Dear Parents/Caregiver
Welcome to the second edition of the term 3 newsletter.
Parent Teacher Interview/ Subject Selection
We are thrilled to report that our recent Parent-Teacher Interviews and Subject Selections Day, held on Tuesday, August 22nd, was a resounding success. Over 600 parents attended the interviews, marking a substantial improvement compared to previous sessions. During the new interview format, most parents expressed their appreciation. They enjoyed the opportunity to hear their children reflect on their learning journey and engage in discussions with teachers on effective strategies to further enhance their academic results.
F1 in Schools competition
Our F1 students, comprising both the DAWN and AERO teams are putting the finishing touches on their presentations and car designs as they prepare for upcoming competitions. The DAWN team is gearing up for the international competition in Singapore, while our AERO team is set to compete in the state competition, to be held at the Wayville Showgrounds during the Adelaide Show week.
On Thursday, August 17, these remarkable students hosted a Stakeholders Presentation Evening, showcasing their work and sharing insights about their journey with sponsors and parents. Channel 9 was in attendance, conducting interviews with the students and their teacher, Mr. Karl Read. The interviewer, Lauren expressed her admiration for the students' achievements.
If you missed the interview, you can watch it on the Nine Now website, in the Hello SA, Season 4 episode 30 or follow the link to watch it; https://www.9now.com.au/hello-sa/2023/episode-30
Career’s Day
On Friday August, 18th we held our “Career’s Day” expo. Ms Angela Stamati organised multiple representatives, from Universities, different Professions, and Trades to spend the day in our school. Students from Year 9 to 12 were given time to visit the different stalls, and to learn more about the different jobs and careers that they were interested in. Feedback from the students reflected a high level of engagement.
Year 12 students
The final few weeks of learning for year 12 students are approaching fast. This is a critical period in their academic journey. To maximize their study time and achieve positive results, students should prioritize effective time management, focus on their work, especially outstanding assignments, and maintain a healthy balance between study and relaxation. For students who have exams, consistent revision, practising past exam papers and seeking help and support from their teachers are strategies which will support them to maximize their results. It is important for parents to provide emotional support and create a conductive environment for their children. Encouragement, healthy, meals, and breaks will support students to navigate during this stressful time.
Ms Costa
Principal
On Thursday evening 17th August the Visual Arts held a SALA ‘Little Looks’ exhibition in the Visual Arts centre gallery space. The theme centred around still life and classes of various year levels participated in observational activities to create works for it. A staff after school workshop was held and participants contributed works. SSOs, wellbeing staff, leaders and teachers from various learning areas were involved in the exhibition. The extended school community booked out a free evening workshop and we had fun playing with a variety of media. Parents, caregivers, grandparents, Primary and High school students completed works for display. The exhibition was a successful evening with many coming to view the exhibition. Thanks to all involved and we plan to do it again due to the positive feedback.
Mrs Moeller
Arts Coordinator
In term 3 of the year many school bands go to Westminster School to compete against one another. This year we took our Concert Band and the Year 10 Music class to compete against 17 other schools in our division. Many of these bands were from elite private schools and specialist Music centers around Adelaide.
Shania Newstead, Year 12:
“The amount of dedication and effort I saw everyone put into this competition was phenomenal and that is what placed us in the silver category of our division; we placed in the top 8. In my five years of being part of the music program here at Modbury, I have never seen a band that was so determined. We all pushed ourselves out of our comfort zones with the three pieces we played; Psycho Prelude, How to Train Your Dragon, and Palladio. I am grateful that I was able to be part of our combined Concert Band this year.
Mr Budd
Music Teacher
No Staff or Students onsite 8th September
When your order online or in-restaurant, 1 burger = 1 vote, so please place your vote tokens in the Modbury High School USA Trip jar. At the end of the month, the jar with the most tokens gets $300, and the other two each get $100.
Please show your support for our MHS basketball teams and help them get to the USA!
A huge congratulations to our 9-10 Girls Netball Team
It was the first time entering the team in the 9-10 competition. A great effort to make the state finals. Coming up against some stiff competition. They had some really good results in the first two minor round robins. Firstly defeating Paralowie Secondary and Pedare College then travelling to Balaklava in wet outdoor conditions to beat Gladstone High School and Thomas Moore College. The girls demonstrated their strength and sportsmanship in coming together and showing resilience to finish a respectable 8th out of an original 63 teams. Well done girls, a great achievement!
Ms Hoppo
English & Humanities Teacher
The Modbury High School Careers Information Day took place for the first time on Friday, August 18th. With a diverse array of invited presenters and the attendance of all our Year 9 to 12 students, along with many of their parents, the Flexi was abuzz with excitement, leading to the day being a resounding success. Parents, students and staff were engaged with representatives from various institutions who offered advice across a wide range of careers. Numerous students expressed gratitude for the event, as it provided clarity regarding their chosen career pathways. We would like to extend a particular note of appreciation to the representatives from the following institutions, who volunteered their time and contributed to the success of the day:
A multitude of representatives commended our students for their exemplary behaviour and inquisitive minds. Our heartfelt gratitude extends to all who attended the event and contributed to the success of the day.
Mrs Stamati
VET\Cross Disciplinary Coordinator
Recently we celebrated Wear It Purple Day - an opportunity to promote diversity and inclusion. Staff and students were invited to wear a splash of purple to show support for LGBTQIA+ young people. Everyone is welcome and everyone has the right to feel safe, supported and respected in our school community.
On Wednesday the 23rd August, 2023, Modbury High School entered 4 boys and 1 girls team into the Vista zone 5 on 5 day carnival held at The Lights Recreation Centre. Modbury had two boys teams in division 1, two boys teams in division 2 and the girls team was in a girls division 1 also.
The day went very well with over 35 students participating in the carnival against various schools across each division from the Northeastern school zone. The Modbury High Boys' Team 1 went through the day undefeated as did the girls team. Team 1 for the boys had a close come from behind victory over Thomas More College in the best matchup of the day, coming from behind 3 with 2 minutes remaining to win by 3, highlighted by some clutch play by Bryce Sanders to take the win which decided 1st place for the day. Team 2 finished in 3rd for Division 1 behind Thomas More College. Teams 3 and 4 which played in Division 2, finished 5th and 6th after a matchup against each other at the end of the day. The girls' team were set early on to finish top after beating Golden Grove’s top team by 3 in the first game of the day and finishing with clear wins over the remainder of the competition.
Thank you to our scorers from Year 7 and 8 who assisted, and to Mr Matthew Jarrad and Mr Matthew Greenfield who helped coach and manage teams across the day.
The morning of August 2nd was filled with anticipation and engagement as 48 of our students took part in the Australian Maths Competition, organized by the renowned Australian Mathematics Trust. This unique competition, known for its intriguing challenges, provided an opportunity for individual exploration in three distinct age divisions: Junior (Yr 7/8), Intermediate (Yr 9/10), and Senior (Yr 11/12). The competition encourages participants to tackle intricate problems and discover the joys (and challenges) of mathematical investigation.
We eagerly anticipate the upcoming announcement of the recipients of Credit, Distinction, and High Distinction certificates for those who have displayed exceptional mathematical abilities, while we also celebrate the commitment shown by every individual who participated in the Australian Maths Competition. Your involvement speaks to your determination and passion for embracing challenges.
We extend our gratitude to Mrs. Woolford and Ms. Ramsey for their attentive supervision during the event, ensuring a smooth and focused atmosphere that allowed our students to showcase their mathematical skills.
In the evening of Wednesday 9 August, six teams of four students competed in the MASA Student Quiz Night at King's Baptist Grammar School, Wynn Vale. With enthusiasm and camaraderie, our students engaged in mind-bending puzzles, math challenges, and general knowledge questions, while challenging themselves alongside fellow students from Pedare Christian College, Thomas More College, and King’s.
In the Junior division (Yr 7/8) Vivaan Rajpal, Paige Sharpe, Ella Taylor and Gargee Vyas soared, clinching the coveted Best General Knowledge title, showcasing their well-rounded brilliance. Not to be outdone, the Intermediate division (Yr 9/10) team of Rei Cook, Henry Geue, and Mady Sharma secured the ultimate victory as they were crowned Best Overall, seamlessly blending mathematical prowess with impressive general knowledge.
Among the Senior division (Yr 11/12), victory was almost within grasp as the team of Oscar Elder Lawrence French, Kaiwen Hei and Jak Kastanos seized the Best General Knowledge award. Falling short of the Best Overall title by a mere 1 mark out of 120, their dedication and knowledge shone brightly.
We extend heartfelt congratulations to all participants whose embraced the challenges of the evening. Your participation enhances our school's name within the community and is a testament to your unwavering commitment to excellence. Keep up the great work!
As the cheers of victory still echo, remember to relish your well-deserved prize money.
Mr McKie
Maths/STEM Coordinator
On Monday 28th August, the Year 7/8/9 Boys Knockout Netball team competed in the Division 1 State finals at Priceline Arena, the State Netball Centre.
