Friday 6 September | School Closure
Monday 16 September | Year 9 Debating Competition
SA Olympics Unleashed Yr7s
Yr 11 Drug Education Seminar
Saturday 21 September | Pedal Prix 24 Hour Murray Bridge Race
Friday 27 September | Students finish at 2:30pm - Term 3 concludes
Monday 14 October | Term 4 Recommences
Tuesday 29 October | Valedictory Assembly
Thursday 31 October | Student Free Day
For more Term 3 Calendar dates: download the pdf version here
Term 4 dates will be confirm and sent before the end of term 3
Dear Parents/Caregivers,
As Term 3 draws to a close, we reflect on what has been a highly productive period filled with several noteworthy events.
Final Weeks for Year 12 Students
Our Year 12 students have just five teaching weeks remaining: the final three weeks of this term and the first two weeks of Term 4. The next three weeks are critical, as students will be working diligently to complete all their school-assessed tasks. Weeks 1 and 2 of Term 4 will primarily be dedicated to revision. It is imperative that students use their time effectively from now until the end of Week 2, ensuring they meet the deadlines set by their teachers in order to achieve success.
Equally as important is the need for students to take care of their wellbeing by maintaining a balanced diet and avoiding late nights in an effort to complete their work. This is an area where parents can play a vital role by encouraging their children to take breaks for meals and to get sufficient rest each night.
Pedal Prix
This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending the Pedal Prix Races held at the Hanson Road Velodrome. It was heartening to see so many of our students participating, supported by their cheering parents. As always, our students received tremendous support from Fast Cats Racing and our dedicated staff members, Wayne Ferguson, Jess Hanlin, Ron and Lyn Gibbins. An event of this scale requires countless hours of planning, organisation, and training. A very big thank you to everyone who contributed to making this event a success.
ABODA Music Competition
Recently, our music students competed in the ABODA Music competition and proudly earned a silver medal. This is a significant achievement, especially considering the strong competition from students at private schools and special interest music schools. Congratulations to all the students and their teachers, Mr. Budd and Ms. Warrick, for this remarkable accomplishment.
Student-Led Conferences and Subject Selections
On Tuesday the 20th of August, we held our annual student-led conferences and subject selection day. The day was filled with energy and enthusiasm. Parents had the opportunity to listen to their children reflect on their learning and discuss strategies for improvement. As I visited different home groups, I was immensely proud of our students and how thoughtfully they reflected on their learning. It was equally gratifying to hear our Year 10 and 11 students discuss their subject choices for 2025 and their potential future careers.
Thank you to the 622 parents who took time out of their busy schedules to come in and support their children with subject selection and learning reflection.
School Uniform
I am asking for your support in ensuring that your child wears the correct school uniform each day. The school uniform is more than just attire; it symbolises our shared values of ‘we are united, passionate and accountable’. By consistently wearing the uniform, students learn the importance of adhering to rules and take pride in representing their school community. Your involvement in reinforcing this expectation at home will help create a positive and focused learning environment, where all students feel a sense of belonging and equality. Together, we can set a strong foundation for your child's success both in school and beyond.
School attendance
For some students, getting up every day and coming to school is challenging for many different reasons. They need our collective support to overcome these challenges and gradually learn to enjoy school. Attendance is critical, as it directly impacts students' academic performance. Additionally, regular attendance helps students develop important social skills, such as teamwork, communication, and conflict resolution, which are vital for their personal growth and future success.
If your child is struggling to attend school, please get in touch with us. We will work with you and your child to develop an attendance plan that will hopefully support their return to school.
Reminder there is a school closure tomorrow. Enjoy the long weekend and we will see you next week.
Ms Joanne Costa
Principal
Friday 16th was year 8 Languages dessert day. Students had the opportunity to pre-order Spanish or Japanese themed desserts and eat them for recess. Some students enjoyed alfajores (al-fa-hor-es) shortbread biscuits with a caramel centre or black sesame cookies. Another common dessert in Central America is tres leches (trays le-ch-s) which is a vanilla cake soaked in whole milk, evaporated milk and condensed milk with fresh cream. Tres leches means three milks in English. Next year we will change the desserts for the upcoming year 8 students and have more traditional Japanese desserts such as mochi.
“The Basque cheesecake was, so yummy, 10 out of 10,” Mackenzie.
Make sure you order your dessert next year if you are currently in year 7.
Ms Muggleton
Year 7, 8, 9, 10 Spanish Teacher
The MASA Quiz night was held on Wednesday 14th August, Modbury High School entered five teams of four students to compete at King's Baptist Grammar School, Wynn Vale. Here our students engaged in puzzles, maths challenges, and general knowledge questions, to compete against students from Pedare Christian College, The Heights, and King’s.
In the Junior division (Year 7/8) was Aarav Patel, Abbie Carroll, Sarah Kennedy, Payton Richardson and Angaddeep Singh. Then we had two Intermediate division (Year 9/10) teams, Paige Sharpe, Ella Taylor, Tyler Gaskin and Gargee Vyas along with Emily Totani, Isha Bane, Avnoor Kaur, and Tanish Yadav.
In the Senior division (Year 11/12) we also had two teams Anton Kastanos, Finley Bradtke, and Siddhartha Attaluri along with Oscar Elder, Lawrence French, Kaiwen He and Cooper Garland-McNamara who took out the title of Best Overall Senior Team.
It was great to see Modbury students having fun and collaborating, in an attempt to get the highest score for each of the four sections throughout the night.
Ms Sandra Gill
Mathematics Teacher
The ABODA Band festival was held during Week 4 of this term and our MHS band students hit the stage to compete against school bands from around Adelaide.
Concert Band students aimed high this year by entering the ‘Advanced’ Concert Band section; the first MHS Concert Band to do so in almost 15 years! Students were one division higher than last year and were extremely happy to receive a well-deserved ‘Silver’ award for their performance.
Big Band musicians returned the following day for their chance to take to the stage in competition. Special mentions go to our Year 12 soloists, Jack C.-A. and Crystal Hurcombe, for their amazing contributions to the performance. The band received a ‘bronze’ award and valuable feedback to reflect and continue to improve on as an ensemble.
MHS is extremely proud of all of our young musicians and everything they continue to achieve.
If you would like to hear the bands performing pieces from the competition, please save the evening of the 29th of October (T4, Wk3) in your diaries. We will be presenting our end-of-year concert in the school gym on the night.
Mr Budd
Music Teacher
A huge congratulations to our 7-9 Netball team who managed to play off for first place in the state going to down to Blackwood by just 4 goals. It was a massive effort, as the team was struck down by illness and injury prior to and on the day, sometimes playing with only 6 players. Great job placing 2nd in the state in all secondary schools.
Well done to our Year 10-12 Boys Netball Team for their incredible achievement in reaching the State Finals! The team demonstrated exceptional skill and sportsmanship, securing an impressive 4th place statewide.
We’re also thrilled to announce that four of our players, Noah Zaltron, Joshua Taylor, Seb Borgas and Noah Cook have caught the attention of the Men's South Australian Netball scouts. Both have been invited to attend the statewide trials. Well done boys!
Students and staff celebrated Wear It Purple Day with a splash of purple, purple cookies and some activities on the Purruna Kuu deck at lunch time. It was an opportunity to celebrate and support LGBTQIA+ young people in our school community and acknowledge that everyone belongs in our Modbury High School community.
More information about Wear It Purple can be found at https://www.wearitpurple.org/
Friday 30 August | Wear it Purple Day
Friday 6 September | School Closure
Friday 27 September | Term 3 concludes
For more Term 3 Calendar dates: download the pdf version here
Dear Parents /Caregivers
The commencement of Term 3 has been positive, with students and educators swiftly resuming their established learning routines.
Student Free Day
The third Student Free Day occurred on the first day of the term and was divided into two distinct sessions. The initial session was facilitated by our Behavior Coach, Ben Kha, along with two of his colleagues, who led a workshop on behaviour management and strategies for engaging with students who present challenging behaviours. In the subsequent session, teachers conducted audits within their respective learning areas, with a focus on task design. This audit aimed to ensure that the tasks offered provide ample opportunities for all students to excel and showcase their learning.
Balaklava Eisteddfod
On Friday, the 2nd of August, our music students travelled to Balaklava to compete at the Balaklava Eisteddfod. Not only did they enjoy themselves, but they also returned with outstanding results. The Concert Band secured first place, and the Stage Band, Choir, and Brass Ensemble received honourable mentions. Congratulations to all the students and Mr. Budd for their exceptional work.
Japanese Study Tour
On Sunday, the 3rd of August, a group of enthusiastic Japanese students from Osaka arrived at our school. The students were warmly welcomed by Ms. Amanda Kampes, the International Students Coordinator, along with their host families. The students spent a week at our school, participating in lessons alongside their designated buddies. On Wednesday, they had the opportunity to visit Adelaide University and the Adelaide Zoo. Although their stay was brief, the students thoroughly enjoyed their experience at our school. We extend our sincere gratitude to the host families for their hospitality and care.
