Eastern Fleurieu School R-12 Newsletter Week 7 Term 4 2024

R-12

Principal’s Report

The Year 12 Graduation Ceremony was held last Thursday night in the Performing Arts Centre. As usual there was a full house and everyone there was in awe of the achievements of this group of Year 12’s.

This is the first group of students to start school at the same time as the Smart Phone hit the world. So, as they developed physically, emotionally and educationally, the Smart Phone developed over the same period of time into this unbelievable handheld device that can connect you to people and the virtual world anytime and anywhere. This group also had to endure COVID and the Mobile Phone Ban in schools. These significant events were challenges for them and in the face of adversity they developed resilience and learnt to live without 24/7 reliance on the phone.

I am pleased to say that they are very ready for the world of work and life beyond school.

A great example of this was the winner of the 2024 Principal’s Award, Amber.

During her time here Amber has exemplified our school's core values, consistently giving her best in academics and beyond. Amber's role as an ambassador for our school is highlighted by her determination, readiness to embrace challenges and respectful, kind interactions with everyone. Always supportive, Amber has encouraged and uplifted her peers, fostering a positive and inclusive environment. Her genuine nature and commitment make her a role model and an outstanding member of our school community.

Warm Regards,
Ian Kent
Principal
Eastern Fleurieu R-12 School

Term Dates 2024

Eastern Fleurieu School R-12 Important dates

2025 Materials and Services Poll Results

Instrumental Music

Mr Tarling and the 7-12 campus band visited the Strath R-6 campus on Monday, 25^th November to give an Instrumental Music demo to our 2025 Year 4 and 5 students to seek interest in picking up an instrument through the Department for Education music program!

Community News

ASHBOURNE CAMPUS

14 Ashbourne Road, Ashbourne SA 5157 Ph: 8536 2455

Head of Campus Report

I cannot quite believe that it is the end of the school year, 2024 has flown by at great speed. It has been an exceptional year at Ashbourne Campus. The year has been filled with student learning and academic achievements. We have had many excursions, a Zoo Snooze camp, several small campus events including Sports Day and Creation Market. There has been swimming, the amazing Aladdin performance at the 7-12 campus, family Bush School days, Book Week parade, celebrations at assemblies and many, many more events. The year is not over yet, we still have our Talent Show, Year 6 Graduation, the Milang Milk Bottle Regatta and our Whole School sleepover.

I would like to thank each family for their unwavering support of the campus and their child/children. The family community at Ashbourne is like no other that I have experienced in my 20 plus years of teaching. Thank you to all the staff, your commitment and dedication to ensuring each student has the best school experience they can have, academically, socially and emotionally. And lastly to the incredible students, this campus would not be what it is without each of you. You all bring your own personalities, you ensure that the campus is inclusive and a respectful and safe school environment for everyone.

I wish you all a safe and wonderful Christmas and summer holiday, I look forward to seeing you all in 2025 for another fabulous school year.

We have two Year 6 students graduating from Ashbourne, Jett and Seth. Seth started as a reception at Ashbourne in 2018. He has grown and achieved many wonderful things in his time. Seth has a gentle nature, he is well liked by his peers and has stepped up as a year 6 representative demonstrating what it means to be a positive role model for the younger students. Jett started at Ashbourne in Term 4 of 2022, as a Year 4. Jett has displayed tremendous growth in his learning and positive school behaviour. Jett has shown care and kindness to his peers, teaching them about soccer and including them in all games. Jett has excellent sporting skills and has shown growth in his sportsmanship. We wish Jett and Seth all the best for Year 7, and their future schooling.

We sadly will say goodbye to Shane Nethercott who has been teaching on our Bush school day all year. Shane has brought many new ideas to our Bush school day. She established respectful, caring relationships with all the students and staff. Shane’s connection and appreciation to nature has inspired the students learning. We wish Shane all the best for 2025, I am sure we will see Shane teaching again at Ashbourne.

We will welcome back Mathilda Longbottom, Mathilda has been on maternity leave this year. She will return as a classroom teacher in Acacia on Monday and teach Bush School on Tuesday with Rebekah. We look forward to welcoming her back.