After winning the title last year, the boys were very keen to repeat their success. Our first matchups of the competition were hosted at Modbury High School against Playford International College and Maitland Lutheran School. The Modbury High School boys team gained leads in both matchups early and cruised to clear wins to advance to the State Finals for 2023.
At Priceline Arena, Modbury were matched up against Aldinga Payinthi College in the first game of the day with a 14-25 result in favour of Modbury High School. Our second matchup on Finals day was an intense matchup with Sacred Heart Middle School that saw Modbury trail at half time. A second half push saw Modbury High School slowly gain a lead halfway through the second half which gave the team the momentum to finish the game in front 25-21. The next matchup was against Blackwood High School. With Blackwood High School also already qualified for the Finals, Modbury was set to play Blackwood twice in a row. The minor round matchup, and then the Final. Modbury rested key players in the minor round matchup, and trailed at half 12-14. The second half saw Blackwood really turn up the heat and they ran out the game 30-14.
Heading in to the Final, the boys were excited with the goal of repeating last years’ success within reach. Blackwood came out dominant, and very fast in their defensive positions which forced early Modbury turnovers. Quarter time saw Blackwood leading 11-7. Subs made for Modbury at the quarter time break didn’t pan out as expected on the scoreboard with Blackwood extending their lead to 11 at half time of some key steals and excellent shooting.
Modbury reset their lineup at half time and began to claw back the lead, winning both the 3rd and 4th quarters with some improved defense, better ball protection to reduce turnovers and had momentum the rest of the game. As the fourth quarter began to tick away, the lead became close, with Modbury bringing the lead back down to 3 with a few minutes left. Modbury looked stronger in the second half, and better rested as the game progressed. However, Modbury were unable to capitalise on several shot opportunities near the end of the game, with Blackwood High School finishing the competition as State Champions and Modbury High School finishing in 2nd place. Modbury High School’s 3rd straight State Grand Finals appearance in the 7-9 Knockout Netball is highly positive, and a great representation of our boy’s netball interest and abilities.
Well done!
From Left to Right: Amerson Green, Harry Cox, Kruz Wilson, Josh Louend-Robertson, Seb Borges, Cooper Tomaselli, Chase Grant-Allan, Alex Dinedios, Nick Davie, Brock White and Kade Monteleone
Mr Jarrad
Teacher | Digital Technologies
Basketball Coach
Dear Parents/ Caregivers,
I am excited to share with you a recap of the events that unfolded have occurred over the past few weeks at our school.
Year 12 Formal
I am delighted to share the success of the year 12 formal, held on Friday 29 May. The evening was truly a memorable occasion, filled with lots of laughter and fun. The students looked amazing in their beautiful dresses and suits. It was pleasing to see the close connections the students have built with their classmates and their teachers and the fun that they were all having together.
A very big thank you to Year Level Leader Madelin O’ Brien Dent, Ms Caitlin Thomas, Mr David Atterton (who emceed for the night) and the formal committee for their outstanding planning and organisation. Big thank you Terriann for the incredible photography on the night. Thank you also to all the year 12 teachers who attended the evening and joined the year 12 students to celebrate this very important milestone.
Student Forums
The final student forum took place on Monday 5 June. The feedback from students has been collated and will be shared with staff during our next meeting. This feedback as well as the parent feedback will be incorporated in our teaching and learning agreement which we hope to have finalised by the end of term 4.
Year 11 Exams
Year 11 exams will be taking place in week 8. An exam roster has been provided to the students. You will find a copy of the roster at the end of this newsletter.
Exams provide students with the opportunity to evaluate their understanding and knowledge of the subject. As well exams allow students to demonstrate their abilities, consolidate their learning and showcase their academic progress. Additionally at Modbury High school exam results are used to determine students’ ability to continue with a given subject in the following year. For a student to be eligible to continue to study a particular subject the following year they must achieve C+ or above in their exam and term grades.
Year 10 Work Experience
Year 10 work experience will be taking place in week 8. The expectation is that all year 10 students will participate in work experience. By now every student should have secured a work experience placement.
Participating in work experience is very important for students as it offers them an insight into the world of work. Engaging in work experience helps students to gain valuable industry specific skills and is very important, as it offers them an insight into the world of work.
Reminder that Monday is a Public Holiday and Tuesday is a Student Free Day. We hope you have a wonderful and safe long weekend.
Ms Costa
Principal
The evening of Friday, May 26th, saw our Year 12 students unite for their much-anticipated Senior Formal. An excellent night unfolded, filled with great food, entertainment, and dancing.
Throughout the last 2 terms, the formal committee devoted much time and energy into planning and fundraising, ensuring a memorable event at Glen Ewin Estate. Their hard work paid off, as the venue brilliantly mirrored the chosen theme of an 'Enchanted Forest.'
The students, looking their absolute best, made memories with their peers and teachers. These moments were captured by our talented photographer, Terriann - we extend our thanks to Terriann for once again volunteering her time! The photo booth was also a hit, as were the student and staff awards, adding an extra dash of fun to the night!
We extend our congratulations to the formal committee for their efforts. The 2023 Senior Formal was a fantastic celebration where memories were made that will last a lifetime.
Ms O'Brien-Dent
Year 11/12 Leader
School Fees are now overdue. To avoid going to debt recovery please contact our Finance Office to make payment arrangements. Reminder to those who are eligible to complete your school card application if you haven't already done so.
Please disregard this reminder if you have paid or have already spoke to the Finance Office for arrangements.
On Monday, May 15th, our Year 11 students participated in the Road Awareness Program, a crucial initiative from the Metropolitan Fire Service. The program educated the students on road safety, focusing on the importance of avoiding risk-taking behaviours and understanding the potential consequences of their actions while on the road.
The students also heard the impactful story of a crash survivor, highlighting the challenges that can follow such a traumatic event. Feedback from the students indicated that they found the presentation both relatable and informative.
Here are some comments from our Year 11 participants:
"As confronting as it was, it was beneficial and necessary."
"It was really impactful to consider how the risks you take affect not only yourself but a lot of people."
"This program helps teach the harsh reality of life and makes us think about our driving."
"The program leaves a memorable impact. By educating younger generations, we can help make the roads safer over time."
"This program opened my eyes to how dangerous driving can be. It was fantastic, thank you."
It's worth noting that the behaviour of the Year 11 students during the presentation was commendable, showing maturity and engagement. This significant experience has undoubtedly equipped our students with essential knowledge for their journey on the road. Well done to all who participated!
Ms O'Brien-Dent
Year 11/12 Leader
Recently a Southern Boobook Owl, the smallest of Australia's owls, spent the day in one of the trees in the school's garden quadrangle and allowed us a rare view of this nocturnal bird. Despite being very common across their range, due to their habit of roosting quietly out of the way it is unusual to see them during daylight. A very special experience for those lucky enough to see this charming visitor.
Our Success Continues.
On the Saturday of 20th of May five teams from Modbury High - Cheetah, Pink Panther, Lynx, Puma and Serval, competed in the Tailem Bend 6 hour Pedal Prix race. Many of us met at the shed at 6:00am and travelled to The Bend on the bus, supplied by Adelaide Coachlines, leaving at 6.15am and arrived at our campsite at 7.55 am. This was possible due to Fast Cats Racing people who had travelled down early on Friday, had the bikes scrutineered and then arrived at the race track at 6:00am to set the pits up. This support was invaluable.
After arrival we had a snack and then helped finish setting up. At 10.00am it started. Four of our trikes performed almost without problem, but Pink Panther had a few mechanical problems, which dropped it down in its class. As the race progressed we had a couple of flat tyres and good rider changes . The students’ all performed well.
At 4.00 pm the race finished with some good results. Pink Panther, which did the race with only 6 riders, came 3rd in its category, beating some much bigger teams, and Lynx came a commendable 7th. All our other trikes finished in the top half of their class. There were many new riders who were unsure about what racing required but they all rode well. The new riders improved as their ride progressed and those that had a second ride, showed they were learning and progressing. This continues our successful start at Mt Gambier and holds us in good stead for the next race at Victoria Park race track on the 18th June.
We need to thank our supporters and sponsors – Fast Cats Racing for all their work and tireless support. Adelaide Coachlines through their sponsorship which really helps with our travel and costs. Also my co-teacher Lyn Gibbins (Catering manager) and all the parents and volunteers who travelled all that way to help the event be a success.
Wayne Ferguson
(Pedal Prix Coordinator)
On Tuesday the 6th of June, Ryan Palmer from Master Builders Association came to school to talk to some of our interested Year 10 students about the trade industry. He outlined all the different opportunities available to students and the best way to go about working towards a career in the industry. Students got to hear firsthand the skills they will need to be successful in a trade. Ryan highlighted the importance of learning, understanding and applying trigonometry in the trade industry which received a mixed response from the students attending the workshop. At the end of the information session students participated in building a model house in small groups. It was great to see the engagement and enthusiasm demonstrated. They all left with big smiles on their face as they were gifted with a tradie pencil of their very own.
For more information about Born to Build and what they offer, visit their website https://born2build.com.au/
Ms Freeth
Year 9/10 and Flexible Learning Leader.