Subject Selection and Student-Led Conferences
This is a friendly reminder that our subject selection and student-led conferences are scheduled for Tuesday, the 20th of August. All students are expected to meet with their homegroup teachers and parents to select their subjects for 2025 and discuss their academic progress and achievements thus far. If you have not yet scheduled a booking, we urge you to do so promptly. This presents a valuable opportunity for parents to engage in their children's educational journey.
Snow Trip
A contingent of 16 students is presently enjoying the snowfields of Mount Hoffman. Reports from Mr. Karl Read, who is accompanying the group, describe the experience as amazing and one that will be remembered for a long time.
Modbury High School’s Careers Day
Ms. Angela Stamati, supported by Dr. Swati Phatak and Mr. David Atterton, has invested considerable effort in planning and organizing the annual Careers Day event, which took place today, Friday the 16th of August. Students had the opportunity to engage with presenters from universities, various industries, and career pathway providers for students with disabilities. It was a highly successful day, with significant student participation.
Ms Costa
Principal
WEAR IT PURPLE DAY is just around the corner so dig out your purple accessories and dress to impress on Friday 30th August!
What is WEAR IT PURPLE DAY?
An opportunity to show support for and celebrate LGBTQIA+ young people and diversity in our community.
Students are invited to wear a splash of purple with their uniform – not a casual day. Socks and other purple accessories are welcome. No need to bring a donation, just show your support with a splash if purple.
More info at - www.wearitpurple.org
On Wednesday 19 June, students from Golden Grove, Highbury and Ardtornish Primary Schools joined Modbury High School participants and mentors in the Modbury Auditorium for the first IM Beginner Band Workshop of 2024.
This workshop was a great success and featured the pieces "Cango Caves” and "Tyrannosaurus Rocks”. Feedback included:
“It was definitely an eye-opener for my students and hopefully will encourage them to challenge themselves a bit harder from now on.”
“... great turn out from parents for the concert - the kids performed well”
Thanks to the following students that mentored on the day:
Rebekah Woolford, Liam, Crystal Hurcombe, Ariah Merrett, Shiraz Berhan, Emily Zhang, Jacob Richter, Scarlett Sachse, Rei Cook, Jack Rose, Luke Haskard, Louie San Gabriel, Ryan Williams, Elsie Zhang, Alex Brandon, Eli Carter, Hamish Hanlin, Liam Horn, Evan Lewis, Hudson Mentha, Joshua Merrett, Connor Montana, Kayla Murphy, Skye Parrish, Riley Parsons, Nicole Shinkfield, Angaddeep Singh, Jayden Taylor
Mrs Moeller
Arts Coordinator
The first training session for the Special Operations Car Wash Program was a great success! The students in Room 8 Special Options class were so enthusiastic and did such a stellar job with washing both a hatchback and sedan. It’s clear that this hands-on experience is not only helping them develop practical skills but also fostering teamwork and individual strengths, and some business acumen.
Their Teacher, Mr Peter, along with SSOs Jeff and Chez, are seeing positive results and are grateful for the support from Modbury High School staff. This collaborative effort is a great example of how community involvement can enhance educational experiences and teach valuable life skills.
Here’s to many more successful car washes and the continued growth of these students’ skills and confidence!
Arved (German Exchange)
The MHS school community is great and one of the reasons why I enjoyed my time in Adelaide so much. Music was the subject I liked the most because we had time to practice our instruments and have fun, which, in Germany, rarely happens in the scheduled lessons. For the last half-year, I have been part of the Concert Band and the Woodwind Ensemble, which I really enjoyed, not only because of the fun when playing my instrument, but also because of the amazing people that I met when being in band and music lessons. While here, I also learned to use a whole new clarinet system, which was hard, but I had lots of help from my peers, my instrumental teachers, and from Mr. Budd. In my opinion, the music program at MHS is great, and I am not really looking forward to going back to my music lessons in Germany because they are mostly theory-based and boring. I hope that they will change it to be like Modbury's soon.
- Arved Grotmaack
It was a pleasure and honour to have Arved join us not only at school, but for music. He showed extensive dedication and passion for band and for his solo practice, which is extremely admirable. He was an amazing addition to our band family, and we wish him well on his way home to Germany. Hopefully our time together will hold wondrous memories forever. We miss him already and hope to see him again soon!
Mia Ly – Year 11 Music Captain
Week 8
Instrumental Music Beginner Band Workshops provide an opportunity for students from adjacent schools to join musical peers in a large ensemble and perform fun and attainable repertoire within a short rehearsal time. Our Music Focus School Brass teacher, Mark Heinjus, lead the organisation of this years’ IM Beginner Band Workshop, held in the MHS during week 8. Approximately 115 students from Golden Grove, Highbury, and Ardtornish Primary Schools, including Modbury HS participants and mentors, were in attendance at the first workshop for 2024 to form a huge beginner band. Parents were entertained by a short performance displaying the Music they managed to learn in such a short time.
Thank you to all staff involved in making the day a success.
IM Staff: Lynn Sheridan, Sharon Burgess, Tom Hart, Robyn Paul, Mark Heinjus.
School Staff: Anne O'Dea (Ardtornish PS), Kirrabelle Lovell (Highbury PS), Michael McConnochie (G. Grove PS), Gareth Budd (MHS).
We are taking almost 50 MHS musicians to the Balaklava Eisteddfod at the end of week 2 as our students debut as first-time competitors in the event. The ABODA contest is coming up in week 4 and our Concert Band and Big Band will be representing the school, with the Concert Band entering the ‘advanced’ section for the first time. Happy practicing!
Mr Budd
Music Teacher
Over two sessions our Year 10 students engaged with presenters from Port Power; Brett Ebert, Ash Saint, Dylan Errington, Amelie Borg, Tim Tuikaba and Goy Lok, to hear Empowered presentations on domestic violence and respectful relationships. Students hear strategies on how to keep themselves safe in a relationship, how to determine if a relationship is respectful or not and, the biggest challenge of all, how to stand up to our friends if we see them being disrespectful to others. As young people it is important to challenge stereotypes that lead to a power imbalance and stop true equality in our world. If we are going to live in a world that is equal and safe for all, we need to pave the way now to develop the people who can make that change so we are truly grateful for Port Power and their presentation on such an important conversation. We invite all parents and caregivers to continue to conversation at home on this topic.
On Thursday, 8th of August, our Year 10 English class had the privilege of hosting four wonderful Japanese exchange students for a lesson. To make their visit both special and memorable, we organised an iconic Australian food ranking activity. Among the foods ranked were Tim Tams, Lamingtons, Twisties, Caramel Koalas, and Milo. Tim Tams came out on top as a favourite amongst our exchange students! With the assistance of our Modbury High students, we then created a small persuasive piece on why their chosen food was the best!
Ms Hoppo
English
Earlier this year when the year 12’s were on retreat, we had the honour of having Ms Freeth and Mrs Botten come talk to us about ideas that centre around wellbeing, with the main focus being “What is your WHY”. This saying allowed the students to look into why they are doing certain things in our life, this can be from the students personal life to school life. After this talk the students had the opportunity to draw on some hexagons, using images, symbols and words to represent who they are. Our hexagons, like the hexagons in honeycomb produced by bees, is a network that creates strength through unity.
Caitlin Fraser, Year 12 student
Monday 22 July | Student Free Day
Tuesday 23 July | School Recommences
Friday 6 September | School Closure
Friday 27 September | Term 3 concludes
For more Term 3 Calendar dates: download the pdf version here
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
Welcome to our last newsletter for Term 2. Reflecting back to the start of this term, I am very pleased with all the achievements by our students and staff over this very busy and packed term.
Year 11 and 12 Exams
The mid-year exams for Year 11 and 12 students took place during Weeks 8 and 9. The exam results for Year 11 students will determine their eligibility to continue with the subject in Year 12. For most subjects, students will need to achieve a grade of C+ or higher. Year 12 exam results provide students with an indication of their understanding of the concepts taught and highlight any areas needing attention in preparation for their final exams.
Gardening
On Friday, 28th of June, students from the Special Options and Pathway classes, with the support of the Governing Council Chair, Mr Martin Crabb, their teachers, and SSOs worked tirelessly to transform an unattractive strip of land into a beautiful garden bed. It was delightful to see the students’ excitement and genuine pleasure in planting and working together. A heartfelt thank you to Mr. Martin Crabb, all the teachers, and SSOs for not only supervising the students but also for being excellent role models by actively participating.
End of Term Reports
A reminder that the Term 2 end-of-term reports will be published on Daymap today. I encourage you to discuss your child's results with them and to reflect on their achievements together. Support them in considering strategies to improve their grades for Term 3, which is particularly important for Year 12 students.
Subject Selection and Parent-Teacher Interviews
Subject selection and student led conferences will take place on Tuesday 20th August. Starting in Week 2, during home group sessions, all students will work with their home group teachers to start exploring subject selections for the following year. As part of this process, students will spend time considering various careers and subjects that may be relevant to their interests. For students in Year 7, 8, 9 and 12 as well as considering subjects for the following years, they will spend time reflecting on their learning and complete a presentation which they will share with their parents on the day. More information about the process and how to book a time for selection and the presentations will be sent home early in Term 3.