Regards,
Rebekah Fahey
Head of Campus

Glenthorne National Park

All the students went to Glenthorne National Park on Tuesday, 5^th November. We were lucky to explore the National Park with a Geocaching activity with Nature Play SA. The students used electronic GPS devices to find 10 different animals hidden in the park. They had to work as a team to locate them. This activity was followed by a short hike around the park, looking at the native birds, finishing at the lake. The students enjoyed a short play on the incredible playground after lunch, unfortunately we were rained out as the storm rolled in.

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Remembrance Day

The students showed their understanding and respect for all the fallen soldier’s on Remembrance Day. The Acacia students spoke about the significance of the day, all the students displayed their poppies and we held a 2 minute silence to mark our respect, with Leah lowering the flag.

Assembly

In Week 5 we had our first assembly for the Term. The students have been working on Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking and Citizenship. The awards went to Seth, Tyron, Tony, Lincoln and Sophia.

Bush School

This term the students have been learning about Ancient Times, so far they have looked at the Mesopotamia period, Egyptian, Greek and Chinese Civilisations. This week after learning about Ancient China the students worked together to construct their own Great Walls of China. The students chose different surfaces to build their walls on, taking in to account the terrain that the real wall is built on and the elevation.

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Art

This Term the students have been working with Gaynor to paint the posts in the lunch shed. The students first painted the four posts in a variety of colours and patterns. They then looked at native animals and insects to Ashbourne Campus and are painting the animal silhouettes over the wonderful coloured posts. I can’t wait to see the finished posts.

LANGHORNE CREEK CAMPUS

Bridge Road, Langhorne Creek SA 5255    Ph: 8536 2455

Head of Campus Report

As we come near the end of the 2024 school year, reflecting on the year we have had, we can be extremely proud of our achievements. Setting up our refurbished campus, focussed teaching and learning programs, consistent routines establishing class norms and expectations, improvements to our grounds, to name a few. There is an overwhelming sense of pride and gratefulness for our students, their families, and community members who selflessly volunteer and our committed staff, all making our campus a great place to be.

This term we have welcomed students from local kindergartens and surrounding areas, preparing them to join our campus in 2025. Students’ growth in learning and maturity is evident in the way they engage with learning and continue to show genuine kindness in caring for each other.

Our students shone at the beginning of the term as they shared our special space – Mozzie Creek with Mrs Shields’s class, Room 11 from the Strathalbyn Campus. Seeing our students take the lead in sharing information about our campus and their learnings from our visits to Mozzie Creek is a credit to them.

The building refurbishment has been a highlight for us all. Seeing students, staff and families create a welcoming school community, commitment to our identity about what it means to be a student at Eastern Fleurieu Langhorne Creek campus is wonderful. Having veranda’s completed, over Term 3 holidays has provided much needed protection from weather. We are all very grateful.

Langhorne Creek campus students have represented us well in SAPSASA sports in cricket and tennis over the past weeks. Our recent student free day enable us to come together as R-12 school with opportunities for learning, reflection, and preparations for 2025.

In the final weeks of term, we are preparing and practicing for our end of year celebrations for our Year 6 graduates and concert well under way. Please send in donations for our Campus Advisory Committee (CAC) Raffle fundraiser, thank you to those of you who have already sent along something. Classes are preparing saleable items for Fete. CAC are organising a delicious meal for the evening. We are looking forward to having our families and friends joining us. We look forward to presenting a great show on the night.

To all our students, families, and community, we have enjoyed another great year working with you all.

Regards,
Les Cameron
Head of Campus

Life Matters Session

On Thursday, 21^st November we had Gareth and Sophia come in and talk to us about Christmas and the gift of giving. Their message was 'Treat people like Treasure'. It was very interesting and we did lots of fun activities. We are very grateful they were able to come and visit.   -  Brody

On Thursday we had a visit from the Life Matters group to teach us all about Christmas and treating people like treasure. They taught us about positive relationships, character strengths and diversity. All the students loved playing the fun games and learning all about kindness.   -  Miss Anna

Inquiry learning in Koala class

We have been busy in our inquiry time learning about movement and how things can move. We tested out some push and pull movements to see what toy would move the furthest.