On the 9th May in Term 2, Modbury High School entered 4 boys teams and 2 girls teams with Year 7/8 students into a 5 on 5 Basketball Carnival in our North-East Vista Zone.
Across the day, 28 boys and 13 girls participated in short games against opposing schools.
Our first team played very well across most games, winning all pool games except one, losing to Banksia Park 18-5. Making the semi final on a head to head points spread to split a tie, Modbury High School’s other 3 teams all had mixed success throughout the day with some wins, losses and some incredible efforts by players. Teams were coached by Year 9 students as part of their Sports Specialist subject.
During games we had some excellent cheer squads for our teams with the energy from supporting players helping teams lift their energy in games.
On Tuesday 16th May over 30 boys playing in 3 teams participated in a 9-a-side football carnival. Each of the three teams had mixed success but all having some fun and key highlights across the day.
With 2 teams entered into the Year 9/10 competition and a team entered into the Year 7/8 competition, all players had opportunity to participate and contribute. The teams entered into the Year 9/10 competition included just 1 year 10, Tyson Hollit, but were filled with year 9’s and year 8’s who were willing to challenge the bigger and stronger year 10 players in our opposition teams.
On Wednesday 31st May, Modbury High entered 2 teams into the Year 7/8/9 Netball Carnival. With both teams playing in opposing pools, the
Team 1 – Overall winners beating Banksia Park in a closely contested Grand Final.
If you would like to download this information please click here.
Dear Parents, Caregivers and Students of the Modbury High School community, welcome to Term 2. We are looking forward to sharing the many exciting activities that our students have participated in over the last few weeks.
Generations in Jazz
On Friday 5 May music students boarded a bus driven by Ms Woolford to travel to Mt Gambier for the Generations in Jazz Competition. What a fantastic experience for our students. As well as participating in the competition they were able to watch many other school bands perform and attend an amazing concert on Saturday night. A very big thank you to Mr Gareth Budd for his planning and organisation of the event and the many hours he worked with the students to get them ready for the competition. Thank you also to all the instrumental teachers who supported the students to learn their individual music parts. Thank you to Ms Woolford who drove the students to Mt Gambier and for all the administrative support she has provided to Mr Budd.
Parent Forum
On Wednesday 4 May, we hosted our first Parent Forum. The purpose of the forum was for parents to work with us and provide feedback on how we can further improve our school. Parents provided feedback on the following areas: Communication, Student learning, Parent Involvement and Connection to the school.
Chair of Governing Council, Martin Crabb, expertly facilitated the evening. These amazingly dedicated parents provided us with constructive feedback, which we have collated. We have divided the feedback into two areas, those that we can immediately address and those that are long term.
Thank you to the following parents, who despite their busy schedules joined us on the night and in doing so supporting us to make our school an even better place for our students and our school community.
Sonia Kastanos, Kristy Jolly, Matt Green, Pauline Huettenrauch, Susannah Dodd, Donna King, Amandeep Singh, Kimberly Stevenson, Marilou Capistrano, Maryann Cunanan, Tejas Shah and Renae Woodman.
You will find the feedback inside this edition of the newsletter.
Student Forums
As well as running Parent Forums, we have also started to hold Student Forums. For students we are mainly seeking feedback on teaching and learning and in particular areas of improvement that teachers and the school can make on pedagogical practice.
Ms Shelly Brown, Deputy Principal is facilitating the forums. The first one which consisted of year 7 and 10 students was held on Monday 15 May. Over the next few weeks students from each of the year levels will participate in the forums. Their responses will be summarised and shared with staff with the intention of identifying areas of improvement.
Year 11 Road Awareness Program (RAP) Presentation
On Monday 15 May, Year 11 students participated in the Road Awareness Program (RAP). The 90 minute presentation aims to show students the impact of road crashes and in doing so help students understand the importance of driving in a safe manner at all times.
Students and Ms Madeline O’Brien-Dent spoke of how valuable they found the presentation. The presenter congratulated our students on their participation and engagement with the presentation.
A big thank you to Ms O’Brien Dent for organising the event.
Farewell to Ms Emma Baulch
On Friday we farewelled Ms Emma Baulch who is taking leave for the reminder of the year. Ms Baulch seamlessly stepped in to the role as Counselling Coordinator and is a passionate, committed, and enthusiastic teacher. Her students always spoke of her engaging lessons and how she has supported them to improve their learning. She will be greatly missed by all her students and colleagues.
Ms Joanne Costa
Principal
Parents may have read or heard of the passing of one of our old scholars, Antonio Loiacono. Antonio was an extremely talented sportsman. He was not only a gifted footballer, he excelled in Athletics, Touch Football, Basketball, Ultimate frisbee, pretty much any sport he turned his hand to. Apparently, he was even a junior Squash State Champion.
He won the outstanding athlete on Sports Day most years and travelled to USA with the school basketball trip where he was awarded the Most Valuable Player of the junior team.
Antonio was a unique character who was always positive, lived life to the fullest and made friends wherever he went. He related equally well with staff and other adults as he did with his peers, in many ways an old head on young shoulders. A very popular young man who will be greatly missed.
Mr Trueman
PE Teacher
Lara Somfai leads the u18 South Australia metro team at just 15 years of age, to Gold. Lara won the only award for the whole Australian National tournament and was named the footlocker MVP/defensive player of the tournament.
In January 2023, Lara received a scholarship to the Australian Institution of Sport and she will be heading to Canberra later this year. The next step for her is also going to the u16 Asia cup selection camp where they will be heading to Aman Jordan mid July.
Visual Art students from years 11 and 12 visited the SACE Art Show and the Art Gallery of SA at the end of last term. Practical works and developmental folios were on display at the SACE show, including a work selected from our school created by Jayden Stephens. This excursion helps students to understand the wide range of possibilities in terms of media and techniques, how to structure and use language in folios and practitioners statements and the level of practical application skills that can be achieved by senior Art and Design students. It was great to visit Adelaide Railway Station to view a Flinders University Graduate Exhibition in costume design and art works in the space. We also admired the city architecture and showed our Japanese exchange students our wonderful Torrens riverbank precinct in the heart of the city and of course the Malls Balls! This excursion was just days before they returned to Japan, a fitting final experience for them.
Mrs Moeller
Arts Coordinator
During the school holidays, Crystal Hurcombe undertook the prestigious task of playing for the Playford Council's ANZAC Day dawn service. It is a task that requires immense focus, and preparations, due to the size of Dawn service crowds and complete focus on what the musician is playing. MHS Music is pleased to share that Crystal performed to a very high standard and the council has asked her to return next year to reprise the performance. We are proud of what our MHS Music students continue to achieve with their craft and look forward to more great performances in the future.
Mr Budd
Music Teacher
This week we had a facilitator from Talk Money with Ecstra Foundation come and deliver the first of 2 workshops to our Year 8 and 9 students.
Talk Money is a free financial education program, developed in collaboration with education experts and a financial education advisory group, that teaches young Australians money lessons for life and aims to help students be confident when talking about money and to make informed financial decisions.
Our Year 8 students are experiencing workshops on spending and saving money, where they explore how spending and saving choices today can affect future finances.
Our Year 9 students are experiencing workshops on making money work, where they discuss different ways to make money and learn some practical skills for navigating the world of work.
If you’d like to know more, you can check out the Talk Money website www.talkmoney.org.au.
Ms Freeth
Year 9/10 Leader & FLO Coordinator.
Jed De Koning was recently on the Gold Coast representing SA at the Australian National Gymnastics Championships. Jed won a Bronze in MAG Level 7 Vault.
Congratulations Jed!
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 (i.e. a GPA of 7). The academic achievement of these students were 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!
| Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 | Year 10 | Year 11 | Year 12 |
| Armaan Babwani | Demi Snider | Aki Sicoy | Rei Cook | Oscar Elder | Vaughan Stonestreet |
| Liam Hanlin | Isha Bane | Christopher Kastanos | Anton Kastanos | Angelina Hansen | |
| Rania Saitov | Kaiwen He | Jak Kastanos | |||
| Caitlyn Scott | Nyx Little | ||||
| Liezel Wong | Sienna Garstka | ||||
| Emily Zhang | |||||
| Keilah Haldane |
| Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 | Year 10 | Year 11 | Year 12 |
| Eileen Zhang | Gargee Vyas | Peter McMillan | Luke Haskard | Lara Somfai | Tara Barrett |
| Samantha Heward | Kaitlyn Sollis | Charli Hodson | Bryce Sanders | Quinn Duncan | Tiffany Taylor |
| Payton Richardson | Brendan Keast | Saarakshya Sharma | Soheil Haidari | Hana Wong | Jeran Tiong |
| Sienna Hutchinson | Vivaan Rajpal | Jess Freebairn | Danika Low | Jasmin Andrews | Brianna Mesecke |
| Brea Jijo | Tyler Gaskin-Osborne | Emily Totani | Amber Hayward | Jazsmin Smith | Yalarasey Sooriyakumar |
| Fleur Rowe | Ava Huettenrauch | Ariel Lim | Charlotte Bland | Jade Pelton | Lydia Wighton |
| Rachel Wagener | Hayley Byrne | Isabelle Cox | Kanon Sato | Ella Martin | Vicki Rowe |
| Sibella Kastanos | Evan Zawada | Elliot Webster-Brown | Jade Kolman | Asha Duldig | Matthew Maletto |
| Jack Clyma | Matthew Doyle | Leila Suche | Breanne Button | William Wighton | |
| Liam Bairstow | Avnoor Kaur | Mia Ly | |||
| Angelica Lizaso | Isla McGraw | ||||
| Tom Whistler | Elise Harmer | ||||
| Abi Cavenett | Belle Parrish | ||||
| Amerson Green | Mady Sharma | ||||
| Nicholas Davie | Ella Turner | ||||
| Hannah Lock | Imogen McNamara | ||||
| Maddison Carter | Josh Stewart | ||||
| Alex Dinedios | Abby Scott | ||||
| Scarlett Taylor | Lara Murphy | ||||
| Lily Grant-Allan | Daniel Wagener | ||||
| Ethan King | Cooper Seaton | ||||
| Kayla Skurrie | Katelyn Fraser | ||||
| Ricky Ditria | |||||
| Siba Ghamrawi | |||||
| Ethan Ingram | |||||
| Imogen Janicki | |||||
| Holly Manoel |
On the 5th of May, Susan and Steph from Centacare, an organisation which works with young people experiencing emerging mental health concerns, visited Miss Baulch’s year 11 psychology class to run an engaging workshop on resilience. The workshop was an engaging summary of the class’s recent wellbeing topic and involved identifying risk and protective factors for psychological wellbeing. The session also involved constructing a resilience tree, where students got creative with some arts and craft supplies to identify their supports, strengths and coping or protective strategies. Susan and Steph were impressed with the students’ active participation and knowledge of concepts learned so far this year, including the role of neurotransmitters, the fight or flight response, and various frameworks such as the biopsychosocial model.
Ms Baulch
Teacher
Last term the Year 9 and 10 cohorts were surveyed mid-term and at the end of term on their overall Wellbeing. In both surveys, Year 9 and 10 students indicated lack of sleep as the biggest thing impacting their wellbeing.
When a student is tired, they have decreased motivation to engage in the day and therefore their productivity will reduce. This will mean students aren’t completing their schoolwork to the best of their ability. Young people who are tired also are less resilient, more sensitive, less in control of their emotions (meaning we see more anger, giggles or tears) and have reduced impulse control. If you are noticing these things in your student or are hearing students aren’t completing work or are getting detentions, it is possible they aren’t getting enough sleep.
Please talk to your student at home about the importance of sleep and assist them with some of the strategies below to improve their sleep.
Here's how to create ideal conditions for a healthy, restful sleep:
1. Set a consistent sleep schedule.
2. Create a relaxing bedtime/pre-bedtime routine.
3. Keep your room cool and comfortable.
4. Dim the lights after dark.
5. ...unplug an hour before bed.
6. Steer clear of stimulants late in the day.
7. Avoid foods that can disrupt sleep.
8. Get regular exercise.
9. Only use your bed for sleep. Don’t do homework or play games on your bed.
10. Limit or avoid naps during the day.
Click here to access the Headspace website for more information.
Click here to access the Sleep fact sheet.
Ms Freeth
Year 9/10 Leader & FLO Coordinator.
Generations In Jazz 2023
Friday of Week 1 saw MHS Stage Band students from Years 9-12 travel to Mt Gambier/Buandig Country to compete in the three-day Generations in Jazz Festival.
It has been four years of waiting to return in person to the Jazz ensemble competition with months of dedicated preparation that started before the end of the 2022 school year. MHS Stage Band students also had a chance to meet, and hear performances from, many other students not only from our state but around the nation.
We are all very proud of how our MHS Music students performed, conducted themselves, represented our school, and demonstrated what we have to offer as part of our school’s Music program. The extra time, dedication, and effort, by all students over weeks of rehearsal awarded them with an experience that has no comparison. Preparations for GIJ 2024 had started almost as soon as we returned from the trip.
Congratulations to our Year 12 soloists, Theo Kelesis and Shania Newstead, for stepping up and providing performances that earned special mentions from the adjudicator.
The Stage Band will be performing their GIJ music during our end of semester Music night later in the term and we encourage everyone’s attendance to experience the band.
Mr Budd
Music Teacher
On the 8th of May, our school had an Australian award-winning author come and visit. Phillip Gwynne, best known for his novel “Deadly, Unna?”, spoke to a group of our students about his life and his work. It was a great opportunity for students to hear from an author and have the chance to ask him any questions they had about writing or being an author.
After his presentation, there were two workshops for students. They were able to work with Mr. Gwynne as he took them through a couple different exercises to help develop their writing skills. Students were able to share their work with each other and Mr. Gwynne and learn some different techniques to use whist writing.
Mr. Gwynne, afterwards, said that he was incredibly impressed with the work of the students and knew that there were a few aspiring authors in the group.
Communication:
What is working well?
What is not working well and needs improvement?
What can we do to make our communication with parents more effective?
Connection to School:
As a parent, how do you engage and connect with the school?
Are the opportunities provided by the school for parents to connect and be involved with their students learning efficient?
As a school, what are some other ways that we could increase connections between school and home?
Teaching and Learning:
What aspects of teaching and learning do you think we are doing well (teaching instruction, assessments, feedback, task design, homework etc)?
What aspects of teaching and learning do you think need to be further developed?
Learning TIPS:
What Learning TIPS will assist you to support your child with their learning?
How learning TIPS would you like to be provided? Eg Newsletter
Kristina Jenni Clonan attended Modbury High School on Friday 12 May as part of Olympics Unleashed and connecting with Years 7 & 8 students.
The students learnt from Kristina Jenni Clonan's Olympic journey how to build resilience, the importance of setting goals and how to find what you are passionate about.
Students heard firsthand from Kristina Jenni Clonan 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.
What a term of Sport or more specifically athletics it has been. Beginning with our own Modbury High School Sports Day and moving to the Northern & North Eastern Vista Athletics Championships and culminating with The School Sport SA State Track & Field Championships. We also had students compete at the School Sport SA Swimming championships, a Tennis team which couldn’t eventuate and 2 Basketball Carnivals.
On Friday, 10 March, 2023, we held our annual Sports Day. As in the past, 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.
In what was a busy week at Modbury High School with Open Evening, school tours, heats, and the Fun Run, the scene was set for a successful day. Once again Modbury's strong culture shone through, with many staff and students assisting with the set up the evening before and then in the morning before sunrise.
There was a buzz of anticipation, as students arrived before 7.30am for the first events. The house tent banners were flying proudly, and with long-standing athletic records being broken early in the day, this created a charged atmosphere.
Field events, finals of the hurdles, and the 1500m events started at 7.30am sharp followed by Mr. Brendan Schillers’ welcome address to students, staff, and parents at 9.00am.
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. There was intense competition, great sportsmanship, and several longstanding records being broken.
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 prominent level of support for their house teams.
Mr. Karl Read's 'F1 in schools' team providing food and drink options, a great fundraiser for their upcoming international competition. Mrs Jess Moeller was actively snapping many action shots of the day as it unfolded, capturing great memories.
Mr. Schiller provided a running commentary for the day, with many exciting races, in particular, the 100-meter finals.
Students and parent supporters lined the track cheering and encouraged their teams. The crowd cheered each runner home. Many strong performances were recorded throughout the day, with many records broken.
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 prominent level of support for their house teams.
Mr. Karl Read's 'F1 in schools' team providing food and drink options, a great fundraiser for their upcoming international National competition. Mrs Jess Moellor was actively snapping many action shots of the day as it unfolded, capturing great memories.
Mr. Brendan Schiller provided a running commentary for the day, with many exciting races, in particular, the 100-metre finals.
Students and parent supporters lined the track cheering and encouraged their teams. The crowd cheered each runner home. Many strong performances were recorded thro
Special mention to all new record holders with 23 records broken from the day. Nine of which came from the year 7 girls. We look forward to watching them compete at the up-coming athletic carnivals and for the school in the future. Other strong performances included Ben Miller and Kade Monteleone who both broke 2 records and scored 99 and 94 points respectively, new student in year 10 Ella Turner also broke 2 records in long distance running. The complete list of new records can be seen in the records table below.
We could not think of a better way to conclude the day than with the ‘Staff versus House Captain's relay’ which always provides an exciting spectacle. We again had 2 staff teams who competed against each of the team's captains, although a captains’ team had never beat the staff a few of the regular staff runners took the day off and fortunately for the students they finally came through with a victory.
The competition from all houses was extraordinarily strong all day while much closer all around this year the positions stayed fairly the same throughout the day however Thiele was able to scrape themselves off the bottom and into third place, they will definitely be on the rise in the years to come, with Gilmores family connections proving to be just too strong again.
Crowned as the Winners of the Stringer Shield, the Gilmore Captains accepted the trophy proudly which left Lawson, Thiele and Wright behind but all very even. I think we will find a lot closer competition next year.