Farewell
Modbury High School says farewell to Mr Tim Hankin, Mrs Mary Fisher and Mrs Helen Thomas who after many years of teaching have decided to retire. Over the years they have supported many students and staff and I am sure will be missed by the Modbury High School community.
We also farewell Mr James Dundon has been successful in winning a leadership position at another school and has commenced in his new role at the start of the semester. Mr Dundon has led the Science faculty for many years and supported the implementation of the STEM program at the school. He too will be missed by his students and colleagues.
Ms Nianix Li, who has been with us replacing Mrs Kanter while on leave, is also leaving at the end of this term. We wish her all the best for the future and thank her for supporting our students.
Wishing everyone a relaxing, restful and happy holiday.
We will see you all back here all refreshed for another term on Tuesday 23rd July.
Ms Joanne Costa
Principal
Modbury High School Year 11 student Charlotte Bland has had a busy start to 2024 representing both South Australia and Australia at Rifle Shooting.
In January Charlotte was selected to attend a Junior Air Rifle Tour of Austria and Germany where she competed in 4 competitions. Charlotte went on to win The Meyton Cup in Austria where there was a field of 50 competitors.
February saw Charlotte compete at the first Australian Olympic selection trial in Sydney where she shot a new Personal best Score and finished in first place.
In March she shot at the National Championships in Brisbane and came away with 1st place in Women’s 10m Air Rifle, 50m Junior prone and State teams Air Rifle.
Charlotte was then selected to represent Australia at the ISSF Final Olympic Qualification Championship in Rio, Brazil. She finished 79th Individually and 18th in Mixed pairs. This was the final domestic selection shoot for the Olympic Games in Paris and Charlotte finished in first place for the Australian leaderboard.
9 days after returning from Brazil she again represented Australia at the ISSF World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan, finishing 69th Individually and 26th in mixed pairs.
Then in May Charlotte attended a World Cup in Munich, Germany, which was the final opportunity to qualify for the Olympic games and an extremely large competition with 148 women competing in the Air Rifle, Charlotte managed 90th Individually and came 35th in the mixed pairs.
Charlotte’s goal for the remainder of 2024 is to compete at the Junior World Championship in Lima, Peru later in the year. Good Luck Charlotte! We are so proud of you and will be cheering you when you are in Peru!
Friday morning, 28th June, members of our Special Options and Pathways classes met with an expert landscaper to learn how to set up a garden. After a safety briefing and planning session, we set to work moving 6 tons of organic dirt and 8 cubic metres of mulch.
We learned about designing gardens, laying drip feed water pipe, spacing colourful plants, and layering dirt and mulch. Mr Martin Crabb shared his passion as he taught us about design and the processes to follow to complete a garden from scratch. We used shovels, forks, buckets, wheelbarrows, blowers, and our gloved hands to create a beautiful space from a barren garden bed.
It was great to work as a team to complete the whole job in one day, with the weather threatening to turn on us into the afternoon. To celebrate, we enjoyed some hot chips from a local store and viewed part of a movie related to the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which we finished reading earlier this term.
A huge thank you to Martin for his passionate expertise, Ms Costa for allowing us to show what we can do, and for helping on the shovel when she could, the staff and students of the Special Options and Pathways classes. Watch this space as we continue to work towards a few more projects in our various programs.
Congratulations to Year 8 student, Benika Kaundal, who has won third place in the secondary school category for the SA Refugee Week Youth Poster Awards! Benika’s work was one of 85 selected to exhibit from 340 entries and 55 schools.
Benika was invited to attend the exhibition launch today and to receive her award & prize.
“The artwork represents an Australia welcoming people and refugees from other countries with open hands. It shows the diversity of multi-cultures coming to Australia, adapting to new change, contributing towards the Australian community, and feeling as if they belong” – Benika Kaundal
SA Refugee Week is led by the Australian Migrant Resource Centre over 16th-22nd June and offers a range of programs, events and activities celebrating and connecting the refugee community with established communities.
While attending the Careers and Employment Expo this year organised by Ms Stamati for the Year 10 students. one of our students, Sienna, entered the competition that was running at the Expo. The competition encouraged students to engage and have conversations with several Automotive exhibitors about potential career pathways in the industry. The competition card said “The more stickers you collect the greater your chance of winning multiple prizes”. Dr Katerin Berniz, Pathways Advisor Schools Support notified Ms Costa and Ms Stamati one off our students had won multiple prizes including the first prize. As below.
“I’m very happy to announce that Sienna Peck was the diligent student who did this and as a result, has become the ‘first prize winner’.
The first prize is a voucher for V8 Front Seat Hot Laps at Mallala Motorsport Park + Sienna also won a $100 Repco Voucher!
Congratulation Sienna!
Congratulations to former Modbury High School student Lara Somfai for winning a gold medal at the u18 basketball Asia Cup this week. Lara was placed in the all-star 5 for the competition for her excellent play throughout the week.
It is amazing to see the hard work and dedication that Lara has put into basketball paying off on the big stage! She is currently playing basketball in the United States, with her next stop being to College basketball.
We wish Lara all the best with her future in basketball, and look forward to watching her grow even more as a person and a player.
The mural was a collaboration between Modbury High School, Modbury South Primary School and Modbury Special School. Young people came together to brainstorm ideas for the mural project. They wanted to tell the story of our journey, how each school is interconnected, walking together proudly side by side, to form a community spirit that is built on respect, safety for each other, responsibility, one that is strong in culture, strives for a positive learning attitude and acknowledges our history.
The artwork incorporates elements that were important to the three school communities.
There are many people sitting around the gathering places. Each school community is identified by the size of the people sitting. The circle to the right shows students from MSS, the next circle shows students from MSPS and the circle at the left shows students from MHS. Each school is on a journey to the middle circle that represents a meeting place where all three school communities come, sit together to share stories, knowledge and ideas, building on our strong collective spirit that will guide us into the future.
The star symbolises our ancestors watching over us, guiding us and protecting us. The shield symbolises that we are working and learning on Kaurna Country and that we recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs and relationship with the land. The hills above symbolises strength and pride and the waters below symbolises deep feelings of community and connectiveness.
Dear Parents / Caregivers,
The last four weeks have provided many wonderful moments and opportunities for parents and staff to witness the amazing achievements of our students.
Music Night
On Tuesday, 11th of June, the Music Department held the end-of-semester 1 Music Performance. It was an incredible event where students showcased their musical talents. The audience was treated to an array of performances from individuals, small groups, and the entire year group. What was evident through each performance was the enthusiasm, passion, and commitment of both students and teachers, and more importantly, the growth and development of the students' musical skills. Many parents expressed how proud they were of their children and how impressed they were with their performances.
A very big thank you to Mr. Budd for the overall planning and organization of the evening, and to Ms. Geszner and Mrs. Moeller for supporting Mr. Budd with the organisation. Thank you to the instrumental music teachers, Ms. L Sheridan, Mr. Heinjus, and Mr. Duncan, for supporting the students on the night and preparing them for their concert. We also extend our thanks to all the instrumental music teachers who, although unable to attend the evening, supported the students in their preparations for the concert.
Drama Performance
On Wednesday, 12th of June, the Year 9 drama students performed for their parents and students from neighbouring schools, Ardtornish and Modbury South primary schools. They performed “The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk,” which is an adaptation that adds a comic element to the traditional fairy tale. According to feedback from the audience, the performance was very entertaining and kept everyone engaged throughout.
Thank you to the staff and students from Ardtornish and Modbury South primary schools for attending the performance. A special thanks to Mr. Swain for his enthusiasm, passion, and commitment to the drama students, always striving to provide them with an authentic learning experience.
Year 12 Formal
The Year 12 formal took place on Friday, 14th of June, at Glen Ewin Estate. The evening was filled with fun and highlighted the close connections students have developed with their classmates and teachers. Ms. O’Brien Dent, who is currently on leave, surprised the students with a personal message read out by Mrs. Woolford. The Year 12 formal committee, with the support of Mrs. Woolford, Mr. Agalidis, Mr. Price, and Ms. Thomas, did an outstanding job, ensuring everything ran smoothly. The student and teacher awards kept everyone entertained, and the hall was filled with laughter as each award was announced. Students enjoyed the music and dancing.
A very big thank you to the Formal Committee, Ms. Woolford, Ms. O’Brien Dent, Ms Thomas, Mr Price, the year 12 homegroup and subject teachers for supporting the students in planning and organizing the event. Thank you also to all the staff who attended that evening. A special thank you to Mrs. Terriann Dearden for once again documenting the event with her exceptional skills as a photographer.
Pedal Prix
Pedal Prix students, with the support of Fast Cats, participated in the Victoria Park Pedal Prix race which took place on Sunday the 16th of June. As always, the students had lots of fun. A big thank you to Mrs. Hanlin and Mr. Ferguson for planning and organising the event. Thank you also to Fast Cats Racing for their ongoing support.
