this trip a resounding success, particularly Mr Doody! The Canoe Camp was more than just an outdoor excursion—it was a lesson in resilience, teamwork, and the beauty of our natural world.
Regards,
Dani Humphries
Teacher
Head of Campus Report
ASSEMBLIES, AWARDS AND CELEBRATIONS
Our Year 12 Graduation last week was a fantastic event celebrating a broad of a range of achievements with academic and special awards, as well as the presentation of graduation certificates. Each student received a copy of our commemorative yearbook which will provide memories for years to come.
This week our Year 9s will attend our Rite Journey graduation, a special milestone symbolising their transition into senior school and their pathway to adulthood. We are also looking forward to special assemblies for our Year 11, Year 10 and our middle years group in the coming weeks.
WHAT WENT WELL
This week students have participated in a series of White Ribbon Day activities. White Ribbon Day is a global event that aims to raise awareness and take action to prevent men’s violence against women. Topics include what healthy relationships look like, how to protect yourself and where to seek support. Students’ engagement with these topics has been very positive and they have had thoughtful reflections about this important issue.
LOOKING AHEAD
Our Week 9 special interest activities are shaping up nicely and will be focused on developing students’ capabilities and teamwork. Students will also have an opportunity to spend time in their 2025 core groups, participate in an interhouse competition and give back to their community.
The canteen will be closed in Week 9 so please ensure your child brings a packed lunch to school; they will not be permitted to leave school grounds to purchase food during breaks.
A reminder, if you are not already connected to our social media, we recommend you follow us on Facebook and Instagram to ensure you are up-to-date with the latest news and announcements.
You are welcome, as always, to contact the school for assistance or clarification at any time.
Regards
Vanessa Coker
Director of Secondary Education
What Has Room 12 Been Up To?
This term we have been doing some interesting learning. We have been lucky to have Tim with us. Tim is doing his pre-service teaching block and knows a lot about science.
We have been learning about life cycles of animals and plants and raised Monarch Butterflies in a vivarium in our classroom. Tim took us out into Tungaree Garden, and we looked at living things. He also told us about the birds and plants that are found there. We played a game which taught us about food chains and made chains out of paper to show an actual food chain using terminology such as herbivores, carnivores, and producers. We have also been learning about the water cycle and made a model of these using plastic bags and coloured water.
In maths, we have been doing lots of hands-on measuring activities. We learned how to measure in mm, cm and m and compared world records for interesting lengths of things. We created a city scape with coloured paper and had to measure the dimensions of each building.
Our Gala Night stall was successful, and most children helped at the event. We grew Russian Giant Sunflower seedlings to sell on our stall as well as lucky dips and jewellery. Thank you to Asha’s Grandma, Denise and Elsie’s mum, Laura for donating extra things for us to sell.
Regards,
Andrea Thomas
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