A special thanks goes to Ms Shelby Nelligan who for her first time assisted in the organisation of Sports Day. 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.
The day set up a good basis for picking the strongest team possible for the Vista and SSSA athletics carnivals. Based on the performances we saw on Sports Day; we are quietly confident and excited to see how we go.
Special Options – Rooms 6 & 7
Rooms 6 & 7 joined the rest of Modbury High School in their annual Sports Day. Students participated in a number of events and had the opportunity to learn new skills, particularly in track and field. Long jump, high jump, 100m sprints and javelin were favourites. Everyone had a great day and went home tired but happy.
Mr Ian Craig
Special Options Teacher
During week 10 of Term 1, 2023, A week earlier than normal meant that the turnaround time between carnivals was less than a week. 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 B1 Grade again this year after missing out on promotion to A grade due to Covid restrictions for some schools even though we had won in 2022.
Despite being without some of our best athletes, the entire team put in an amazing effort to achieve some great results, with many personal bests. At the end of the day Modbury High School won the boys’ overall competition, finished 2rd in the girls and won the combined competition for the second year in a row by 58 points. Hopefully this time we will be promoted to ‘A’ grade for 2024 which will be the first time in Modbury High Schools history.
There were many fantastic contributions throughout the day but of note:
Auburn Mcgraw at her first State Carnival being a year 7 competed and won the Open Girls High Jump against the tallest and oldest jumpers from the competing schools.
Ella Turner in her first State Carnival for our school backed up her 800m race in which she came 2nd in the U15 Girls to win the Open Girls 1000m Steeplechase less than 15 minutes later.
Vicki Rowe strained a hamstring halfway through her 800m race but managed to finish the race on one leg to get the points for the team.
Ben Millar, Rachel Davies, Jed De Koning, Lara Somfai, Kade Monteleone, and Auburn Mcgraw all placing in each of their maximum four events.
Among many fine individual results, 3 athletes also achieved standards in their individual events, and two Relay teams in the Open Boys and the U/14 Boys. Which means they were in the top 3% of athletes across every grade and school in the State.
Modbury High School Standard achievers were:
Caitlin Fraser, Under 16 Girls Discus with a throw of 30.63 meters
Lawrence French, Open Boys 200m with a time of 23.31 seconds
Ben Millar, Open Boys High Jump with a leap of 1.95 meters
Ben Millar, Open Boys 110m Hurdles with the time of 16.25 seconds
U14 Boys Relay 51.32 Seconds, Devin Whiteman, Cooper Mery, Jasper Klose, Koen West
Open Boys Relay, 46.25 seconds Ben Millar, David Reyes, Lawrence French, Tyler Stehniak
The school received an impressive 93 places from our events, and they are represented in the table below:
Modbury High School’s annual ‘Fun Run’ was held this year on Wednesday, 8th March 2023. 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 cool and overcast, some students took advantage of the cool morning to run the event achieving some great times. Others decided to take a more leisurely approach.
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. It was an excellent turn out by year 7 and 8 students, and it would be great to see more support for the event by senior students in the coming years. Congratulations to each of the year level winners and placegetters
| 7 Girls | Auburn McGraw | 15m10s | Gilmore |
| 7 Boys | Jacob Hyde | 15m03s | Gilmore |
| 8 Girls | Junn Pappas | 20m59s | Lawson |
| 8 Boys | Liam Bairstow | 14m01s | Thiele |
| 9 Girls | Sydney Pocock | 14m26s | Gilmore |
| 9 Boys | Kade Monteleone | 11m44s | Lawson |
| 10 Girls | Ella Turner | 17m40s | Lawson |
| 10 Boys | Ricky Ditria | 17m41s | Thiele |
| 11 Girls | Jade Pelton | 23m40s | Gilmore |
| 11 Boys | Joshua Taylor | 16m45s | Gilmore |
| 12 Girls | Lauren Edwards | 20m28s | Lawson |
| 12 Boys | Ben Millar | 15m41s | Gilmore |
| Class | Total | Boys | Girls |
| 705 | 284 | 149 | 135 |
| 703 | 181 | 114 | 67 |
| 704 | 166 | 35 | 131 |
| 701 | 146 | 93 | 53 |
| 702 | 101 | 47 | 54 |
| 706 | 85 | 83 | 2 |
| 805 | 243 | 155 | 88 |
| 802 | 209 | 107 | 102 |
| 803 | 169 | 96 | 73 |
| 801 | 123 | 29 | 94 |
| 804 | 120 | 86 | 34 |
| 814 | 81 | 61 | 20 |
| 912 | 270 | 155 | 115 |
| 9A6 | 191 | 137 | 52 |
| 9A5 | 176 | 32 | 144 |
| 913 | 140 | 103 | 37 |
| 9A1 | 59 | 34 | 25 |
| 1010 | 234 | 179 | 55 |
| 1011 | 225 | 79 | 146 |
| 1016 | 215 | 89 | 126 |
| 1015 | 49 | 33 | 16 |
| 10H2 | 39 | 14 | 25 |
| 10H1 | 36 | 35 | 1 |
| 1119 | 261 | 118 | 143 |
| 1120 | 156 | 50 | 106 |
| 1121 | 152 | 116 | 36 |
| 1117 | 127 | 84 | 43 |
| 1118 | 52 | 22 | 30 |
| 12F2 | 408 | 181 | 227 |
| 12F3 | 178 | 122 | 56 |
| 12F8 | 148 | 104 | 44 |
| 12F1 | 48 | 20 | 28 |
Modbury High School’s athletes headed to the still new Bridgestone Athletics Centre, Salisbury in Week 9 of Term 1, 2023, in a combined Track and Field event with the best Northern and North Eastern Schools. Coming off of the late buses last year causing us to fall to 3rd overall after winning the 2 years previous years, hopes were high of winning back our top spot.
With a rushed start numbering each competitor on arrival it was a credit to all who competed that that they were able to compete at such high levels. Through out the day it was evident that we were doing well, but would that be enough, unfortunately there were a few missed events, and scoring opportunities. Just one more 9th place in an event would have been enough to secure the win falling less than 8 points short of victory with the totals being in the 2,800s. Having to settle for 2nd to Banksia Park International High School. The year 9, 10 and Senior Boys managed to win their respective age groups and the overall boys Shield. Our year 10 Girls also won their age group.
Some of our best athletes included:
Mr Brendan Schiller
Sports Coordinator
On Friday 24th February, Modbury High School had over 50 students participating in the Year 7/8 3 on 3 Basketball Carnival held at The Lights Recreation Centre.
11 boys teams and 1 girls team participated in the carnival against schools in the North Eastern Vista Zone.
Modbury had some strong performances on the day, but were unfortunate to lose the Div 1 and Div 2 Grand Final matchups.
On the 17th March, our Senior Boys and Girls participated in a 3 on 3 Basketball Carnival at The Lights Recreation Centre.
With over 50 students involved in Senior Competition that day, Modbury High School had the highest number of teams nominated. While we had many teams very competitive, both our Senior Girls and Boys teams lost tough Pool A Grand Final matchups against SEDA college.
Our Pool C Boys team beat all opposition in games that day to be the Pool C Champions in the 3 v 3 competition.
Mr Matthew Jarrad
Teacher | Digital Technologies
Basketball Coach
The prestigious Howard Mutton Award is based on school participation and excellence across all school sport events. The high ranking is no surprise with 57 different teams and 100’s of students representing Modbury High School throughout the year along with excellent achievements in track and field, basketball and netball.
With regular finishes in the top 10, Modbury High School in 2022 again ranked very high finishing 5th across the entire State of over 200 high schools behind only large sporting schools like Adelaide, Henley, Brighton and Reynella High Schools.
We were also successful in winning both the Kevin Gruhl and Marg Smith Shields within the Northern / North Eastern Vista Schools. The Kevin Gruhl Shield is based on points for participation of which we have been a regular winner in recent times with the greatest participation of students / teams in the local area sporting competitions. The Marg Smith Shield encompasses success in those competitions of which we did a fantastic job last year taking it out over some of the larger schools in the area.
Dear Parent /Caregivers
It is difficult to believe that we are at the end of Term 1. It has been an extremely busy term with many activities including; Open Day, NAPLaN Testing, Sports Day and the External Review taking place, as well as all the teaching and learning.
External School Review
The External School Review is now complete. The Review Officer, Simon Harding and two Review Principals spend 3 days at our school. They spoke to students, teachers, support staff and parents. The preliminary report highlighted an overall positive learning environment and the teacher’s commitment to support the students to achieve. The report also highlighted areas of improvement, which we will start unpacking and plan how to address each of the issues highlighted. The final report will be ready early in Term 2. Once it is complete and presented to us, we will post it on our school’s website.
Thank you to all the parents who participated in the review.