Attendance at School
I would like to take this opportunity to draw your attention to the importance of regular school attendance and its benefits to student learning and success.
Regular school attendance is crucial for student success, as it directly impacts academic achievement and social development. Consistent attendance ensures that students stay engaged with the curriculum, participate in essential classroom discussions, and develop a sense of responsibility and discipline. Moreover, students who attend school regularly are more likely to build strong relationships with their peers and teachers, fostering a supportive learning environment. As parents, encouraging and maintaining your child's regular attendance can significantly contribute to their overall educational and personal growth, setting a solid foundation for their future endeavours.
As per the Education Department and the school's attendance policy, we ask that if your child is going to be absent from school due to illness or a family reason, you contact the school and provide a reason for their absence.
Some students may not enjoy school, and at times, parents may find it difficult to get them to attend. If you are experiencing such difficulties, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our student wellbeing leaders are here to help you and support your student.
Regards
Joanne Costa
Ms Costa
Principal
On Thursday 23rd May, A traditional Indigenous basket weaving workshop which was held by Marra Dreaming in the art gallery, organised by Marisa Hammer, the ASETO, alongside Ms Caitlin Brown, for a group of students.
Traditional basket weaving goes back 10,000 years and is made by wetland grasses (such as lomandra species), lawyer cane (a spiky vine), pandanus, and black palm. Basket weaving can be used for many different things such as holding precious objects, carrying food, and nets for fishing. I found this workshop enjoyable and I'm grateful that Marra Dreaming came out and showed us the techniques passed down by the elders I wish to do this more one day.
-Dana Hammond
Approximately 86 students and 30 staff members celebrated our Year 12 cohort at the formal at Glen Ewin Estate. This represented a culmination of months of planning by the student-led Formal Committee, who need to be congratulated for all of their efforts made in making this event a night to remember for the students.
Many thanks also to Ms Lindsay Shire and Ms Madelin O’Brien-Dent for advising the committee along the way.
Thanks need to go to Aidan Klose (Year 12 student) who entertained us all with his amazing DJ work. Thank you to Terriann Dearden (staff member) for taking all the amazing photographs on the night, and assisting the event photographer with the official photographs. Our official photography was actually an old scholar (2019 graduate)!
Thankyou to Ms Cait Thomas and Mr Iain Price for MCing the night, Mr Luke Agalidis for helping me with some of the speaking and presenting of awards.
Mrs Woolford
Assistant Principal
Curriculum / SACE
The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program is one of the most effective evidence-based parenting programs in the world, backed up by over 35 years of research. Triple P gives parents simple and practical strategies to help them build strong, healthy relationships, confidently manage their children’s behaviour and prevent problems developing.
Triple P provides a suite of interventions to parents of children from birth to 16 years. Interventions are of increasing intensity and tailored to target particular demographics or parenting groups, including parents of children with a disability, parents going through separation or divorce, parents of children who are overweight, and First Nations parents. It aims to equip parents with the skills and confidence they need to be self-sufficient and manage family issues without ongoing support.
There are many different programs from, one to one formats to discussion groups and even online formats. Please follow the link below to find the best program for you here: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/partners/triple-p-positive-parenting-program
Despite the cold and windy day at our Tailem Bend AIPP Round 2 race, held at The Bend Motorsport on May 18th, the riders didn’t give up and kept fighting right to the end! Lynx secured 8th place in their category, while Pink Panther finished impressively in 4th place. The competition between Cheetah, Puma, and Ocelot riders made the race exciting and competitive throughout the day. Fast Cats Racing (FCR) had a stellar performance with Top Cat taking 1st place in its category. Hell Cat and Night Cat also contributed to FCR's success with 5th and 8th place finishes respectively. Overall, it was a brilliant day of racing with notable achievements.
Most recently, at the Victoria Park race on a sunny Sunday, the 16th of June, Pink Panther encountered an early roll over at ‘Crash Corner’, fortunately the safety of the trike kept the rider safe and able to return to compete later in the day. All our MHS riders displayed fantastic efforts, resulting in impressive lap times, with supportive, yet competitiveness, between riders. It was great to see riders motivating and encouraging each other.
We also saw Lynx improve from 8th position at Tailem Bend to 6th spot at Victoria Park, showcasing the student's progress and determination.
FCR's race day the day earlier, despite less fortunate weather, still managed to proceed under dry conditions. Top Cat continued its winning streak with another 1st place finish, and Hellcat added to the success with a 3rd place in its category. This highlights the strong potential for Modbury High School students to continue their Pedal Prix journey after high school, joining the competitive and successful FCR adult teams.
Looking ahead, the focus is now on Round 4 race back at The Bend Motorsport at Tailem Bend on August 3rd.
For any students, even those yet to start Pedal Prix, if you are looking at riding in the 24-hour Murray Bridge race in September, please speak to Jess as soon as possible. To be eligible to race in Murray Bridge, you will be required to race in at least one other race in the season prior to the 24-hour race.
Congratulations to all participants for their efforts and achievements, and for anyone interested in joining Pedal Prix, there's still an opportunity to get involved by contacting Jess to start your Pedal Prix experience.
Well done to everyone involved in making these events successful and memorable!
Email jess.hanlin802@schools.sa.edu.au for details.
A special thanks to Sharnee at Picture It Sport Photography for the amazing photos.
For a free coaching service for parents and carers, to build on your family's strengths, create clarity and increase confidence to support your teenager through a tough time. Follow the link below.
https://parents.au.reachout.com/one-on-one-support
Topics covered: School and Education, Parenting Skills, First Nation parents and carers, Culture and Identity, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Friendships and Dating, Family Relationships.
In collaboration with the Commissioner for Children and Young People, and the SA SRC, I had the opportunity of participating in a video project being shown at Cleland Wildlife Park’s Inaugural Youth Voice event on Saturday June 1st. The event centred around showcasing what youth across South Australia are working on, with a focus on the environment and our hope for the future. Students in the SA SRC were tasked with answering a series of questions, their answers then strung together and shown at the event. I was lucky enough to be one of two invited out of the several participants.
However, a focus of the event was to, in part, honour Dame Dr. Jane Goodall in her 90th year around the sun and 60 years of advocacy and work. She spoke at the event, and I found her words to be truly impactful and inspiring. An excellent speaker, who I believe could have gone on forever (to my delight). Before Saturday I had recently learned of a Dr. Jane Goodall tribute LEGO set, and thought it imperative to purchase it and bring it to the event. That I did.
I had a wonderful time meeting Jane, and a wonderful time hearing from everybody at the event.
- Xavier, a year 11 student
This week our year 10 students have been busy at work experience. Students are working in a varity of industries to gain real world experience in their area of interest. Teachers have been busy catching up with them throughout the week to see them in action and how they are doing.
Angelica has had an interesting week, observing tooth extractions, fillings and dental hygiene practices. It is something that she has always been interested in and sent out quite a few emails before she was accepted at SA Dental. Angelica knows that she has many years of study ahead of her (and a huge HECS debt) but is still keen to pursue this career.
Amir's work experience has been at Woolworths this week where his supervisors all say that Amir has been polite and keen to learn. He has worked in various sections both on the floor and behind the scenes. He has rearranged displays, checked on Date restrictions for various items and met staff in other sections of the store. There have been discussions with management about the possibility of part-time work following his work experience so this has been a successful placement for him.
Shahanna went back to her old Primary School to see what life was like on the other side and has had a very enjoyable work experience. She has been working with individual students to support their reading and to help with assignments and has introduced an Art task to the whole class. While at Dernancourt Primary School, I also ran into a student from last year who is working as an SSO – Sienna. Our students are out in the community doing good things!
Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) teaches parents and educators specific communication and conflict resolution skills to create and sustain effective and enduring relationships with children of all ages in all circumstances.
The Program:
How is P.E.T. delivered?
Online (Zoom classes) and in-person groups are available. P.E.T. can also be undertaken individually or as a couple and is always facilitated by highly skilled accredited instructors
For more information follow the link below:
https://www.parenttraining.com.au/
It is very exciting to share my experience of the first music night for 2024, especially being the first-ever Year 12 Music Captain at Modbury High School. As a passionate senior musician, it was truly thrilling to witness the gym packed with incredible performances from various bands. The evening not only showcased the immense talent but also the dedication of Modbury's students as they continue to grow in their musical journeys. From Year 8 beginners to Senior students finishing their school careers and hopefully taking their musical talents beyond school, everyone supported and encouraged each other throughout the night. This spirit of collaboration highlighted the hard work, creativity, and vibrant musical community we have at Modbury. It was a privilege to be part of such a memorable event.
Crystal – Year 12 Music Captain 2024
Monday 13th May saw our Year 11 students participate in a Road Awareness Program session. It is sponsored by our Stage Government and supported by our Department for Education, and is provided by the Metropolitan Fire Service. The session provides an open and honest insight by our firefighters and service providers who work in road crash rescue situations. It provides a hard-hitting insight into road trauma.