We have been learning all about China in inquiry time as well. We have learnt about the map, some of the Chinese language and all about the Great Wall of China. We paired this learning with World Kindness Day and created a Great Wall of Friendship. We each wrote kind things about one of our peers in order to brighten their day. This unit of work has been lots of fun so far.

 I liked learning the colours - Mila
I liked learning the language - Ivy
I liked making the Great Wall - Stella

Art Session with Past Langhorne Creek Campus Student

Arabella visited Langhorne Creek Campus recently and worked with our students on her art assignment. 

Remembrance Day

On Monday, 11th November we conducted a community Remembrance Day Service at the Langhorne Creek Memorial Hall.

We practiced our scripts are were very proud to be school captains and speak at this significant occasion.

It is an ideal time to reflect on how lucky we are and to be grateful for the soldiers who fought for our country.    -  Sam and Lexi

I am grateful for friends and family. - Tash
I am grateful for having a home, food and water. - Hudson
I am grateful for having friends and a loving family. - Connor
I am grateful for a good education and a loving environment. - Archie

LC Remembrance Day

Assembly

Congratulations to our Term 4 Week 5, Assembly Award winners.

Playgroup

Playgroup at Langhorne Creek Campus continues to be well attended and enjoyed by all. All pre-school children and families are welcome to join up on Friday mornings from 9:00am to 11:00am.

Regards,
Libby Thornton 
Playgroup Co-ordinator

MILANG CAMPUS

Cnr Cox and Rivers Street, Milang SA 5256     Ph: 8536 2455

Head of Campus Report

The end of the year is coming quickly and soon we will all be enjoying some sunshine and holiday time. The last couple of weeks have been interesting with many staff and students away with Covid and other illnesses. Although this has caused some disruptions it is a great opportunity for students to experience different teachers and practice adapting to unexpected changes. They have all done really well!

We are now looking to 2025 and I am very pleased that both Christine Rollins/Suzanne Minards and Amy Pulleine will be continuing in their classes. After 10 years at Milang I have decided to take a year out to travel in India, Sri Lanka and work/volunteer in the United Kingdom and Europe. We are very fortunate that Merran Jolley, a former teacher at Milang will be stepping into my role. She already knows some of the students and staff and I’m sure will do an amazing job in my absence.  Our support staff are yet be confirmed.

I hope to see you all at the Regatta and for Year 6’s at their graduation and look forward to my return in 2026.

Regards,
Susannah Cook
Head of Campus

Playgroup

Junior Primary Learning

The Junior Primary class were learning about persistence in Health with Mrs Cook as they tried to use stilts! 

The students travelled to Murray Bridge swimming pool on Monday and enjoyed an end of year celebration for the great work they have done.

Each morning, we start the day with our Spelling Groups. Some of the activities include: taking part in a guided reading activity, practicing blending sounds together to form words and using the laptops to type up our stories on a Word document.

We have been learning all about multiplication and division as well as revisiting place value. This week we made a visual representation of the two, three and five times-tables. The children were then asked to label their arrangements with the corresponding multiplication equation. The older children have been using place value blocks to regroup 4-digit numbers into different arrangements.

In maths with Mrs M the students have been doing fractions, equal parts, unequal parts, quarters and eighths...

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Upper Primary Learning

Students from the Upper Primary class made models of the Earth, sun and moon with Mrs Cook so they could explain the rotations to the Junior Primary. 

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Woodhouse Excursion

On Friday, 1^st November the Upper Primary class was lucky enough to be invited to an adventure day at Woodhouse Adventure Park by the amazing volunteers from Milang Youth!

What is Woodhouse Adventure Park you may ask? Well think climbing, rope swings, team work, student encouragement, challenges, falling into a creek and a whole lot of fun and you’ve got it!

The students had an incredible time taking on Challenge Hill, full of obstacles that required them to problem solve and work together, before tackling the infamous rope swing, with some hilarious falls into the cool and refreshing creek! The Upper Primary did an incredible job of hyping each other up and encouraging each other to do their best, and it was an absolutely fantastic day for all involved!