Olympics Unleashed Launch
On Wednesday 5 April we had the privilege of hosting the launch of the “Olympics Unleashed Program”. The Minister of Education, Blair Boyer together the CEO of the Olympics Committee and two Olympians, Kiana Elliot (weight lifter) and Jess Stenson (marathon runner) introduced the program which will take place across many high schools, to the media. Following the presentation to the media. Jessica and Kiana spoke to some of our Year 7 students about their journey to becoming Olympians. By sharing their own challenges and obstacles they inspired our students to be resilient, achieve their goals and overcome challenges.
We have been lucky enough to be included in the schools who will be involved in the program. Olympians will again visit the school on Friday 12 May to present to those Year 7 students who weren’t involved in the launch, as well as all of our Year 8 students.
Pedal Prix
On Friday 31 March our Pedal Prix students travelled to Mt Gambier to compete. Working hard as a team, their results reflected their dedication and exceptional teamwork. Congratulations to the Pink Panther Girls team for winning first place in their division and to the Lynx Junior High School team for coming second in their division.
Once again thank you to Mr Ferguson for his planning and organization, Fast Cats Racing, Mr Gibbins and Ms Gibbins for their ongoing support of Pedal Prix.
Special Options Camp
On Tuesday 4 April Modbury Special Options class students excitedly made their way to Foul Bay on the Yorke Peninsula and stayed at the Wild Retreat Farm Stay. A fantastic time was had by all, as they enjoying new experiences and made lots of memories.
Student Reports
Term 1 Reports will be published on Daymap on Friday 14 April. I encourage all parents to take a few minutes to discuss the results with your child and if needed discuss strategies for improvement.
Parent Teacher Interviews
Parent teacher interviews will be held on Thursday 18 May. Students will not attend school on this day. Information re: booking for interviews has been sent home this week. It is critical that parents make appointments to meet with their child’s teachers especially for all Year 12 students and any student who have achieved unsatisfactory results for any of their subjects. Please note that this year the interviews are face to face on-site at school.
Parent Forum
Information was also sent home this week about registering to attend the Parent Forum, which will be held at the school on Wednesday 3 May. The forum is a great opportunity for parents to give feedback and be actively involved in the schools continue improvement. If you would like to RSVP to the Parent Forum click here.
Wishing all of you a safe and relaxing holiday.
Ms Joanne Costa
Principal
Reminder that School Fees are now overdue. For information on ways to pay or to organise payment plans please click here.
Last chance to buy MHS 2022 Yearbook. Call our Finance Office to buy one.
During Week 10, Rooms 6 and 7 went to Foul Bay on the southern Yorke Peninsula for a camp. We travelled by bus, stopping at Ardrossan for lunch on the way. While at camp we had an Easter egg hunt, went on a night walk, watched movies, listened to music, and played board and card games, as well as having lots of food. On Wednesday we went to Marion Bay to spend time on the beach and at the playground. We then went to Innes National Park, where we explored old Inneston and some of us visited the lighthouse.
We further established friendships across the two classes and we’ll be talking for a long time to come about the ‘spooky’ appearances which caused a few screams in the evening.
Mr Ian Craig
Special Options Teacher
There will be a sports addition to come this weekend about 'all things sport term 1', so please watch out for that.
Wishing everyone a safe and Happy Holidays. We will see you when school recommences, Tuesday 2nd May.
Dear Parents/Guardians/Caregivers
Welcome to the March edition of our newsletter. As always the last three weeks have been very busy as is evident by the articles presented.
Student Voice Induction
On Monday 27 February we held our “Student Voice “Induction ceremony and Congress. The aim of the ceremony was to present the student voice representatives to the school community.
Member of Parliament for Newland, Olivia Savvas addressed the students and spoke of her personal Leadership experience. She inspired students by sharing her own story and letting students know that everything is possible if you have a goal and go after it with passion and determination. The ceremony concluded with the elected student representatives being presented with their SRC badge.
Following the ceremony, Matt Krieg, a leadership consultant, supported the students to explore leadership qualities and to ascertain what their focus for the year will be.
I am looking forward to working with the students and supporting them to positively influence the schools.
A very big thank you to Olivia Savvas for joining us on the day and for her inspiring speech. Thank you to Ms Downes for her planning and organisation of the induction ceremony and the leadership she provides to student voice. Thank you to Ms Moeller, Mr Ricci, Ms Nash and Ms O’Brien-Dent for their work with student voice.
Sports Day
On Friday 10 March we held our school’s sports day. Although I was absent for the day due to my participation in an external review for another school, I heard many positive reports from students and teachers about what a fantastic day it was. Congratulations to all the students who participated in events and supported their house to accumulate points.
Congratulations to Gilmore for once again winning first place!
NAPLaN
NAPLaN testing started on Wednesday 15 March. It is envisaged that all tests including catch up tests for students who have been absent for any aspect of the tests will be finalised by the middle of next week.
Thank you to Ms Shelly Brown, Deputy Principal for her planning and organisation of the tests. Thank you also to all the teachers who have been supervising the tests and Mr Francois Vorstman, ICT Manager for his organisation and assistance of the ICT required for the successful administration of the tests.
School’s Values
School values are essential in building a positive and vibrant culture. Values connect people to the institution they are affiliated with. Our school is proud of its current values of Respect and of a Culture of high achievement. These values have been critical in the positive school culture which exists at Modbury. However, after discussions with staff and students it was evident that other values should be incorporated, values which reflect other aspects of our school community. For this reason Ms Hannah Downes, Assistant Principal of Learning Environment, together with Matt Krieg are currently leading a group of staff and students representatives to evaluate the school’s current vision and values. The aim is for students and staff to determine what other values they see as important and significant for our school. Once they determine a set of values, they will share it with the whole community with the aim of a whole school agreement on what our school values should be.
Work Completion Policy for Years 7-10
In 2022, after extensive consultation with teachers and student voice, the work completion policy was updated with some significant changes. The changes to the policy occurred because in the evaluation of the effectiveness of the policy, it was determined that it did not support students to develop effective time management and study habits. The new policy requires students to take more responsibility for their learning and for parents to support their child and the school by monitoring their child’s progress. The policy states that when students fail to submit a draft, the teacher will alert the parent, the teacher will not issue a consequence at this point in time. However, the parent can request that the student be placed in the Learning Centre to complete the task. If this does not happen and the student fails to submit the final task by the due date, they will be given a zero.
I encourage all parents who may receive a Daymap message indicating that their child has not completed a draft of any given task to contact the school and ask that their child be enrolled into the Learning Centre at lunch time to complete the draft. This is important as drafts provide students with feedback on how they can improve their work.
Ms Joanne Costa
Principal
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 (i.e. a GPA of 7). We will recognise the academic achievement of these students at our Outstanding Achievers Recess along with Term 1 achievers at the beginning of Term 2, 2023.
High Achievement awards are presented to students who obtain one fewer A grade than the maximum for their year level.
Congratulations to these students!
Outstanding Achievement
Year 8
Emily Tontani
Saarakshya Sharma
Shahanna McMillan
Jess Freebairn
Aki Sicoy
Year 9
Molly Cox
Liezel Wong
Amber Hayward
Breanne Button
Bowie Morgan
Christopher Kastanos
Parisha Gautam
Keilah Haldane
Madhav Sharma
Year 10
Finley Bradtke
Anton Kastanos
Hana Wong
Ella Martin
Kaiwen He
Jack Counihan-Abbott
Oscar Elder
Year 11
Lydia Wighton
Jak Kastanos
Sienna Garstka
Angelina Hansen
Matthew Maletto
High Achievement
Year 7
Kaitlyn Sollis
Gargee Vyas
Demi Snider
Vivaan Rajpal
Hannah Joseph
Liam Hanlin
Rohami Rajkumar
Alexis Smith
Isabella Wright
Kura Whenan
Jules Sulaog
Paige Sharpe
Ella Taylor
Evan Zawada
Angel Surani
Year 8
Elliot Webster-Brown
Isha Bane
Ariel Lim
Melissa Benton
Tom Whistler
Hannah Merrett
Angelica Lizaso
Scarlett Taylor
Charli Hodson
Charli Juhl
Kayla Skurrie
Sienna Morgan
Madeline Langley
Hannah Lock
Sophia Raissa
Isabelle Cox
Emily Piacquadio
Avnoor Kaur
Year 9
Soheil Haidari
Danika Low
Mia Ly
Belle Parrish
Cameron Green
Elise Harmer
Isla McGraw
Mika Osborne
Jordyn Cook
Rania Saitov
Imogen Janicki
Bryce Sanders
Michael Van Der Hoek
Rachel Burgess
Jade Kolman
Emily Zhang
Tori Ashman
Jack Rose
Alex Zhukovskiy
Keira Copeland
Charlotte Bland
Daniel Wagener
Daniel Cook
Alecia Saldavia
Lara Murphy
Lia Kais
Kai Goulding
Erin McLeod
Holly Manoel
Year 10
Kahlan Mashford
Jasmin Andrews
Asha Duldig
Mason Green
Lara Somfai
Madison Benton
Owen Wythe
Andrea Sualog
Teagan Parmiter
Jade Pelton
Luke Zawada
Riley Barton
Carlos Gray-Claveria
Cooper Garland-McNamara
Lawrence French
Year 11
Jeran Tiong
Nyx Little
Yalarasey Sooriyakumar
Brianna Mesecke
William Wighton
Rachel Davies
Ms Joanne Costa
Principal
2023 has seen the return of international students at Modbury High School. We currently have 13 short term students from Japan and 3 long term students from India, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. The students have settled into life quite quickly and done a variety of activities in school and with their host families.