The session was provided by MFS member Joshua Byerlee, who recounted some of his own experiences in attending road crash events, recalling statistics and providing insights from families of victims. The students were also spoken to by a crash victim who, while they survived, recalled the extensive injuries they have suffered (and continue to), the lengthy recovery and affect it has had on their family and friends.
While this information was confronting for our Year 11 students, it is meant to empower our young drivers of today and tomorrow about the risks and choosing their consequences.
Year 11 students are currently undertaking their final assessments for semester 1. Students are requiring to undertake examinations as part of their subjects – in preparation for Stage 2 subject requirements and eligibility.
Students have also reviewed their post-school pathways with respect to their semester 2 subject choices and Stage 2 potential subject pathways. This will culminate in the Subject Selection process in the middle of Term 3.
During this year so far, Year 12 students have been receiving ongoing feedback regarding their progress through the Interim and End of Term Reports. These help to provide Year 12 leaders with
clear information on how students are progressing, so that conversations can occur with the students and families regarding their process.
Part of assessing student progress is the opportunity for students undertaking subjects with an end of year exam to practice these processes with our Mid Year Exams. Students will be undertaking these during Term 2 Week 9. Students will then be able to reflect on how they prepared for these exams, and what improvements and/or changes they can make to then optimise their opportunities at the end of the year.
Subjects without examinations are continuing their progress through their assessment tasks, and students will still be attending their double lessons during Week 9, as well as the Monday timetabled lessons.
On Monday, 18th March, 2024, we held our annual Sports Day. The four houses named after famous poets and authors: Gilmore (Yellow), Wright (Red), Lawson (Blue) and Thiele (Green) competed for the “Dean Stringer House Shield.” In honour of Dean’s contribution to the Modbury High School community, the shield was awarded to the winning house.
Differing to the past we had to postpone the event due to hot weather not once but twice in order to get it in prior to the Vista Athletics Carnival also not being helped with NAPLAN testing being forced into the mix. This meant a very busy few weeks in planning, organising and reorganising at Modbury High School at least we were able to get the heats, and the Fun Run done during week 6. The planning culminated in the successful execution of the event as staff and students worked tirelessly, into the twilight hours and before the break of dawn, to ensure every detail was thoroughly attended to.
The anticipation was evident as students eagerly congregated before the early 7:30am start, their house banners displayed proudly, the cracking sound of clappers signaling the commencement of a day filled with athletic prowess and camaraderie. From the onset, longstanding athletic records were broken through the competitors' determination, a great atmosphere and energy reverberated throughout the grounds.
The traditional opening ceremony featured the popular “Modbury High School Flame Relay.” The year 12 House Captains' sporting achievements were highlighted whilst proudly modelling their team shirts and carrying an Olympic-style torch around the track before the symbolic lighting of the cauldron by last year’s winning captains of Gilmore. Mr. Schiller, the announcer for the day was heard describing intense competition, great sportsmanship, and the occasional joke.
The feeling of teamwork and cohesion with an air of competition provided proof of the benefits of Sports Days. The high level of participation, enthusiasm, and teamwork of both students and staff demonstrated a strong commitment to the schools’ values and a obvious level of support for their house teams.
Mr. Karl Read's 'F1 in schools' team provided food and drink options which was a great fundraiser for their upcoming International and National competitions. Mrs Terriann Dearden preserved the day's memorable moments through numerous of captivating snapshots, ensuring that this Sports Day memories would endure for years to come.
Mr. Brendan Schiller provided a vibrant running commentary of the day. Many exciting races took place, in particular, the 100-meter finals. Students and parent supporters lined the track cheering and encouraged the athletes. Many strong performances were recorded throughout the day, with many records broken.
A special mention goes to all the new record holders with 13 records broken on the day – 6 of which from one student Kelly McInerney in year 7. Other strong performances included Sydney Pocock (10 Girls) who recorded 85 Points (105) in the old system. Kade Monteleone (10 Boys) coming back from recent injury scored 68 Points While Jade Pelton dominated the year 12 Girls and scored 69 points. The complete list of winners and new records can be seen in the records table below.
The day's festivities reached its climax with the eagerly anticipated 'Staff versus House Captains relay,' a spectacle synonymous with excitement. The staff once again won back their crown with a convincing victory.
The competition from all houses was relatively strong throughout day. Thiele unfortunately lost some key competitors and found themselves back in fourth place. Wright were the surprising movers of the day finishing second by just 3 points over Lawson with Gilmores family legacies still proving to be too strong to overcome with the Gilmore Captains accepting the Stringer Shield and trophy proudly
As the dust settled on an exhilarating day of competition and camaraderie, heartfelt gratitude was extended to all who made valuable contributions to the day. While all participants were deemed winners in their own right, special accolades were reserved for the classes and individuals who emerged triumphant in their respective competitions.
Whilst all who took part can be viewed as winners, special congratulations go to the classes and individuals who won their respective competitions. Well done to all! We look forward to a strong showing in the upcoming Vista and SSSA athletics carnivals. Eager to give it our best and show the other A Grade schools what Modbury High is made of.
Modbury High School’s annual ‘Fun Run’ was held this year on Tuesday 5th March 2024. The Fun Run is used as a lead into Sports Day and gives all students the opportunity to participate to earn athletic points for their house.
The weather was a little warmer this year leading into a heat wave. Although that didn’t deter too many runners as we saw better numbers participating this year. Although a few succumbed to the heat there were still some athletes achieving some great times. Others decided to take a more leisurely approach as the weather took its toll.
Those who did participate put in a great effort to secure some vital points for their houses. Most did very well to complete the 3km course for year 8 and year 9 and the 4km course for year 10 to year 12. As in previous years an excellent turn out by year 7 and 8 students, and always looking for more senior students to show the way. Congratulations to each of the year level winners and placegetters.
Mr Brendan Schiller
Sports Coordinator
Dear Parents/Caregivers,
The last four weeks have been incredibly busy with our students continuing to engage with their learning and participating in many extra curriculum activities.
Teaching and Learning
Teachers have continued to work in their PLTs, exploring different elements of pedagogy. On Friday the 3rd of May, curriculum leaders met to discuss their improvement plans. Leaders shared their journeys so far and what elements of pedagogical practice their faculties were exploring. Some of the areas explored are differentiated learning, multiple exposures, questioning, collaborative learning, and feedback. In addition to individual faculties exploring specific elements, the whole school is working together to learn more about metacognition and teach students metacognitive strategies for learning. With this work, we aim to improve the teaching and learning experiences of the students and support them to become effective learners, which is one of our school’s goals for 2024.
School Culture
The culture committee has continued to work with staff to unpack the behaviours which underpin each of our school’s values: We are United, Passionate, and Accountable. During our student-free day, which took place on the first day of the term, they worked with staff to unpack what behaviours impact how well the school values are realized. The exploration started with the value of “we are passionate.” Over the next few weeks, Ms. Casey Rendell, Learning Environment Assistant Principal, will be running a number of similar workshops with students to get their input, so as a school community, we have agreed expectations of what positive behaviours reflect each value.
NAPLAN Results
The preliminary results for NAPLAN have been provided to us. There are five aspects to the test: Numeracy, Reading, Writing, Grammar and Punctuation, and Spelling. In all areas except for Grammar and Punctuation, both our Year 7 and 9 students sit in the “strong performance” category. In Grammar and Punctuation, we sit mostly in the developing category. We will continue to unpack this data and determine strategies to improve in all aspects of the tests, particularly Grammar and Punctuation.
Parent-Teacher Interviews
Parent-teacher interviews were held on Thursday the 16th of May. Over 850 appointments were made with teachers. It was pleasing to see so many parents attend the interviews and to see teachers smiling at the end of the day, commenting on the positive experience they had. They were very appreciative and thankful for the support they received from parents.
Pedal Prix
On Saturday, 18 May, the Pedal Prix students competed at Tailem Bend. Thirty students attended, along with the Fast Cats racing team. Mr Wayne Ferguson and Mrs Jess Hanlin were extremely impressed with how well our students participated. Pink Panther won 4th place out of 7, and Links came 8th out of 39 teams. The Masters Team, Top Cat from Fast Cats, came 1st. Thank you to Jess, Wayne, and the Fast Cats Racing Club for their planning, organising, and ongoing support of the Pedal Prix program.
Hydrogen Car Racing
A group of four students competed in the Hydrogen Grand Prix racing. These students belong to the STEM club, which operates every Wednesday afternoon. They developed their own hydrogen car and were successful in winning third place. This is an extraordinary achievement, as this is the first time that the students undertook such a project and competed in this event. Congratulations to Riley, Samuel, Liam, and Declan for their achievement, and thank you to Mr. James Dundon for the mentoring and support he has provided to the students.
Farewell to Hannah Downes
It is with sadness that our school community is farewelling Mrs. Hannah Downes, Assistant Principal of Learning Environment. Hannah and her family are moving interstate. Hannah has been an incredible leader who has touched the lives of many students and staff at Modbury High School. Hannah’s enthusiasm, passion, and commitment to Modbury High School were evident in everything that she did. Her students loved her passion for physics and sense of humour. Her colleagues loved her commitment to making Modbury High School a better place for everyone. Thank you, Hannah, for all your amazing work over the years. Modbury High School wishes you a bright and wonderful future. You will always be a part of Modbury High School.