An extra special thank you to the amazing volunteers from Milang Youth, Lyall and Jodie for providing us with such a fun filled day!

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Emma, Grace and Kaylee participated in the Hot Shots tennis competition in Strathalbyn with students from other campuses and Tyndale school.

Happenings at Milang

MOSH NOSH

The students from Milang have been enjoying coming to MOSH NOSH this term and it is a really special treat as we don’t have a canteen at school.

Our Year 6’s have also enjoyed being helpers throughout the year and we hope this will continue next year with a whole new group of Year 6’s.

Choir

Students have been rehearsing with Mrs M some Christmas carols to sing to the Volunteers at the Christmas luncheon at the MOSH on the last day of term.

We have welcomed Victor to the class for some transition visits.  He will be joining us next year.  He is looking forward to coming to school.

Remembrance Day at Milang

The students participated in the Remembrance Day service at the Milang Anzac Park and enjoyed a sausage afterwards.

Reminders from Donna

Book Club

Orders due back Friday, 29^th November.

Attendance 

Please always contact the school if your child is late, call or come in and sign a yellow slip.  Also if your child is away or someone else is picking them up.  If we don’t hear from you your child’s absence is marked as unexplained.  A message from another student is not enough, we need to hear from a parent. If you are picking your child up early please come into the office and complete a green slip. 

Please continue to follow the guidelines for keeping us all safe.  If you need to come on site, please ensure you are sanitising when entering any buildings. Keep your visits brief and social distance at all times. 

STRATHALBYN R-6 CAMPUS

34 East Terrace, Strathalbyn SA 5255     Ph: 8536 2455

Heads of Campus Report

Gala Night

We thought our last Gala Night was great, well this one was absolutely brilliant!

The weather was perfect, the crowds rolled in, and students confidently ran their stalls with such a sense of ownership and pride.  Parents and friends enjoyed many food options while participating in a range of side show games, mini golf, the art gallery, market stalls, VR station and the crowd favourite – the dunking machine. 

It was amazing to hear the conversations students were having with their families about their learning, their planning or how they worked out a solution. Just under $10,000 was raised on the night towards our campus facilities mainly our basketball court.

A big thank you must go to our wonderful staff, both teachers and SSO’s, in particular Mr Smith who ran our Upper Primary Enterprise groups and Helen Wakefield for all her behind the scenes work.  Lastly, our students for their innovative ideas, sense of fun and teamwork and parents for their never-ending support.

Gala Night

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Lunch Eating Review

It has been over 12 weeks now that we have made some adjustments to eating times here at school. As you know, we are now having set eating time after our morning break at 11:10am. If students are hungry at the second break (1pm) they are more than welcome to take out food at this time.  We have heard many thoughts about this change and we know that change is always a little unsettling.  

From a school perspective, we have recently surveyed staff and over 95% of staff reported a positive change for students.  Some of the feedback we received included:

‘Student eating more and more relaxed as there is not the impetus to get out and play as soon as possible.’

‘Students are more attentive and ready for lessons as they have sorted out any issues that has happened in the yard during their eating time.

‘Students have more stamina for block 3 and 4’

‘Teachers are having time to unpack any play incidents or concerns during eating time, meaning that valuable learning time is not being taken up.’

‘The school yard is looking a tidier, as less packaging is being taken into the yard as students finish their eating in class.’

I also welcome feedback from our parent community, please email Jo.garwood825@schools.sa.edu.au to contribute.

Regards,

Parent Club

Room 29 Variety Christmas Party

Room 29 were lucky enough to go on an excursion to Adelaide and attend the Variety Kids Christmas Party at the Adelaide Showgrounds. It was such a fun day! We had our faces painted and got cool tattoos, took photos in the photo booth, and watched awesome balloon creations being made. We even got to explore a fire truck and sit in a police car! There was a Magic Cave bus to check out, a dance floor with live bands, and plenty of yummy food. And of course, we got to meet Santa who rode in on his motorbike! It was an unforgettable day filled with excitement and joy. We would like to say a big thank you to the Variety SA children’s charity as they provided this event free of charge thanks to the funds raised by the generous sponsors and supporters.