The short-term students will begin leaving in week 8 and although they have only been with us for a short time, they will be missed by their fellow students and staff alike.
International students wouldn’t be able to attend schools in South Australia if it wasn’t for host families. Host families are reimbursed for their time and make new friends from all over the world. If you are interested in becoming a host for an international student, contact Amanda Kampes at the school for more information.
Amanda Kampes
Coordinator of Languages and International Education.
Harura’s Birthday Party!
On February 28th, We Japanese students had a party! The star was Harura.
Her real birthday is February 29th, but it comes only once every four years, so we held it the day before. In short she is only 3 years old.
We had pizza and donuts. The birthday girl ate kinds of pizza and lots of donuts and looked very happy!!!
We had pizza and donuts. The birthday girl ate kinds of pizza and lots of donuts and looked very happy!!!
She was celebrated by many people from Japan.
There is no doubt that her birthday in Australia was a special one for her.
Happy birthday Harura! 🙂
By Kohane Yamada (Yr 11)
International Student’s Welcome Party
On 22th,February. We went to Welcome Party at The University of South Australia. The members are Yuta, Kohane, Will, Bumhika, Nagomi, Fumika, Kazuhiro, Saki, Rina, Yushi, Kanon, Wae, Harura, Ms.Kampes and Ms.Baulch. At the welcome party , we watched a traditional Australian dance and saw Australian animals such as baby quokkas and snakes. After that, we visited the booths individually. Some of the booths were where you could try wrapping a snake around your neck, and others were where you could try playimg Australian cricket and Australian foo ball, which are very popular in Australia. At a booth where commemorative photos could be taken, everyone joined the teachers for a photo. Everyone seemed happy to see their school friends after a long time.
It was an exciting, different day and a lot of fun.
By Yuta Imanishi (Yr 11)
A reminder to parents, caregivers and students that Year 12 Formal ticket final payments are due by Thursday 6th April (Week 10). Final payment of the remaining $70.00 can be made through the QKR app, bank transfer (BSB 065150 Acct No. 10649930), or at the finance office. The Year 12’s have voted on a theme for the 2023 formal, which is ‘Enchanted Forest’. The formal committee has begun their fundraising efforts and did a great job with back-to-back burger flipping last week on Tuesday and Wednesday at lunchtime, we have two upcoming fundraisers advertised below – a fantastic effort by the formal committee for organising these!
On Tuesday March 28th, the Formal Committee have also organised a ‘pop up’ event through With Love Formal Wear, a charity that donates preloved formal dresses and suits to students who need them (no cost involved) – this will take place from 4:00pm – 6:00pm in the Year 12 Flexis, parents/caregivers are welcome to attend with their child.
I had seen countless photos of Port Willunga and its jetty poles, however I had never seen one so close to the water, one that really brought the viewer in. This exact photo had been in my head for weeks before getting there. Once I arrived, and waited for sunset, I realised my luck wasn't on point. The clouds blocked the sun, and I knew the photo would come out an eyesore, however I still rushed in for the photo, lifting my camera on its tripod in and out of the water as I went for the shot as some waves could have engulfed it. Due to the conditions, It came out quite bad, however with post-processing magic I was able to fix and make a photo I am truly proud of. It was great to see my work displayed somewhere too.
-By Carlos Gray-Claveria
A huge congratulations to Carlos Gray-Claveria for getting an Honourable mention for the High School Student photography awards for 2023. Cannot wait to see more of your amazing work.
On Tuesday the 14th of February all the year 10s in Modbury High School attended a drivers safety meeting with Darren Davis from the Get Home Safe Foundation. Darren talked us through the importance of seatbelts and how they could possibly save your life in a crash. He then told us about how bad texting and driving is. He continued with saying that more drivers die from texting and driving than drink driving.
Near the end of the meeting one of the students from each class was given the opportunity to drive in Australia’s only VR car simulator while in an actual car. While the one student had their headset, on the rest of the class could see the simulation on a TV.
The key take aways from this meeting were when you are driving prepare to stop, and if you’re in the car with someone who has either, been drinking or texting and driving you should say something or get out of the car. Darren did an amazing job at telling everyone all the safety requirements of driving especially since most of us will be driving this year. All the students that went to Darren’s meeting will remember it.
By Amber Crebbin
On March 8th, Seda College held the International Women's Day breakfast, and Modbury students were invited to attend. Upon arrival, we were given goodie bags containing food coupons, Catherine House information packets, sky diving and float vouchers, a face mask, a health bar, and flyers for MAS, Peer, and ATEC when we arrived at the location. Over brunch, we were given the opportunity to network and socialise with other women and students from various schools who attended the event, as well as representatives from MAC, Peer and ATEC. We stood in the rain as Uncle John delivered the welcome to country, which was a surreal experience that allowed us to feel connected to the earth. Strong female leaders who have succeeded in male-dominated careers, such as sports or trades, contributed to the event's tremendous force through an engaging panel. The women on the panel included engineer Winnie and plumber trainer Brittany from PEER, Marena Wittle from Adelaide Lightning, Anne Hatchard (Hatchy) from Adelaide Crows, Tayla Williams from Adelaide Thunderbirds and Dylan Holmes from Adelaide United. This event was motivational and inspiring, giving us the chance to be empowered and pursue the job paths we are interested in. I recommend the event and hope Modbury will be asked again next year! Thank you to Ms O’brien-Dent for organising the excursion for some year 11 and 12 female leaders.
by Dakota Stephenson
Ms Madelin O'Brien-Dent
Year 11/12 Manager
Ms Emma Baulch
Counselling Coordinator, Psychology and English Teacher
We are excited to announce that we are once again offering our students the chance to participate in the ICAS Assessments this year. Academic competitions are a wonderful way to challenge and engage students, and the ICAS Assessments are no exception.
With over forty years of experience developing assessments for schools, ICAS Assessments are designed to provide teachers and parents with insights into improving learning and rewarding academic success. The tests are engaging, and the processes are rigorous, ensuring high standards are met.
Participating in academic competitions like the ICAS Assessments can bring numerous benefits to students. Here are the top ten benefits of academic competitions for students:
If you're interested in your child participating in the ICAS Assessments, please log in to the parental portal and make payment for the tests they will be sitting.
The school access code is: SYD252
The parental page link is: https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps
The cost of the tests is $19.25 each, and the ICAS Writing Assessment costs $23.65. The tests will be held at Modbury High School and administered by Kristina Palmer.
| Digital Technologies | 7 August – 11 August |
| Writing | 7 August – 11 August |
| English | 14 August – 18 August |
| Science | 21 August – 25 August |
| Spelling Bee | 21 August – 25 August |
| Mathematics | 28 Aug- 1 September |
We hope that you will take advantage of this fantastic opportunity for your child to challenge themselves and demonstrate their academic abilities. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact kristina.palmer612@schools.sa.edu.au test administrator and English/EALD Coordinator.
Ms Kristina Palmer
Test Administrator and English/EALD Coordinator
In our science class, we recently completed a practical that gave students the opportunity to learn about the central nervous system by dissecting a sheep's brain. This activity was an excellent way for students to understand the structure of the brain and its components.
By dissecting a sheep's brain, students were able to examine the various parts of the brain and learn about their functions such as:
1. that the cerebrum is responsible for processing information related to language, sensation, and movement.
2. that the cerebellum is involved in coordinating movement and balance, and that the brain stem controls vital functions like breathing and heartbeat.
The dissection began with a brief overview of the anatomy of the brain, including the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem. Students then had the opportunity to observe and identify each of these structures in the sheep's brain.
Overall, the sheep brain dissection was a valuable activity for our students. It provided them with hands-on experience in learning about the central nervous system and helped them to understand the importance of this complex organ in our daily lives. By exploring the structure and function of the brain, students were able to gain a deeper understanding of the intricacies of the human body.
Mr Paul Gavini
STEM Teacher
On Friday 3rd March, Liam Nash (year 8), Hudson Mentha (year 7) represented Modbury High School as Individual Swimmers at the Secondary Schools Swimming Championships held at the SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre. Unfortunately, a couple of girls were unable to attend.
Liam performed extremely well, coming 4th in Backstroke, 6th in Breaststroke and 8th in Freestyle. He was competing against some tough competition in the 14-year-old age group however he achieved personal best times in all his swims. Congratulations Liam.
Hudson had a great day with 3 PBs from his 5 swims. From this he was awarded 2 firsts in Butterfly & 50m Freestyle and 3 second places in backstroke, breaststroke & 100m freestyle in the 11-12-year-old age group. Congratulations Hudson
Thank you to their parents for providing assistance and transportation on the day. Well done to all students for representing the school proudly.