Ms Joanne Costa
Principal
Every day a student attends school has a positive impact on their future prospects and their development as an individual. A focus on increasing student attendance through support and intervention with the student and their families creates a culture of success within the school community.
Research from around the world has demonstrated a clear link between improved literacy and numeracy outcomes and attendance at school. Family engagement with the student and the school around attendance and achievement has also been shown to be critical; when families understand the relevance of attendance they work more closely and effectively with the school.
As a parent or caregiver, it is your responsibility to:
Reminder we will not be using Spacetalk for SMS or email from Mon 27 May. It will all be through Daymap.
For more information and how to guides please click the following link.
Each term, the school acknowledges the students who achieve exceptional end-of-term results.
Outstanding Achievement awards are presented to students who obtained the maximum number of A grades for their year level. The academic achievement of these students was recognised at our Outstanding Achievers Recess in Week 2 this term.
High Achievement awards are presented to students who obtain one fewer A grade than the maximum for their year level.
Congratulations once again to these students!
Outstanding Achievement
| Year 8 | Year 9 | Year 10 | Year 11 | Year 12 |
| Skye Parrish | Jules Sualog | Jess Freebairn | Breanne Button | Jasmin Andrews |
| Eileen Zhang | Gargee Vyas | Charli Hodson | Jordyn Cook | Madison Benton |
| Saarakshya Sharma | Rei Cook | Hannah Dones | ||
| Scarlett Taylor | Cameron Green | Quinn Duncan | ||
| Arved Grotmaack | Lawrence French | |||
| Danika Low | Kaiwen He | |||
| Emily Zhang | Lianna Lineage | |||
| Kahlan Mashford | ||||
| Tanvita Naik | ||||
| Hana Wong |
High Achievement
| Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 | Year 10 | Year 11 | Year 12 |
| Abbey Carroll | Armaan Babwani | Logan Ashman | Ronan Atkins | Charlotte Bland | Jack Counihan-Abbott |
| Thomas Coombe | Felix Brotherton-Collins | Hong Chen | Lara Azo | Molly Cox | Sarah Crozier |
| Andrei Dumitrescu | Sibella Kastanos | Tyler Gaskin-Osborne | Isha Bane | Katelyn Fraser | Marli Donsberg |
| Erin Freebairn | Isobel Leyson | Hudson Geier | Ella Boyle | Imogen Janicki | Oscar Elder |
| Imogen Gillespie | Ruby McFarland | Liam Hanlin | Abi Cavenett | Lia Kais | Trinity Fowler |
| Isabella Gilligan | Hudson Mentha | Nicholas Haskard | Izzy Dube | Christopher Kastanos | Carlos Gray-Claveria |
| Reva Khanna | Prithvi Patel | Ava Huettenrauch | Inyoung Kim | Jade Kolman | Anton Kastanos |
| Ella Lee | Payton Richardson | Maddison Johns | Angelica Lizaso | Ariel Lim | Romeo Mangava |
| Amalie Ross | Fleur Rowe | Brendan Keast | Aki Sicoy | Mia Ly | Tyson Nottle |
| Toby Strelan | Branson Kusmadi | Emily Totani | Mika Osborne | Jade Pelton | |
| Elsie Zhang | Hasifa Mbatudde | Elliot Webster-Brown | Xavier Paulson | Jazsmin Smith | |
| Miley Mugford | Tom Whistler | Raina Saitov | Andrea Sualog | ||
| Roshani Rajkumar | Olivia Wighton | Alecia Saldavia | Leo Vorrasi | ||
| Vivaan Rajpal | Caitlyn Scott | ||||
| Paige Sharpe | Mady Sharma | ||||
| Ella Taylor | Josh Stewart | ||||
| Elisha Tonkin | |||||
| Isabella Wright |
Term 1 in Spanish we have been learning about Spain and introductory sentences. We have been focussing on numbers, months of the year and pronunciation (phonetics) of the Spanish alphabet. Lots of new vocabulary has been learnt for greetings and basic conversations. Students have been working in class or for homework on Duolingo or blooket to assist in revision of vocabulary and phrases. Students have looked at the famous Spanish artist Pablo Picasso and decorated their book covers with a Picasso style self-portrait. We looked at artwork from Picasso’s blue and rose periods and students then chose to either replicate these or draw their own self.
Ms Fiona Muggleton
Spanish Teacher
Mr Jorge Paredes
Spanish Teacher
Shaelee Herman and I were lucky enough to be invited to the HiViZ Women Building SA Luncheon at the Adelaide Convention Centre last Friday. The inspiring afternoon featured numerous powerful women who shared their stories, offering insights and encouragement to women navigating male-dominated professions. It was fantastic to see a room full of strong women supporting each other and proving that men and women are equal! A key message taken from the event was that together, we can break barriers, inspire change, and create a more inclusive environment for everyone.
We are incredibly proud of Shaelee for following her dream of becoming an Australian Defence Force Electrician.
Ms Brooke Hoppo
English & Humanities Teacher
On the last day of term 1, Friday 12th April, two year 11 Art classes including Mrs Moeller, Ms Brown and Mr Price, went on an exhibition marathon! The Waterhouse Prize is a prestigious exhibition in the SA Museum showcasing Australian artists who explore a range of media and concepts. The exhibition is ‘where Natural Science and Art collide’. The theme is fitting for us as our Visual Study for this semester investigates Artists associated with nature. This exhibition takes place every two years, and we visited it on the opening day. We also perused the Inner Sanctum exhibition at the Art Gallery of SA before lunch and finally got to view the great works and folios of selected 2023 stage 2 Art and Design students from around the state at the Light Square Gallery. This exhibition is important as it illustrates the documented visual and written processes of year 12 students, from first ideas to the final practical, and gives all an understanding of how to write an artist statement too.
Mrs Jess Moeller
Arts Coordinator
Harvey Spencer, a year 11 student, has represented South Australia at the Australian Powerlifting Alliance Nationals in Newcastle, NSW where he placed 1st 
in his division, Sub-Junior under 93kg 
His best lifts were:
Squat 225kg
Bench Press 140kg (National Record)
Dead Lift 263.50 (National Record)
Harvey is currently ranked 13th in the world for Sub Junior under 93kg and will be representing Australia at the International Powerlifting Federation Worlds in Aug/Sept in Malta.
"Going into this comp I was the most nervous I had been before a meet. Jimmy (3rd place) and Corey (2nd place) pushed me really hard going into deads. But on my opener I failed my lockout because my left calf cramped up. For a moment I thought I had lost but my dad pulled me aside and tried to spark up as much self confidence in me he could and I smoked it on the 2nd attempt. For my third attempt I had to pull 263.5kg to tie Corey's total and win through bodyweight. In the end I got the final deadlift I needed and WE'RE GOING TO WORLDS"
- Harvey.
Congratulations Harvey! We are very proud of you and your achievements!! We will be cheering you on in Adelaide while you are at worlds! 
Rubie Lehman’s journey to 2nd place in the world started with a video submission to try-out for the Australian u/14 Cheerleading team. From there she made it through to the in-person tryouts with 60 other athletes finally being accepted onto Team Australia with a team of 31 athletes all aged between 12 and 14.
In the lead up the world championships she undertook many trainings here In Adelaide every Friday night along with two full day team trainings in Sydney and one in Melbourne before travelling to Orlando Floria for the competition.
There was 5 days of tough training and then a grueling two weeks of competition, she put in a fantastic effort along with her team eventually coming away with the 2nd place trophy “it was a really fun experience and I would do it again and recommend it to any other potential cheerleaders out there”.
Please click the following here to download information regarding Year 11 in term 2.
Wormald Canvas continue to support Design & Technology at Modbury High. They recently, very kindly supplied some canvas covers to the Design and Technology faculty free of charge. These are sincerely appreciated and we thank them for these and hope that if members of the high school community need any canvas products that Wormald Canvas is part of their consideration.
Ms Aimie Strawbridge
Coordinator of Design & Technology
Mr Wayne Ferguson
Coordinator of Design & Technology
On the 16th of May, 11 Year 10 students attended the Empowered Leadership Day at the Alberton Oval Precinct. These students represented Modbury High School on their pupil free day. Their behavior and engagement in all activities on the day was a wonderful reflection of these awesome attendees.
The theme of the day was based on leadership qualities and skills, being an upstander and online safety. Students heard from AFL and AFLW Port Power players around how they lead by example and values they strive to achieve in their leadership role so they can inspire others. Port Power players and coaching staff ran a session on scenarios of how to be an upstander in various situations. Flinders University having partnered with Centacare and Port Power to develop a Power Up Online Safety program which the students were asked to give feedback on so that this program has the best chance of appealing to as many young people as possible.
In between these sessions students were given a tour of player locker rooms as well as the High Performance Centre where the players train. They also had a chance to have a kick around on Alberton Oval and participate in training drills run by the players from the AFLW and AFL Port Power teams.