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Regards,
Megan Fry

Summer Holidays Survey

Room 30 and 31 Visit Cleland!

Rooms 30 and 31 went on an excursion to Cleland Wildlife Park on Friday, 1^st November. The weather was fine, and we had a fantastic time going around the park getting up close to the Australian animals. We got to pat a koala and lots of kangaroos. The children in my group particularly enjoyed seeing the reptiles. Andrea the Education Officer showed us a bearded dragon, a children's python and a green tree frog.

We had an amazing day and thank you to the parents who come to support.

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Regards
Deb Woolford, Cara Eastwood and Penny Falland

Art Update

Thankyou so much to everyone who stopped by our Art Show on Gala Night! The students were so proud to show off their work and it was so exiting to be able to find at least one art work from every child.

What talented artists we have!

Regards,
Meg Russo

Junior Primary Concert

Gala Night with Room 13

What a massive evening Gala Night was, with our students working so hard to plan, prepare and then deliver on the night. 

Our class ran a 'mini games' styled stall, using some chance and data activities, skill testers, accuracy throws and some critical thinking stalls too.

Gala Night was a true showcase of our students’ incredible teamwork and skills. Throughout the event, they demonstrated outstanding collaboration and communication, both with each other and the customers. From the planning stages leading up to the night, students were faced with challenges that required critical thinking, and they rose to the occasion with creative solutions. The energy at our stall was electric, with students working seamlessly together to keep everything running smoothly, despite the hustle and bustle. As teachers, we were thrilled to see how confidently and professionally our students interacted with the customers, supporting one another at every step. It was an absolute pleasure to witness their growth and the way they took ownership of the event, making it a memorable success for everyone involved.

Regards,
Abbey Knight and Darcy Springhall

PE Update

Run Club Kicks Off in Style!

For the past two Wednesday mornings we have had over 125 runners join us for our brand new run club.

Our aim is to not only promote health and fitness but to also engage with our local community and to give students, teachers and parents a fun, free and active way to start the day. 

We have so many students at our school who participate in a lot of sports outside of school, so to offer something that caters to ALL, regardless of skill and fitness level is something really important to us. 

It has been great to see the kids so excited to attend, and to run with their friends. We have had staff members joining in too which has been incredible. 

We will continue to run the event each Wednesday morning for the remainder of the term.

House Captains Visit the Kindy

On Wednesday of Week 5, our captains from each house ventured to the Coronation Road Kindy as part of National PE Week to teach some PE skills to the students there. 

We had Sierra and Jordan teaching some soccer skills. Students got to practice dribbling, trapping and shooting goals. John and Issac taught some Corn Hole, where students had to throw bean bags into the hole on the board and Havanah and Tyler taught a modified basketball session comprising of passing and shooting.

We received terrific feedback from the Kindy staff and all our leaders should be so very proud.

Regards,
Darcy Springhall

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

STRATHALBYN 7-12 CAMPUS

11 Callington Road, Strathalbyn SA 5255    Ph: 8536 2455

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

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.

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Regards,
Dani Humphries
Teacher

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 4^th 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 6^th place overall. Congratulations to all players!

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

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.

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Regards,
Kelly Bahr
Teacher

Year 11 Agriculture

A big thank you to Josh Sneath, who ran a shearing workshop on Monday, 11^th 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.

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Regards,
Lisa Halling
Teacher

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 9 Beach Volleyball Competition

On Wednesday, 20^th 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 1^st 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.

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Regards,
Mark Nielsen, Kristen Rothwell and Kelly Bahr
Teachers

Year 10 South Coast Field Trip

On Tuesday, 19^th 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

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

Stage 1 Geography Field Trip to the Coorong

The Stage 1 Geography class completed their final field work assessment at the Coorong on the 13^th 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

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

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.

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

YEAR 8 AQUATICS

THURSDAY (8A, 8B, 8C)

On Thursday, 21^st 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.

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FRIDAY (8D, 8E, 8F)

On Friday, 22^nd 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.

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Regards,
Kristen Rothwell
Teacher

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