Mr Brendan Schiller
Sports Coordinator
Health & Physical Education Teacher
Dear Parent / Caregivers / Guardians,
Welcome to the first edition of the 2023 Newsletters. I am very pleased to say that the year has started well, with a number of significant events taking place over the last 3 weeks.
School Improvement
Our school vision continues to be about the provision of quality education for all students and the creation of excellence in student 21st century learning, in a global context. We aim to provide a high quality education to all students so that they develop the knowledge, skills and attributes to be successful in life. We value a culture of respect and high achievement.
To enact our vision and ensure that our students are successful, over the last 3 years we had set ourselves 3 goals:
Although progress has been made in all three areas, our rigorous evaluation in 2022 illustrated that there are aspects of this work that need to continue. Hence in 2023 the whole school will continue to implement goal 1 and 2. The Mathematics Learning Area will be responsible for the implementation of goal 3.
2022 Year 12 Results
Congratulations to the 2022 Year 12 students who achieved excellent results. This cohort of students achieved 100% SACE completion, no failing grades and 72% A and B grades. Every student who applied for a university course have either received their first or second preference. Additionally, many students who applied for an apprenticeship were successful.
A very big thank you to all the teachers and parents for their support of the students.
Achievement Assembly
On Monday 13 February, we welcomed back the 2022 Year 12 High Achievers. A whole school assembly was held in their honour. Students who achieved an ATAR of 90 and above and those who achieved 3 or more A‘s were presented with a certificates commemorating their excellent work. Hadeia Khwaja was named the 2022 Dux of the school with an ATAR of 96.65, which was upgraded to 99.9 based on the bonus points she acquired by studying English and Mathematics. In her speech to the students Hadeia encouraged them to work hard to aim high but still have time for fun. Following the assembly, parents, students, and special guests were invited to a morning tea.
International Program
A very warm welcome to our newly arrived International Students. After a 3 year pause in International Education due to Covid, this year we welcomed 19 international students to our school. Some are staying for 5 weeks, others for a term and some for at least 2 years. This is not only a great experience for the international students but also for our students who get to work closely with students from different cultures.
Parent Information Evenings
The week starting Monday 13 Feb we held our Parent Acquaintance Nights. It was pleasing to see so many parents attend each of the evenings. Year Level Leaders and Relevant Executives spoke to the parents and provided general information. Following their presentation parents had the opportunity to meet with their child’s homegroup teacher and the parents of their child’s classmates. Homegroup teachers spoke about a variety of topics such as attendance, uniform, Daymap, daily routines etc.
Thank you to all the parents who attended, it was great to see you there.
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General meeting was held on Thursday 16 February. Governing Council Chair Martin Crabb welcomed all parents and spoke of the importance of the Council’s work. The Annual School report, Governing Council report and Finance report were tabled and presented. Four positions were declared open and new nominations were sought. I am pleased that all positions were filled.
Elections for the Chair, Treasurer, Secretary and Deputy Chair will take place at the first Governing Council meeting which will take place on Wednesday 22 February.
Ms Joanne Costa
Principal
Year 12 ‘Class of 2022’
48.1% of our students achieved an A in at least 1 subject, from those who completed SACE
The students who achieved A+ with Merit, 90+ ATAR and/or 3 or more A grade results were formally recognised at the beginning of 2023 in a special Achievement Assembly.
Outstanding Student Achievers for 2022
We would like to congratulate the following students for their outstanding results in 2022.
Students who achieved an A+ with Merit for their subjects:
Amy Mykytyschyn – Research Project B
Daniel Piacquadio – Research Project B
Kendrick Rabe – Research Project B
Students who achieved three or more A grades for their subjects:
NINA SUKACZ - Three A grades for Essential English, Material Solutions – Woodwork and Music Performance Ensemble.
SHANAE HARGRAVE - Three A grades for Integrated Learning (Psychology), English and Research Project
SHAELYN BRADTKE - Four A grades for Music Explorations, Music Performance Ensemble, Research Project and Visual Arts – Art.
EMMY MURPHY - Five A grades for Psychology, Food & Hospitality, Research Project, English and General Mathematics
The following students have achieved an ATAR (Australian Tertiary Acceptance Ranking) of 80+ out of a possible maximum 99.95. These students have achieved in the top 20% of the students across the state who also sought an ATAR. They have also met the compulsory requirements of the SACE.
82.15 - Arry Sidhu
84.00 – Sara Flaifil
84.45 – Tamanna Yadav
85.85 – Andy Chong
86.30 – Andrew Wong
86.95 – Shaelyn Bradtke
87.50 – Mali Emery
88.40 – Kiran Singh
89.90 – Emmy Murphy
The next students not only received three or more A grades, but also an ATAR above 90, placing them in the top 10% of the state.
AMY MYKYTYSCHYN - Four A grades for Research Project, Psychology, English and General Mathematics and received an ATAR of 90.40
ASHLEE MCLEOD - Three A grades for Research Project, English and Mathematical Methods and received an ATAR of 91.45
ZODEE ZAWADZKI – Five A grades for Food & Hospitality, Legal Studies, Psychology, Research Project and English and received an ATAR of 91.85
HOLLY BENGER – Four A grades for Psychology, Research Project, Visual Arts – Arts and General Mathematics and received an ATAR of 91.90
EMMA SHEPPARD - Three A grades for English, Psychology and Research Project and received an ATAR of 92.10
KENDRICK RABE – Five A grades for Research Project, Physics, Biology, English and Mathematical Methods and received an ATAR of 93.20
DANIEL PIACQUADIO –Four A grades for Research Project, Chemistry, Mathematical Methods and Physics and received an ATAR of 94.40
LILY DONSBERG – Four A grades for Physical Education, Research Project, General Mathematics and Psychology and received an ATAR of 94.95
Congratulations to our Dux of 2022 with an ATAR of 96.40 - Hadeia Khwaja
Hadeia receivedfive A grades for Research Project, Chemistry, English, Biology and Mathematical Methods.
Congratulations to our outstanding achievers for 2022 – we wish you all the best for your future pathways.
Ms Louise Woolford
Assistant Principal for Year 11 & 12
Ms Madelin O'Brien-Dent
Year 11/12 Leader
The tour was made up of competitions in Innsbruck (Austria), Munich (Germany) and Pilsen (Czech Republic).
On the tour, I competed in 7 competitions across 3 weeks with competitors from all over the globe.
My best result was 9th place in Pilsen out of 32 competitors up to 21 years of age.
While on the tour we also had time to experience the European winter including tobogganing up in the mountains overlooking Innsbruck, a day trip into the centre of Munich and sightseeing in Prague.
My next goal is to qualify for the Australian team competing in the Junior World Cup in Suhl (Germany) and the Junior World Championships in Changwon (Korea) later in the year.
- Charlotte Bland
Japan Information meeting on Monday 27 February
Please RSVP to Ms Kampes
Join Modbury High School's STEM club and explore the exciting world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics! The club meets every Wednesday from 3:30pm to 4:30pm and offers a range of exciting projects such as 3D Design and 3D printing, Robotics with Arduino, VR and Flight Simulation. In addition, the club is hosting a coding competition run by the National Computer Science School, offering a unique opportunity to showcase your coding skills. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced programmer, come along and be a part of this dynamic learning community. Sign up today and discover your potential in STEM!
Keep an eye on Daymap for the nomination link.
Mr Glen McKie
Maths/STEM Coordinator
Mr James Dundon
Science/Stem/Data Coordinator
Unlock your full potential in maths by attending “Maths..? Help!” sessions during lunchtime in the STEM building - with Mrs McKie on Tuesdays and Mr Krznaric on Wednesdays.
(Yes, you can bring your lunch!)
We believe in you and your ability to be successful in maths, so don’t hold back! Get expert support with maths homework, investigations, or test preparation. Stay for 5, 20 or 40 minutes – YOU choose.
All students from Years 7 to 12 are welcome.
To book a tour click here
Jayden Stephens was successful with his artwork titled 'Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil' based on environmental destruction. The artwork consisted of 2 A3 individual pieces sitting side by side connected by 2 figures back to back, depicting environmental decay in black & white pen and ink juxtaposed with a vibrant colourful acrylic landscape of what nature can offer.
Ms Amanda Lewis
Art Teacher
For more information on the SACE Art Show, click here
The Year 12 students had an engaging and memorable Orientation Day on January 30th. They started the day with a game of 'Werewords' to get to know their new Home Group peers and teachers, followed by a practical study skills session with Mr. Vu. During morning tea, they mingled with former scholars and received valuable advice for the upcoming year. The day also included informative presentations on UniSA and the National Careers Institute, as well as a well-being session run by Ms. Baulch. In the afternoon, students participated in friendly Home Group vs. Home Group games of Tunnel Ball and Golden Child, which brought them together and created a positive and energetic atmosphere. Overall, the Year 12 students had a successful and enjoyable Orientation Day.
Ms. O'Brien-Dent
Year 11/12 Year Level Leader
To view future events and important dates please see our calendar - here.
We believe in a culture of achievement in a respectful and rigorous learning environment