Ms Lauren Freeth
Year 9/10 Level Leader
In 2025, Modbury High School is excited to extend on the existing specialist basketball program to introduce a new basketball academy that will be available for all students starting in year 7 and going through to year 10. This academy is specifically designed to improve student-athlete's basketball ability, strength & conditioning as well as prepare them for success in SACE.
Year 6 students wishing to attend Modbury High School in 2025 with an interest in joining the basketball academy, please complete this form: https://forms.office.com/r/VgFYtzi8Ad
For out of zone students wishing to attend for the academy, a reminder that when entering your preferences on the Department Starting Secondary registration of interest form (due Friday 24/5) to nominate Modbury High School as your preference and outline that you are wishing to attend for the basketball academy, as well as completing the above form for our records.
Current high school students that wish to attend Modbury High School with an interest in basketball, please complete the letter provided in the enrolment pack.
This amazing program coincides with the continuing USA basketball tour, with the next trip being held in 2025.
The academy is overseen and coached directly by our head of basketball, Riley Harrap. Riley has years of experience coaching at state levels and currently plays NBL1 for the Norwood Flames. For further information, please contact him directly on riley.harrap439@schools.sa.edu.au
Mr Riley Harrap
Teacher | Basketball Specialist Manager
The Hydrogen Grand Prix (H2GP) program challenges tomorrow's innovators to design, engineer, build, and race their own hydrogen-powered RC cars. Through this program, our future leaders develop the creativity, ingenuity, and real-world problem-solving skills needed to tackle tomorrow's energy challenges. From the 20 teams competing, the winner would earn a place to compete in the World Final in the US.
Our team Innov8 Velocity Racing competed in an exhilarating 4-hour race, showcasing their exceptional skills and teamwork. Leading for the first three-quarters of the race, our team ultimately secured an impressive 3rd place finish. The competition demanded precise power management, with teams limited to using three batteries and 18 Hydrostiks (hydrogen fuel containers) and driver skill and endurance to achieve the highest number of laps in 4h.
Despite an early setback when a crash inadvertently switched off our fuel cell, draining our first battery, our resilient team managed to navigate the remaining 3.5 hours on only two batteries. This remarkable feat was made possible by the incredible efforts of our two drivers, Riley and Samuel, as well as our dedicated pit crew, mechanic, and race strategists, Liam and Declan.
Our team, consisting of one Year 8 and three Year 9 students were competing against much older teams, making their achievement even more commendable. These students have been working tirelessly since the middle of 2023, sacrificing lunchtimes and after-school hours to hone their skills in our STEM club.
We are incredibly proud of our team's perseverance, dedication, and outstanding performance. Congratulations to Riley, Samuel, Liam, Declan. Your hard work and passion for STEM is truly inspiring!
Mr James Dundon
Science | DATA | STEM Coordinator
If your student has had achievements outside of school, let us know! We would love to celebrate together! Just send us an article with information and photos you would be happy for us to share. Email us at dl.0964.info@schools.sa.edu.au
The start of 2024 has seen many ups and downs for MHS Music with us not attending GIJ to expanding our IM offerings.
For the first time at MHS, we now provide Voice lessons to eligible students in the Choir. We bid a warm welcome to Mrs. Schultz, our new IM voice teacher.
Our Choir has also bolstered in numbers to around 20 students under the guidance of Ms. Geszner.
We are also very proud to have established small ensembles for Woodwind, Brass, Flute, Saxophone, and Classical Guitar, run by our incredible IM staff. We thank Mrs. Sheridan, Mr. Heinjus, Ms. Paul, Mr. Moore, and Mr. Bairstow for their time and support of the MHS Music program.
A number of these groups will be performing alongside class and school ensembles at our Semester 1 Music Night, on Tuesday the 11th of June (in the school Gym). A small number of these new ensembles will also go on to represent MHS at the Balaklava Eisteddfod next term.
We look forward to our upcoming opportunities!
Congratulations to Sienna Peck for being successful with the donation letter she wrote. Sienna reached out to some of our local coffee bean roasters to gain donations for the Purruna Kuu Cafe. Veneziano Coffee Roasters have generously donated 6kgs of their delicious coffee beans. Veneziano has a fabulous cafe on Melbourne Street in North Adelaide. When you are near the cite next drop in for a coffee, lunch or treat and let me know how appreciative you are that they are supporting wellbeing initiatives at Modbury High School.
Ms Lauren Freeth
Year 9/10 Level Leader
For the Sports Day Newsletter and Athletics Newsletter - Click here
COMBINED NORTH-EAST VISTA AND NORTHERN ZONES ATHLETICS
Modbury High School’s athletes, headed to the Bridgestone Athletics Centre, Salisbury, in week 8 of term 1, 2024, just three short days following our ow school Sports Day. Due to the heat waves and NAPLAN causing disruption and date changes for this event it meant only 4 schools would end up competing on the day. A mixture of North Eastern and Western Zone schools.
Having to number each competitor on arrival, and make sure everyone was getting to their events on time, it was a credit to all who were able to compete to the best of their abilities. Due to the low number of schools in attendance there were many places and ribbons getting around for Modbury students so we appeared to be doing very well. We saw some personal bests and some strong performances.
We came out of the day with 7 of the possible 10 year level shields, we claimed the Boys shield and even though we had some close competition from Banksia Park throughout the day we once again come away winning the overall championship shield for 2024.
Some of our best athletes included:
SCHOOL SPORT SA TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
First time competing in ‘A’ grade
Friday of week 10 of term 1, 2024, saw Modbury High School’s Athletics team headed to the Athletics SA Stadium at Mile End, to compete against some of the biggest and strongest schools from across the State. Modbury High School competed in A2 Grade after winning the two previous years in B1 and finally being given promotion.
Despite being without some of our best athletes, the entire team put in an amazing effort to achieve some impressive results, with many personal bests. Modbury High School won the boys’ overall competition, finished 7th in the girls to finish 4th in the combined competition. A very good result considering we lost some of our best athletes from the year before and we were without a couple due to injury. Who knows what we may have accomplished?
There were some fantastic contributions throughout the day but of note:
Kelly McInerney came 1st in all four of the events he was allowed to enter in and just missed out on a couple of Standard awards for exceptional athletes, placing them in the top 3% of athletes across every grade and school in the State.
Cooper Merry Placed in all four of his events winning two
Ella Turner placed in her three long distance running events
Kooper Deer placed in his 3 events winning two
Among the many fine individual results, we competed strongly as a team and were very happy with our first overall result in A2 grade and look forward to hopefully improving on that next year.
Mr Brendan Schiller
Sports Coordinator
Please note that all classes will be cancelled on this day and students are NOT expected to attend school. However are expected to attend their interviews.
A staff member will be on duty in the Learning Centre from 9am for any students who are not able to stay home, however students will be expected to continue with any previously set work, as there will be no formalised learning programmes on this day.
Interviews will take place in the Year 12 Flexi Centre, Library and STEM Centre. Specific locations for each teacher are
attached.
Please click the follow buttons on 'How to book' and locations of staff/map of where they are.
Dear parents/caregivers,
Welcome to the second edition of the 2024 newsletter. After a very hectic start to the year, the students have settled down into the school routines, continuing to engage with their learning.
Farewell to Mr Michael Hillier
It is with sadness that we bid farewell to our colleague and teacher who recently passed away. Despite his brief tenure of just six months at our school, he quickly forged meaningful and positive relationships with both colleagues and students alike. His caring demeanour and passion for teaching were evident to all who knew him, and he exuded a genuine love for being in the classroom. His absence will be deeply felt within our school community. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time.
Open Evening
A highlight for our school community was our school's "Open Evening." Students and teachers showcased their work, demonstrating the exceptional standards upheld at our school. Many prospective parents expressed their admiration for what they witnessed and inquired about the process to enrol their child at our school. A very big thank you to all the staff and student helpers for their outstanding contributions
Learning improvement
This year teachers are working towards two overarching goals: —increasing achievement in reading and writing, and fostering effective learners through a culture of agency and wellbeing—teachers are leveraging the newly constructed Pedagogical framework with strategic precision. Utilizing the action research cycle as their guiding compass, they are delving into the diverse elements of the framework, exploring methodologies, and instructional strategies to tailor their approach to the specific needs of their students.
Attendance to school
A friendly reminder to all parents: please informs the school when your child is absent and provide a reason for the absence. Regular attendance at school is essential for learning as it ensures students have consistent access to instruction, peer interaction, and vital resources. Each day in the classroom presents opportunities for discovery, collaboration, and growth. Regular absences from school hinder students' learning and can impact their academic achievement. Additionally, consistent attendance instils vital habits of responsibility, punctuality, and commitment—qualities critical for success in both school and life. I encourage parents who are concerned about their child's absence from school to contact the relevant year-level leader or student counsellor to discuss their concerns and work together to improve attendance.
Drop off at school
A heartfelt thank you to all parents who are diligently adhering to our request to drop off students at the gate instead of driving through the school grounds. Your cooperation greatly minimizes the risk of accidents and ensures the safety of our students. We implore all parents to follow suit and continue prioritizing safety by utilizing the designated drop-off areas. Together, we can create a secure environment for our children to thrive.
Ms Joanne Costa
Principal
Sports day this Monday 18th March! Day starts at 7:30am to 2pm.
For more information please follow the link. https://www.modburyhs.sa.edu.au/sports-day-information-2024/
Get Home Safe Driver Safety Student Session
In Week 3, Year 10 students attended the Get Home Safe Driver Safety session. This involved a VR driving experience where we were told how to be aware of danger while driving, what hazards we should be aware of while driving and how to drive while preparing to stop. He also told us stories of what could happen if you don’t make the right decisions while driving. These are things like drinking and driving or using your phone. He told us of the ‘four second rule’, where we had to imagine that what would happen if you got yourself in a car accident and what would it look like when the police take the death note to your family. The first second you imagine the police going to your door, the next second is your parents reactions, the third second is your parents tells siblings and the forth is them having to tell everyone else they know about your death and what this would be like for all involved.
Half way through the presentation, one student was asked to drive the car in VR but with the real car pedals and steering wheel. I was the student who got to drive the car. After I sat in the car, I was given three scenarios where the first one was to drive the car normally and follow the hazards on the road. I completed the first one with no hesitation. In the second one, I had to remember to stop while driving. In that scenario, I drove the car and there was a kid that randomly ran out on the road, I managed to brake and stop the car without hitting them. I completed the second successfully too. In the last one, I had to use my phone while driving. I had to write my name and the suburb I live in. I was driving perfectly until the instructor gave me the phone and I had to write my information. My car drifted out to the other lanes, and I crashed into the pedestrians. This experience so clearly showed why not to use your phone or anything else that can get us distracted easily while driving.
Yuvraj Yuvraj
Year 10 Student
Year 10 Road Safety Evening Session
On the Wednesday the 14th of February I attended a Get Home Safe driver program with my Mum. It was a way for our parents to get educated on how to safely teach their year 10 children how to drive when they get their Ls. He started off by making sure the parents who attended the night were educated themself by going through some give way questions, luckily all the parents got most of the questions right.
The presenter, Darren, spoke about how it’s important to make sure that the car our parents are teaching us in is safe enough to keep us safe if we crash while learning. Every car has a safety rating between 1-5 stars. It is recommended not letting young drivers drive in anything below a 3 star rating because cars below that won’t protect our heads, legs and chest in the event of a crash.
Darren highlighted the importance of not going with the cheap option for a driving instructor. He encouraged everyone to use an instructor who was willing to be transparent and have parents involved in the lesson, one who is willing to give feedback on what to work on between lessons and someone who isn’t going to cut corners. Young drivers only get the chance to learn to drive once so you want this to be set up as safely as possible. Darren let us know that 70% of crashes are caused by mistakes so it is important we do whatever we can to prepare ourselves properly for driving and reduce these mistakes to make the roads safer for all.
Both mum and I found this session a very informative and educational one to help make sure we are safe on the roads, particularly while on L and P plates.
Harry Sheldrick
Year 10 Student
Thank you to Fast Cats Racing, the group that supports Pedal Prix at Modbury as they were able to support the driver education program by providing a shade to ensure the students were out of the sun.
On Monday of Week 5 we had our SVC Assembly where 73 students were inaugurated into our Student Voice Council for 2024. SVC offers students the opportunity to be involved in the decisions relating to the future growth and development of the school. Student input into our school is very important and we are excited to have so many students who are keen to create positive change. In the past, SVC have organised events, fundraisers, and improvements in student facilities, for example, the chilled water fountains throughout the school. SVC works to make improvements for the students here at MHS, as well as giving back to our local community through charity events. At our assembly, we were lucky enough to have Mr Ryan McMahon, the Chief Executive Officer of the City of Tea Tree Gully, give a speech about leadership, the importance of being an elected representative and working as a team to create positive change.
During week 6 we held our annual SVC Congress where elected members spent the day getting to know each other and setting some goals for what they want to achieve for 2024. Between further facilities upgrades, developing school and community relationships and some exciting events, this year’s SVC has some big and exciting plans in the works. Watch this space!
Ms Casey Rendell
Assistant Principal
It is with sadness that we share the recent passing of retired Visual Arts teacher and Coordinator Steven Collings. Mr Collings was on staff at Modbury High School for many years and he will be remembered for sharing his passion for The Arts with his students.
Open Evening was a big success! There was lots of new faces who came out to see Modbury High School in action! Big thank you to all our staff and students who helped make it a wonderful night and helped showcased our amazing school.
The Android Phone issue has now been resolved, parents/users can now download the App from the Google Play Store.
Follow the link for a 'How to Guide' and links to the app store. https://www.modburyhs.sa.edu.au/school-payments/
The Campbelltown School Uniform Shop will be closed for Easter long weekend, 29th March to the1st April and Re-opening Tuesday 2nd April at 1pm.
Please make sure you book an appointment to buy and try on uniforms.
https://www.modburyhs.sa.edu.au/school-uniforms/
Purruna Kuu, Modbury High School’s wellbeing space, is the home of the PK Café where staff can get barista style coffee. The space so often assists in supporting the wellbeing of our students so we love that the space can also help boost the wellbeing of our staff through a delicious caffeine hit. Students can also be trained on the coffee machine and serve our staff which increases the connections in our school community.
Currently Integrated Learning students are writing letters to local businesses to gain donations for our café. This task is not only increasing their literacy skill and business exposure and awareness but also assisting them in contributing to the school community. The donations will mean that more of the money raised by staff buying coffee cards can go toward wellbeing programs and initiatives.
Dieter Ratzmer has been successful in his letter to ‘For Love of Coffee’ Café on Gilbert Street with 2 bags of beans being donated. Alanna Wittmann has also been successful in her letter to Kmart and her hope for PK Café to be more sustainable and rely less on disposable coffee cups. Firle Kmart have so generously designed and donated a set of mugs for the café. We are very grateful for our donations and the students have been getting so much out of the experience.
If you know of any businesses who might be willing to donate, or suggestions of places our students could write to, please contact Lauren Freeth at lauren.freeth583@schools.sa.edu.au and we will gladly make the most of your suggestion. We will advertise all companies who donate and make sure people know of their generosity in supporting the wellbeing initiatives and programs at Modbury High School.
Ms Freeth
Year 9/10 Leader
FREE TERM 1 SCHOOL HOLIDAY BASKETBALL CLINICS
Modbury High School’s basketball specialist teacher, Riley Harrap, is offering 2 free basketball sessions over the term 1 school holidays. The clinics are available for all students currently studying in year 5 or 6. The sessions will provide an opportunity to see how basketball specialist is taught at Modbury High School and what the program offers.
To register your interest, please use the link below: https://forms.office.com/r/iZVJt4WAh0
For more information, contact Riley Harrap at riley.harrap439@schools.sa.edu.au
What an amazing day it was at the recent Velodrome experience hosted by Fast Cats Racing! Modbury High School saw twenty of our wonderful students to the track, many of whom were experiencing the thrill of riding a trike for the first time. And boy, did they love it! It was so heartwarming to see the joy and excitement on their faces as they zoomed around the track. Some were having such a great time that they didn't want to get out!
The Velodrome experience was not only a fun day out for the students but also a valuable opportunity for them to try something new, challenge themselves, and work on their cycling skills. It was a great way for them to build confidence, teamwork, and sportsmanship while enjoying the exhilarating world of Pedal Prix.
A big thank you to Fast Cats Racing for hosting such a fantastic event and providing a safe and exciting environment for the students to explore the world of trike racing. The experience undoubtedly left a lasting impression on the students, sparking a newfound love for Pedal Prix and leaving them eager for more racing adventures.
Our Pedal Prix riders are gearing up for an adrenaline-pumping experience at the upcoming UniSA Australian HPV Super Series season opener race at McNamara Park in Mount Gambier! On Saturday, March 16th, 26 riders over four teams will be hitting the 2.4km track at McNamara Park for an exhilarating 8-hour race. The teams are excited to showcase their skills, speed, and teamwork as they take on the challenges of the closed-circuit motorcycle racetrack, filled with fast straights, sweeping bends and technical uphill and downhill sections.
This event marks the beginning of an exciting season for Modbury High School's Pedal Prix teams. With so many new riders joining the squad and others continuing with Pedal Prix again this year, we’re looking forward to forging bonds, pushing our limits, and creating unforgettable memories together. We can expect to see some exciting racing action as teams vie for the top spot on the podium... and more than likely an exciting crash or two!
Pedal Prix isn’t just for elite athletes – teams of all skill levels are welcome to participate. Whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or someone looking to try something new, Pedal Prix offers a fun and challenging experience for everyone.
If you’re interested in Pedal Prix at Modbury High School, get in touch with Jess at jess.hanlin802@schools.sa.edu.au.
Please click the link below to download a pdf version of our Parent Guide for 2024.
We believe in a culture of achievement in a respectful and rigorous learning environment
